- Jan 12, 2023
- 151
Unto: Ahmet Necdet Sezer, President of the Republic of Türkiye (@EnigmaMage)
CC: Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye
From: Pope Hadrian VII, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God.
RE: Ecclesia Sancta Sophia (Hagia Sophia)
May the Blessings of the One True God be upon you,
We are writing you today in the hopes of amending a great wrong that has been perpetrated within the bounds of your dominion on earth. For in the year of Our Lord 1453, Mehmed II, perpetrated a high crime against the words of the Prophet Mohamed himself, when he seized the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia and converted it to a Mosque. This action was directly against the Oath given by the Prophet himself to the Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai in the year of Our Lord 628, when he said and I quote:
“This letter contains the oath given unto them [the monks of St. Catherine’s Monastery], and he who disobeys that which is therein will be considered a disbeliever and a transgressor to that whereunto he is commanded. He will be regarded as one who has corrupted the oath of God, disbelieved His Testament, rejected His Authority, despised His Religion, and made himself deserving of His Curse, whether he is a Sultan or any other believer of Islam. Whenever Christian monks, devotees and pilgrims gather together, whether in a mountain or valley, or den, or frequented place, or plain, or church, or in houses of worship, verily we are [at the] back of them and shall protect them, and their properties and their morals, by Myself, by My Friends and by My Assistants, for they are of My Subjects and under My Protection.
I shall exempt them from that which may disturb them; of the burdens which are paid by others as an oath of allegiance. They must not give anything of their income but that which pleases them—they must not be offended, or disturbed, or coerced or compelled. Their judges should not be changed or prevented from accomplishing their offices, nor the monks disturbed in exercising their religious order, or the people of seclusion be stopped from dwelling in their cells.
No one is allowed to plunder these Christians, or destroy or spoil any of their churches, or houses of worship, or take any of the things contained within these houses and bring it to the houses of Islam. And he who takes away anything therefrom, will be one who has corrupted the oath of God, and, in truth, disobeyed His Messenger.” ~ Ashtiname of Muhammad.
I would also like to inform you that we maintain the original copy of this letter as penned by Ali at the issuance of the Prophet himself. We feel that for us to continue our so far relatively peaceful relationship, that the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia, must be restored to it’s pre-Mehmed II Christian status, and then formally returned to our Possession. Before any further communications or efforts towards ecumenicalism can be had, this must be achieved. If it is not, then Our hands will be forced into less… diplomatic and more… historical actions.
With our Shared Faith in the One True God, and Hope in Further Peace,
<Signed>
Pope Hardrian VII
Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God
CC: Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye
From: Pope Hadrian VII, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God.
RE: Ecclesia Sancta Sophia (Hagia Sophia)
May the Blessings of the One True God be upon you,
We are writing you today in the hopes of amending a great wrong that has been perpetrated within the bounds of your dominion on earth. For in the year of Our Lord 1453, Mehmed II, perpetrated a high crime against the words of the Prophet Mohamed himself, when he seized the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia and converted it to a Mosque. This action was directly against the Oath given by the Prophet himself to the Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai in the year of Our Lord 628, when he said and I quote:
“This letter contains the oath given unto them [the monks of St. Catherine’s Monastery], and he who disobeys that which is therein will be considered a disbeliever and a transgressor to that whereunto he is commanded. He will be regarded as one who has corrupted the oath of God, disbelieved His Testament, rejected His Authority, despised His Religion, and made himself deserving of His Curse, whether he is a Sultan or any other believer of Islam. Whenever Christian monks, devotees and pilgrims gather together, whether in a mountain or valley, or den, or frequented place, or plain, or church, or in houses of worship, verily we are [at the] back of them and shall protect them, and their properties and their morals, by Myself, by My Friends and by My Assistants, for they are of My Subjects and under My Protection.
I shall exempt them from that which may disturb them; of the burdens which are paid by others as an oath of allegiance. They must not give anything of their income but that which pleases them—they must not be offended, or disturbed, or coerced or compelled. Their judges should not be changed or prevented from accomplishing their offices, nor the monks disturbed in exercising their religious order, or the people of seclusion be stopped from dwelling in their cells.
No one is allowed to plunder these Christians, or destroy or spoil any of their churches, or houses of worship, or take any of the things contained within these houses and bring it to the houses of Islam. And he who takes away anything therefrom, will be one who has corrupted the oath of God, and, in truth, disobeyed His Messenger.” ~ Ashtiname of Muhammad.
I would also like to inform you that we maintain the original copy of this letter as penned by Ali at the issuance of the Prophet himself. We feel that for us to continue our so far relatively peaceful relationship, that the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia, must be restored to it’s pre-Mehmed II Christian status, and then formally returned to our Possession. Before any further communications or efforts towards ecumenicalism can be had, this must be achieved. If it is not, then Our hands will be forced into less… diplomatic and more… historical actions.
With our Shared Faith in the One True God, and Hope in Further Peace,
<Signed>
Pope Hardrian VII
Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God
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