Throughout history, the appropriation of religious sites has been a consistent method of asserting Islamic dominance over conquered peoples. This tactic isn't random—it’s rooted in the theology and tradition of triumphalism within Islam, signaling the perceived victory of Allah over other faiths. From the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Damascus, and even to the construction of mosques atop Hindu temple ruins in India, this practice spans continents and centuries. It nearly happened in America, too, when activists attempted to build a mosque near Ground Zero after 9/11—framing it as a “mosque of peace and reconciliation.” Only strong public opposition stopped that symbolic move. The goal is often the same: to transform spaces once sacred to other religions into monuments of Islamic conquest.

A modern example of this can now be seen in Turkey, where the historic Armenian Cathedral of Ani is undergoing a “renovation” project that will reopen the church not as a Christian site, but as a mosque. Located in Kars Province and part of the UNESCO-listed Ani archaeological zone, the cathedral—once a pinnacle of medieval Armenian architecture—is being rebranded the "Fethiye Mosque" by Turkish authorities. This mirrors the original conversion in 1064 when Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan captured Ani and repurposed the cathedral for Islamic worship. While the Turkish narrative acknowledges the building’s architectural grandeur and even its famous architect Trdat, it deliberately omits the site’s Armenian Christian origins and legacy. This is more than a restoration project—it is a calculated effort to erase Armenian history and Christian heritage from the cultural memory of the region, replacing it with a narrative that reinforces Islamic supremacy.

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SOURCE: Jihad Watch