How Pope Benedict XVI Sparked Controversy with Quote on Islam Spreading ‘Evil’ by the Sword
Pope Benedict XVI, laid to rest at the Vatican on Thursday, stirred controversy early in his pontificate by quoting a Byzantine emperor critical of Islam.
Byzantine Empire
Turkey’s Erdogan Vows to ‘Liberate al-Aqsa’ After Making Hagia Sophia a Mosque
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared on Friday that “resurrecting” a mosque inside the legendary Hagia Sophia cathedral is just the first step in a mission to “liberate the al-Aqsa mosque” – in other words, to eject the Jews from the holy site in Jerusalem they know as the Temple Mount.
Museum to Mosque: Turkey Debates Iconic Hagia Sofia’s Future Status
ISTANBUL — In its more than 1,400-year existence, the majestic domed structure of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has served as the Byzantine Empire’s main cathedral, a mosque under the Ottoman Empire and a museum under modern Turkey, attracting millions of tourists each year.
