ATHENS — The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in a statement Monday expressed its strong contempt for the imminent conversion of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia to a mosque by the Turkish government.

The full statement reads: "Respecting the character and teachings of this Christian monument throughout the centuries requires the awakening and vigilance of the entire spiritual world, Christian confessions and other churches, governments and international organizations that defend peace, coexistence and cooperation between peoples, cultures and religions, in order to revoke such a conversion. To this end, the Church of Greece is immediately making international appeals, calling for the reinstatement of the Monument and the return to its proper use."