#Turkey – Turkish authorities detained two Russian nationals on Monday after they reportedly read passages from the Bible aloud inside the Hagia Sophia, a historic church that is currently occupied as a mosque.
Police escorted the couple from the building and took them into custody. They were later transferred to a migrant detention center, where they faced administrative proceedings that could result in deportation. Officials investigated the pair under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which addresses incitement to hatred or hostility among segments of the public.
The incident occurred as the tourists visited the site, a former Byzantine cathedral turned Ottoman mosque, museum, and mosque again in 2020. Turkish media described the event as a potential violation of rules governing religious activity at the sensitive landmark, which holds deep significance for both Christian and Muslim communities.
No details about the specific Bible passages read or any disruption caused were immediately released. The couple remained in administrative custody as of Wednesday, with Turkish law allowing such detention for up to six months (extendable under certain conditions) while deportation procedures unfold.
The event drew attention on social media, where users highlighted the symbolic weight of Christian scripture being recited in a space long associated with Orthodox Christianity before its conquest in 1453. It came amid broader discussions about religious freedoms and public expressions of faith in Turkey.
This case follows a separate April 2026 incident in which two Greek tourists received suspended prison sentences after unfurling a Byzantine flag bearing the phrase “Orthodoxy or Death” inside the same monument. Those individuals were eventually released after serving time in pretrial detention.
Hagia Sophia, built in the 6th century under Emperor Justinian, served as the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for nearly a millennium. Its 2020 reconversion to a mosque by presidential decree sparked international debate but proceeded under Turkish authorities, who maintain it as a site open to visitors while prioritizing Islamic worship.
As of Thursday, no further updates on the Russians’ legal status or potential diplomatic involvement from Moscow were available.
Image: Hagia Sophia in Istanbul in 2014.
