Two Greeks held for waving Orthodox Christian flag at Hagia Sophia

ISTANBUL

Turkish police have detained two Greeks who waved a flag bearing a nationalist Orthodox Christian slogan in Istanbul's landmark Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine-era cathedral that has been turned into a mosque.

A double-headed eagle and the Greek inscription "Orthodoxy or death," a slogan used in ultra-conservative Orthodox religious circles, adorned the flag they waved.

"Two Greek tourists — a woman and a man — were arrested on April 11 in Istanbul," Greek Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lana Zochiou told AFP. "The Greek consul general is providing them with appropriate consular assistance," she said, without elaborating.

Surveillance footage aired April 14 by the private Turkish television channel NTV showed the two taking turns waving the flag on the upper floor before security officers intervened.

The pair were detained on charges of "humiliating one part of society,” local media reported.

Since its reconversion into a mosque in 2020, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque has begun serving as a center for science and culture, in line with its historical role.

While the ground floor remains dedicated to Muslim worship, the upper gallery has been preserved as a museum-style visitor area, allowing tourists to view the site’s iconic mosaics and Byzantine architecture.

Visitor interest has surged in the post-pandemic era, with the grand mosque now hosting approximately 10 to 15 million people annually. In the five years since its reopening for worship, the site has welcomed nearly 40 million visitors.