ROC: Hagia Sophia's conversion into mosque is punishment for sin in Ukraine

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Photo: tripadvisor.fi

The conversion of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque is evidence of God's punishment to Phanar for the great sin committed in Ukraine. This point of view was expressed by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus, in his Christmas interview, the text of which was published on the Patriarchia.ru website on January 7, 2021.

“I don’t want to criticize my fellow Constantinople brother, but, undoubtedly, everything that happened later in Constantinople, in Istanbul, bears testimony to the punishment of God,” the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church noted. “Patriarch Bartholomew let the schismatics to the Kyiv shrine, to Kyiv Sophia Cathedral, but lost Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, which became a mosque. <...> He took away Saint Sophia in Kyiv from the Orthodox people, from the Orthodox Church, he intruded there and brought along schismatics there – and so he lost his own Hagia Sophia..."

According to Patriarch Kirill, “It is difficult to imagine more obvious consequences coming from God's command”. Moreover, these consequences, he noted, came immediately, "because the sin was too great."

“We must all together” overcome the crisis in Orthodoxy that arose as a result of the actions of Phanar,” the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church believes and adds, “It is necessary to pray for each other, at least in personal prayers, <...> and do everything to ensure that this crisis in Orthodoxy, imposed from outside, finished as quickly as possible."

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to Patriarch Kirill, Phanar recognized the OCU under external pressure.

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