Commemoration event held at Hagia Sophia Mosque for 570th anniversary of Istanbul conquest

On the occasion of the 570th anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul, a celebratory program took place at the Hagia Sophia Mosque during the morning prayer. During the morning prayer, a large number of citizens gathered in the mosque, led by Ali Erbaş, the President of Religious Affairs. In his sermon, Erbaş spoke about the significance of Istanbul and its eventual conquest. Following the prayer, the President of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş, delivered a speech commemorating the event. He highlighted the significance of the conquest in 1453 by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, which transformed Istanbul into an Islamic city. In his sermon, Erbaş said: 'Istanbul, as it was called that day, will definitely be conquered. What a great commander is the commander who conquered it. His soldier, the soldier who conquered it, the army, what a good soldier, what a good army. Those who wanted to achieve this good news were rushing to conquer Istanbul. Shortly after our Master the Prophet, an army of 5 thousand people came, including the spiritual architect of Istanbul, Hazrat Eyüp El-Ensari, whom we all accept as the spiritual guide of Istanbul. But the conquest did not come.' Erbaş emphasized the historical events surrounding the conquest of Istanbul in 1453 during his sermon. He highlighted that after the conquest, Istanbul became an Islamic city, with significant transformations taking place. One such transformation was the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, signifying the city's shift towards Islamic identity. Erbaş also mentioned the impactful sermon delivered by His Holiness Akşemseddin from the pulpit, which served as an announcement to the entire world that Istanbul had become an Islamic city. The remarks by President Ali Erbaş underscore the historical and cultural importance of the conquest and its lasting impact on the identity of Istanbul.