For Catholics and all Christians, Hagia Sophia stands not only as a marvel of architecture but also as a profound symbol of the endurance of faith through the tides of history. Built in 537 CE under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, Hagia Sophia — meaning “Holy Wisdom” — was once the most important church in Christendom, long before its conversion to a mosque and later, briefly, a museum.
Today, Hagia Sophia remains a place that “feels like the space starts to expand when you enter the building,” where “acoustic alchemy transforms visitors’ murmurs into shimmering sounds, suspended weightless in the air, like echoes of a prayer in an ancient language,” according to a report from CNN Travel.
A Church Born in the Glory of Byzantium
The Hagia Sophia that stands today is actually the third church to occupy its location. The first, called Magna Ecclesia, was commissioned by Constantine the Great and inaugurated in 360 CE by his son Constantius II. This original structure was later destroyed, rebuilt by Theodosius II in 415 CE, and destroyed again in 532 CE.
In the aftermath of the devastating Nika Revolt, Justinian I embarked on building a church grander than any seen before. He is famously quoted (though with questionable historical accuracy) as having exclaimed, “I surpassed you, Solomon!” upon seeing the finished church — a claim disputed by historian Sedat Bornovalı, who notes that “the anecdote never appears in the works of Procopius, Justinian’s official historian,” according to CNN.
Nonetheless, the grandeur of Hagia Sophia was undeniable. Historian Peter Heather estimates the cost of construction at “15-20,000 pounds of gold,” while the Istanbul Encyclopedia puts it at the modern equivalent of “$1.3 billion,” a figure that surpasses even the rebuilding costs of Notre Dame Cathedral (CNN).
A Christian Masterpiece Preserved Through Conquest
Hagia Sophia served as the heart of Orthodox Christianity for nearly a millennium. When Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople in 1453, he converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque — but notably preserved its name and much of its structure. Although Mehmed II enforced Islamic practices, he allowed the building’s Christian mosaics to remain intact for some time. “[Mehmed] told his army that if they conquer the city, the city is theirs for three days with the exception of Hagia Sophia,” according to urban researcher Hasan Mert Kaya (CNN).
Later, during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, these mosaics were plastered over in adherence to Islamic prohibitions against religious imagery.
The mosaics, some of the finest examples of Byzantine art, feature “Christian mosaics of saints and Byzantine rulers” juxtaposed today with “Islamic calligraphy” — creating a singular environment where two faith traditions meet (CNN).
From Museum to Mosque — and Still a Site of Pilgrimage
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern secular Turkey, converted Hagia Sophia into a museum in 1935. During the restorations, he ordered the Byzantine mosaics to be uncovered and preserved, a move that allowed the Christian heritage of Hagia Sophia to be rediscovered by the world.
However, in 2020, the Turkish government reclassified Hagia Sophia as a mosque once again, a decision that was “criticized by international religious and political leaders, with UNESCO, the UN’s cultural agency, and the pope among those voicing concern” (CNN).
Despite the change, Hagia Sophia today remains accessible to Christians and tourists alike. As of 2024, visitors can view the galleries and Byzantine mosaics by purchasing a ticket, while the ground floor functions as an active mosque. Special lighting effects cover Christian imagery during Islamic prayer hours to respect worshippers, but the mosaics remain visible during other times.
Preserving the Legacy of Holy Wisdom
In 2025, a new three-year restoration project began to protect Hagia Sophia against earthquakes and to ensure that its priceless mosaics endure for future generations. The efforts mark “the most comprehensive works in nearly 1,500 years of history,” according to CNN.
Catholics visiting Hagia Sophia today can still feel a profound connection to its original purpose — to glorify God through art, beauty, and wisdom. As Hasan Mert Kaya reflected, “These legends and myths surrounding Hagia Sophia bind people to it; they reinforce the perception that this is their mosque, their temple” (CNN). For Christians, it remains, at its core, a testament to the “Holy Wisdom” that has guided the faithful through centuries of both triumph and trial.
In a world often divided, Hagia Sophia continues to stand — a bridge between East and West, between Christian and Muslim, and between earth and heaven.
