The Turkish Minister of Culture made a provocative statement to “celebrate” the sixth anniversary of Hagia Sophia’s reopening as a mosque, describing it, among other things, as a “symbol of the Conquest of Constantinople.”

Specifically, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy wrote in a social media post that another anniversary is being marked of the “historic day” when, with the signature of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hagia Sophia was reopened for religious use.

“At Hagia Sophia, the priceless legacy of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, we continue with great sensitivity the most extensive restoration works in the history of the Republic of Turkey,” Ersoy wrote, among other remarks. He also thanked the Turkish president for the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, while a photograph he posted showed him standing alongside Erdogan inside the monument.

The full statement by the Turkish Minister of Culture:

“At Hagia Sophia, the priceless legacy of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, we continue with great sensitivity the most extensive restoration works in the history of the Republic of Turkey, in order to preserve this sacred heritage and hand it down to future generations in a manner that remains faithful to its original form.

I express my gratitude to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who took the lead in reopening Hagia Sophia as a place of worship.”