[Holy See] Cable to the Republic of Türkiye

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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

 

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(EnigmaMage Sorry I forgot to do this in the original post)

 

[EnigmaMage]

Office of the Prime Minister of Türkiye
Official Correspondence​

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Encryption: ENCRYPTED MESSAGE
Recipient: 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
CC: Ahmet Necdet Sezer, President of the Republic of Türkiye
BCC: Selma Şahin, Ambassador to Vatican City
Sender: Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye
Subject: Ecclesia Sancta Sophia (Hagia Sophia)

Your Holiness Pope Hadrian VII,

May the blessings and peace of God be upon you,

I hope this message finds you in good health and spirits. Your letter, expressing your concerns and historical perspective on the status of the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia, is deeply appreciated. I extend my utmost respect for the sentiments and historical context you have shared.

We understand the significance of the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia, which has played a pivotal role in both Christian and Islamic history. It is a place that holds great value for many, and its history is intertwined with the cultural heritage of Istanbul and the broader world.

It is essential to clarify that the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque occurred in the 15th century, reflecting the political and cultural dynamics of that time. The decision was taken by the Ottoman Empire, and it has remained a mosque since. However, I want to assure you that the Republic of Türkiye is committed to respecting the rights and beliefs of all its citizens, regardless of their faith. We have always strived to maintain an atmosphere of religious harmony and tolerance.

Türkiye is a secular state, and we respect the principle of freedom of religion. As such, the Hagia Sophia is currently open to both tourists and worshippers. Visitors of all faiths are welcome to admire its architectural beauty and historical significance.

While we understand your concerns and historical claims, we believe that the Hagia Sophia issue is a complex and sensitive matter. It is our hope that through dialogue and understanding, we can find common ground to promote peace and harmony among our people and the world.

We are open to continued discussions on the matter and are willing to engage in peaceful and diplomatic efforts to ensure that the Hagia Sophia remains a place of significance for people of all backgrounds. We value your perspective, and we are committed to maintaining a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation.

In the spirit of faith and dialogue, let us continue to work towards a future of understanding and cooperation, guided by the principles of peace and goodwill.

May God grant us the wisdom and strength to find a path forward that respects the diverse beliefs of our global community.

Sincerely,

Abdullah Gül
Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye

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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,

It seems that you have witnessed firsthand the backlash that can come from an unpopular opinion, and it seems that your stance on this matter is unpopular to say the least. As such We extend to you one last Olive Branch, for We think you miss understood Our first missive. We are the Papacy, and the Papacy doesn’t ask for anything. As well, We would like to point out that the response from the world was at no prompting from Us, but should you continue to be obstinate on this matter, We will be more than happy to oblige you and unleash the full power of this Office. If you have any questions about how much power this Office still wields, We would suggest you contact Thailand and ask them what happened when We made but a simple Wednesday Address. Imagine how much more this Office could accomplish by calling in Our markers among our many, many, allies.

With that in mind, We will be amending our previous request. We now politely request that in response to the overwhelming opinion of the world that you graciously offer us the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia as a gift, with full Extraterritorial Rights, to be disposed of as We see fit. And that in response you shall reallocate the funds you were going to put towards the rededication of the Ecclesia Sancta Sophia to the rejuvenation of the Blue Mosque. That way you save face, and at the same time We get what We want. We believe that this is a fair and equitable means of resolving this conflict before things get ‘Out of Hand’. We urge you not to test us, for then you shall see the true depths of Our resolve. The Holy See has stood for 2,000 years, can you say the same?

We await your amicable decision on this matter,
<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

 

[EnigmaMage]

Office of the Prime Minister of Türkiye
Official Correspondence​

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Encryption: ENCRYPTED MESSAGE
Recipient: 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
CC: Ahmet Necdet Sezer, President of the Republic of Türkiye
BCC: Selma Şahin, Ambassador to Vatican City
Sender: Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye
Subject: Ecclesia Sancta Sophia (Hagia Sophia)

Your Holiness Pope Hadrian VII,

May the blessings and peace of God be upon you,
I wish to express my gratitude for your correspondence and your sincere commitment to finding a resolution to the matter concerning the Hagia Sophia. We have carefully considered your words and the sentiments you have expressed.

In the spirit of peaceful dialogue and understanding, the Republic of Türkiye is willing to extend a gesture of goodwill. We acknowledge the deep historical and spiritual significance of the Hagia Sophia for Christians and its special place in the heart of the Catholic Church. Therefore, we are prepared to offer the Hagia Sophia as a gift to Vatican City, with the hope that it may once again serve as a place of Christian worship.

This gesture signifies our commitment to fostering harmony and cooperation among our nations and faiths. We also respect the principles of religious freedom and the rights of all believers. The Hagia Sophia's return to its Christian heritage in the care of the Vatican City aligns with these principles.

In addition, we are pleased to announce that the funds originally allocated for the rededication of the Hagia Sophia will be redirected towards the rejuvenation and preservation of the Blue Mosque, another historical and cultural landmark in Türkiye. This represents a tangible step towards maintaining the cultural heritage of our nation.

We believe this arrangement can help us find common ground and resolve the issue at hand while preserving the historic and spiritual value of these iconic structures. We hope that this solution is acceptable to you and that it fosters peace and goodwill between our nations.

Please consider this offer as a sincere expression of Türkiye's commitment to constructive dialogue and respect for the values and beliefs that unite humanity. We await your response and stand ready to engage in further discussions to implement this agreement.

May God guide us towards a peaceful and harmonious future,


Sincerely,

Abdullah Gül
Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye

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