Erdoğan recites Quran at Hagia Sophia, religious authority head gives sermon with sword

Trump met with US archbishop

Archbishop of America Elpidophoros met with US President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence at the White House today.

"I communicated our grave dismay at the re-conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, as well as ongoing security concerns for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and issues of religious liberty," he said on Twitter after the meeting.

The US Episcopal Church is within the realm of authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in Fatih, İstanbul.

Pence also tweeted after the meeting, saying, " America will stand firm with the Greek Orthodox Church in the call for Hagia Sophia to remain accessible as a source of inspiration and reflection for every person of every faith. Protecting Religious Freedom at home and abroad is a foreign policy priority for the United States of America. We cherish the faith and charitable works of the 1.5 million members of the Greek Orthodox Church in the United States.."

What happened?

Hagia Sophia was built and served as a church for 916 years until the Ottoman Empire took over İstanbul, and a mosque from 1453 to 1934, and most recently as a museum for 86 years.

In 1985, during its time as a museum, Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On July 10, the Council of State annulled a 1934 cabinet decree that had turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its use again as a mosque.

The decision received criticism from the European Union and several countries.

On the same day, Hagia Sophia was handed over to the Religious Affairs Directorate by a presidential decree.

On July 16, the Religious Affairs Directorate signed a cooperation protocol with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to run Hagia Sophia after its conversion into a mosque.

Under the protocol, the ministry will supervise restoration and conservation work, while the Religious Affairs Directorate will oversee religious services.

The architectural treasure will also be open to domestic and foreign tourists free of charge.