Presentation of Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy landmark edition "Hagia Sophia: The temples of God's Wisdom around the world" - No one can remain indifferent to the destruction of Hagia Sophia

A presentation of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy landmark edition "Hagia Sophia: The temples of God's Wisdom around the world" took place in Florence, attended by Cardinal Giuseppe Betori and distinguished professors, in the context of the IAO public awareness campaign on the Istanbul Hagia Sophia Temple conversion into a mosque. The Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) Secretary General, member of the Hellenic Parliament, Dr Maximos Charakopoulos, speaking during the presentation of the Volume in the amphitheater of the Central Italy Theological School in Florence, stressed that "Hagia Sophia, since turned into a mosque, has been seriously damaged from the conversion of the narthex into a shoe rack together with the daily presence of tens of thousands of visitors, who use the monument even for their overnight stay. This fact has been criticised even by Turkish media, such as the newspaper Cumhuriyet, warning that if this situation continues, Hagia Sophia will have been destroyed by 2050 ".

The presentation was attended by the IAO delegation members, MPs Sisak Gabrielyan and Hrachya Hakobya from Armenia, Mile Talevski from Northern Macedonia, Panikos Leonidou from Cyprus and Eugeniusz Czykwin from Poland, as well as the IAO Advisors Dr Costas Mygdalis and Mr Alexandros Fomenko. Also present were the Hellenic Parliament Secretary General George Mylonakis, the Greek Consul Peggy Petrakakou and Archimandrite Nikolaos.

From the Italian side, the Central Italy Theological School Dean Don Stefano Tarocchi, the Cardinal Giuseppe Betori and the Head of the "Summer School of Religion",  Professor of Sociology, Mr. Arnaldo Nesti spoke during the presentation. Further to Dr Maximos Charakopoulos, Monsignor Timothy Verdon, Stanford University professor expert in ecclesiastical art and member of the Centre for Italian Renaissance Studies at Harvard University, and Adalberto Mainardi, Monastero di Bose friar, spoke about the book. The discussion was moderated by Don Alfredo Jiacopozzi, professor at the Theological School of Central Italy.

Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, in his intervention, emphasized the prospect of strengthening relations between the Orthodox and the Catholics, while praising Patriarch Bartholomew’s contribution regarding conciliation between Churches. He also stressed the need for coordination regarding the international public opinion awareness campaign for Hagia Sophia. The other speakers elaborated upon various aspects of  Hagia Sophia’s historical, cultural and spiritual value, also expressing their support to the IAO initiative aimed to overturn the arbitrary Turkish decision.

Dr Maximos Charakopoulos thanked the Hellenic Parliament Secretary General George Mylonakis for the full support of the Hellenic Parliament and the President Constantine Tassoulas, to all IAO actions and projects, and especially the printing -in a luxurious and multilanguage edition -and distribution of the Hagia Sophia Volume.

 

 

 

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