Erdogan’s gross provocation in Hagia Sophia on autumn anniversary – NewsFire.GR

Turkey marked the 573rd anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453 on May 29 with provocative nationalist and religious events. This day coincided with the third day of Eid al-Adha, intensifying the religious tone of the celebrations.

In the center was Hagia Sophia again, the historic church which Erdogan The Turkish government transformed it into a mosque, speaking of a “second conquest of the city”.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose to attend Friday prayers there, reciting verses from the Quran in front of a large crowd of worshipers and government officials.

The Turkish president visited the church from his residence in Kışıklı, accompanied by ministers, senior officials, presidential staff and the governor of Constantinople. Security measures were tightened, while pro-government media presented the visit as “historic” and an expression of the “spirit of the Conquest.”

Erdoğan’s statements

After the prayer, Erdoğan made statements with a clear ideological and revisionist tone. “This land has been our homeland since 1071 (Battle of Manzikert). And Constantinople, since 1453, has been the light of our nation’s eyes,” » he declared characteristically. He spoke of “Turkish Constantinople” and claimed that there were still people who could not accept the conquest and could not escape from it. “the claws of 573 years of wrath.”

He goes even further by presenting the Conquest as an act of “reconstruction and rebirth” of the city. He claimed that before 1453 the neighborhoods had become swamps and that places of worship, including Hagia Sophia, had been pillaged. According to him, the Ottoman conquest brought new life, peace, security and tolerance to all inhabitants, regardless of their religion.

At another time, he described the Conquest as “the transformation of darkness into light” and verses invoked by the poet Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca. He stressed that the desire for conquest will never be absent from the heart of the Turkish nation, comparing it to water that never disappears from a lake.

His reference that “Just as we broke the chains at the gates of Hagia Sophia, we will achieve new victories” bring back the conversion of the church into a mosque which had provoked international reactions.

During his stay at the church, Erdoğan called on worshipers to pray for the Palestinians, assuring that Turkey was on their side. At the same time, he delivered a message of unity, calling on Turkish citizens to remain united and strong.

Mass events in Constantinople

At the same time, thousands of citizens participated in the “Conquest March,” which started at Beyazıt Square and ended at Hagia Sophia. Protesters carried Turkish flags, while the march was accompanied by Mehter military bands and groups performing Ottoman historical reenactments. According to the governorate of Constantinople, tens of thousands of people united “as one heart” under the Turkish flag. The march was also attended by the governor David Gul.

Crowds visited the tomb of Mehmed the Conquerorwhile in various parts of the city there were Koranic recitations, distributions of refreshments and concerts of Ottoman music. The celebration program also included an aerial demonstration by the SOLOTÜRK Squadron and other cultural and religious activities throughout the country.

The events culminate with a large gathering at the Haliç Congress Center, in the presence of Erdoğan, entitled “From the conquest of Constantinople to the conquest of hearts”. The Turkish president announced an evening celebration, saying “Tonight, Constantinople will be different.”

According to a report from Orthodox News AgencyThe whole event highlights how today’s Turkish leaders are using this historic anniversary to reinforce specific ideological and political messages, in their desperate attempt to survive politically.

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