Turkish Academic Calls for The Destruction of Mosaics in Hagia Sophia
A Turkish historian has turned against the Empress Zoë Porphyrogenita, on the occasion of the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. We are talking about the professor of History at the Sakarya University, Ebubekir Sofuoğlu, who, with his provocative post, asks for the removal – and not only the coverage – of the image of the empress in the temple, considering that she had a “promiscuous lifestyle.”
As he characteristically states in his tweet:
“Will there be a whore in the mosque? If the icons are not removed, the legacy of Mehmed the Conqueror, Hagia Sophia, along with the prostitute Zoe will have become the first mosque in the world where a whore will be displayed. An end should be put to the nonsense regarding the protection of the idols and the icons that constitute disrespect to the Conqueror should be taken off.”
Zoë Porphyrogenita (“born into the purple”) (c. 978 – June 11, 1050) ruled as Empress of the Romans with her sister Theodora from 1042 to 1050 and as Imperial wife from 1028 to 1042. There is a mosaic of her in the Gynaikeion of Hagia Sophia.
She has been described as the most influential Empress in the 11th century, who appointed the Roman Emperor four times in a row.
In 1453 with the Sultan Mehmet Sity decree, Hagia Sophia was converted into the mosque. All mosaics and frescoes, the top painted were covered with mud. The cathedral is so stately for 500 years. In 1935, the Hagia Sophia decree became a museum and some mosaics were revealed.
Today Empress Zoë is under attack after the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. What will be the case tomorrow?