The pope's statement came against the idea of ​​turning a Turkish museum into a mosque

Istanbul, Ta. 13 July 2020, Monday

Pope Francis has also expressed frustration over the Turkish government's decision to turn Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque. The pope said he was saddened by the decision to turn the Sophia Museum into a mosque. "My focus is on Istanbul," the pope said during a weekly prayer meeting at Center Peter's Square. I am very sad to think of St. Sophia. '

In fact the museum was originally a church and was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Sultanate. The mosque was then turned into a museum again in Turkey in the 1930s. According to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the ancient monument has been turned into a mosque once again following a court ruling and the first prayers will be offered at the site on July 24.

The World Council of Churches has called on Erdogan to reverse his decision to turn the museum into a mosque. Patriarch Bartholomew, the religious leader of the World Orthodox Christian in Istanbul, also called the decision disappointing. According to President Tayyip Erdogan, the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia church, once a church, will now be open to Muslims, Christians and foreigners. Erdogan said Turkey had turned it into a mosque under its right to sovereignty and criticism of the move would be seen as an attack on its sovereignty.

Greece has also criticized the Turkish government's move. According to UNESCO, their World Heritage Committee will review the condition of Hagia Sophia.

The Turkish government's decision raises a number of questions about its important global boundaries and heritage.