World Reacts to Hagia Sophia Conversion into Mosque

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia conversion to a museum by modern Turkey's founding statesman was illegal. Despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike. Erdogan announced handing over the management to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship as a mosque. UNESCO said its World Heritage Committee would review Hagia Sophia's status, saying it was "regrettable that the Turkish decision was not the subject of dialog nor notification beforehand".  "UNESCO calls on the Turkish authorities to open a dialog without delay in order to avoid a step back from the universal value of this exceptional heritage whose preservation will be reviewed by the World Heritage Committee in its next session." The United States, Greece and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of the huge sixth-century building, converted into a museum in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The Russian Orthodox Church expressed dismay at Turkey's decision to revoke the museum status of Hagia Sophia, accusing it of ignoring voices of millions of Christians. Russian Patriarch Kirill said he was "deeply concerned" about such a potential move and called it a "threat to the whole of Christian civilisation". The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the decision "regrettable". "The ruling by the Turkish Council of State to overturn one of modern Turkey's landmark decisions and President Erdogan's decision to place the monument under the management of the Religious Affairs Presidency is regrettable," he said in a statement. Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, strongly condemned Turkey's actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations. "We are disappointed by the decision by the government of Turkey to change the status of the Hagia Sophia," Morgan Ortagus, State Department spokesperson, said in a statement. Greece branded Turkey's move an "open provocation to the civilised world". "The nationalism displayed by Erdogan ... takes his country back six centuries," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement. Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian upper house of parliament, called the action "a mistake". "Turning it into a mosque will not do anything for the Muslim world. It does not bring nations together, but on the contrary brings them into collision," he said. Palestinian group Hamas has welcomed the verdict allowing the opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque. "Opening of Hagia Sophia to prayer is a proud moment for all Muslims," said Rafat Murra, head of international press office of Hamas. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), recognised only by Turkey, is happy with the opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque. "Hagia Sophia has been Turkish, a mosque and a world heritage since 1453. The decision to use it as a mosque, at the same time to be visited as a museum, is sound and it is pleasing," Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said.