Hagia Sophia

Sibiu marks 119 years since Cathedral inspired by Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia was inaugurated

Tuesday marks 119 years since the inauguration of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Sibiu, according to Turnul Sfatului. The initiative to build the cathedral belonged to Saint Andrew Șaguna, who also made the most substantial financial contribution—2,000 florins. The winning design, titled “Constantine and Helen – Hagia Sophia,” was submitted by architect József Kommer of Budapest and…

May 13, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Warsaw saw the consecration of “Hagia Sophia”, its first Orthodox church built in the last hundred years

The first Orthodox place of worship built in Warsaw in the last hundred years was consecrated on Sunday. The “Hagia Sophia” Church is a replica of the basilica of the same name built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in Constantinople and has been dedicated to the victims of the Communist regime: those deported, imprisoned and killed…

May 16, 2023Ștefana Totorcea

Patriarch Daniel, message at the launch of the Romanian edition of the volume The Church of Hagia Sophia: Churches of the «Wisdom of God» in the world

The message of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, addressed on the occasion of the launch of the Romanian edition of the volume The Church of Hagia Sophia: Churches of the «Wisdom of God» in the world, Palace of the Parliament, 8 December 2022. Distinguished audience, We welcome the initiative of the Chamber of Deputies,…

Dec 8, 2022Sorin Ioniţe

Photo Contest dedicated to Hagia Sophia Basilica announces its winners

The Secretariat of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy announced last month the winners of the international photo contest “Hagia Sophia. The churches of the Wisdom of God in history and in the world”. The Grand Prize for the Ancient Churches category goes to the American Larry Angier, who sent a black-and-white series of photos of…

Nov 3, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Photo competition inspired by the Hagia Sophia basilica highlights the concept of “Wisdom of God”

The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) and Orthphoto.net launched last week a photography competition inspired by Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia Basilica (“The Church of the Holy Wisdom of God”). Participants are invited to send images of temples dedicated to the Wisdom of God from all over the world, be they Orthodox or from other Christian denominations.…

Mar 17, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Ecumenical Patriarch thanks Patriarch of Romania for solidarity over Hagia Sophia issue: ‘The Church of God’s Wisdom belongs to all humanity’

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew thanked the Patriarch of Romania “from the depth of his heart” for the support expressed in the case of the Hagia Sophia Basilica following a decision of the Turkish authorities to transform it into a mosque after 86 years. “From the depth of our heart, we thank you for Your…

Aug 4, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

CROCEU on Hagia Sophia: The effort to erase its ancient Christian origins is deplorable and dangerous

The Committee of the Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the European Institutions (CROCEU) expressed its deep regret concerning Turkey’s unprecedented violation of the UNESCO rules by changing the status of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque. CROCEU has issued a statement in which it says the action violates historical memory and…

Jul 23, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Romanian Patriarchate adds its voice: Keep Hagia Sophia a museum

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel told the Ecumenical Patriarch that the Romanian Patriarchate supports the preservation of the current status of the Hagia Sophia Basilica in Constantinople (Istanbul). The status of this symbol for Christianity is being re-discussed in Turkey. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has asked the Turkish authorities to keep the current museum status for the…

Jul 8, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Artists finish frescoes at main dome of new Warsaw Orthodox Church

The main dome of the new Orthodox Church in Warsaw has been completely painted by iconographers. The completion of the frescoes was announced by the local archdiocese in a communique published on the Polish Church’s website. The Church of Hagia Sophia in Warsaw has five domes with the main dome towering at a height of…

Oct 28, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Holy Icons Kept in Hagia Sophia Receive New Life after Restoration

Holy icons from Greek Orthodox churches across Turkey are brought to Hagia Sophia for restoration work in order to be exhibited at a new museum. According to a Daily Sabah report, quoted by greekreporter.com, Christian icons from various Byzantine churches across Turkey are collected in a laboratory inside Topkapı Palace, which is within walking distance…

Jan 8, 2018Iulian Dumitraşcu