Christians fear controversial court ruling could bode ill for Istanbul namesake.
The Church of Hagia Sophia on Turkey's Black Sea coastline may not be as prominent as its famous namesake in Istanbul. But a recent court ruling to re-convert the smaller church-turned-museum into a mosque could make it a "stalking horse" for Istanbul's mega-tourist attraction, as well as other Turkish historical sites.
For the past 50 years, the Church of Hagia Sophia in the small town of Trabzon has served as a museum for 13-century art and artifacts under the direction of Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. However, "courts now accept the claim ... that this has been an 'illegal occupation,'" and that the building was originally "covenanted as a mosque." Read more
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