Father Noufrakis and Defying the Enemies of God

 

When we Orthodox think of the Hagia Sophia, we imagine a great cathedral, a beautiful divine liturgy, and masses beyond compare coming to the city of Constantinople to worship our Lord. However, for most of the world it pictures a museum, or for the world’s Islamic population a mosque.  We pray that one day the world gives the church back to us. We cried on July 24, 2020, when it was reverted to a mosque under the Turkish regime.  But there is hope.  St. Paisios, the Athonite Elder, prophesied that it would one day be returned to us.  And after hearing the story that I am going to relate to you, hope is even closer than we think.

                Father Eleftherios Noufrakis was a Cretan priest who dared to defy the Turkish regime and to enter the Hagia Sophia and to perform the Divine Liturgy for the first time in nearly 500 years! A military chaplain within the Greek Army, Father Noufrakis was stationed with the 2^ND Greek Division in route to Ukraine, when they stopped over in Constantinople. A group of six men, which included Father Noufrakis took it upon themselves to perform one of the most courageous and beautiful acts on January 19^th, 1919.

                Father Noufrakis and the other five men were able to enter the great cathedral with a little difficulty but entered all the same.  He uncovered the location of the holy doors, and where the altar would have been.  He placed a table in the middle, decorated it for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, and vested himself in the manner of performing the services. Major Liaromatis one of the men accompanying Father Noufrakis was the chanter for the service. Brigadier Frantzis another of the men, read the epistle. While there were many Turks who came to pray in the mosque during this time, Father Noufrakis was undisturbed during the duration of the entire liturgy. However, at the end of the service, the church filled with angry Turks and awe inspired Greeks was about to overflow with danger. However once again, the six men were allowed to exit the church unscathed as the Turks were not about to start a diplomatic incident with Greece. Though the Allied victors of WW1 condemned the protest by the priest, and publicly the Greek Prime Minister did as well, the Greek Prime Minister privately conveyed his congratulations and heartfelt admiration for the daring priest.

                Father Noufrakis is a wonderful example of the spirit we as Orthodox and Christians everywhere should have.  We are already victorious over the forces of evil, with the power of Christ.  We have nothing to fear for our repose is just a transition into the fullness of life with Christ.  The Hagia Sophia is a symbol of unification among all Orthodox of every jurisdiction and whether we squabble and fight over territories and lands, we all want the same thing. We want the world to see Jesus as he is meant to be seen. We know that in the face of the very enemies of Christ, the Islamic Turks, Father Noufrakis did not fear the repercussions, and neither should we when we defend the faith.

 

Amen