The the Aya Sophia The Crusaders would deface any Muslim artifacts such as writings but nothing they saw as Byzantine or Jewish since they related to the old testament and wernt considered Muslim. The Muslims on the other hand while respecting Both Old and New Testaments as the words of Prophets and sacred in theyre own right. The Muslims would cover false Idols of God and Jesus but left alone the images of Mary Baby Jesus and celestial beings from the Old Testament. And then we have these mandalas which the Christians were not sure if they originated in Judean Muslim or Christian Cultures. So what they did do was cut off the arms of the dead and use them as brushes to paint crosses over the unknown images to sanctify them. They are all over the building.
We were there during Ramadan and it was really something to see. As in Jerusalem all three cultures have clashed violently for 2000 years.
No Religion touched the Mary with Baby images even though Idols and images are not allowed in Mosques they allow them here along with 100s of images of Seraphin Cerebrum and Archangels. So we stood During the Muslim Holy Month in a Mosque surrounded by the Christian Crosses of Blood, Jewish Archangels, Byzantine Mandalas and the Written Word of Allah And so during Ramadan We walked from The Aya Sophia wading through a crowd of some few thousand black silk Burkas a sea of eyes. Across the square to the Blue Mosque were I went inside with the Faithful for afternoon prayers. In the late afternoon we saw the New Mosque The Old Mosque and watched the sunset form the Galata Bridge on the Northern side while 7 domes faded into the dark night. We contemplated and spoke of the things Man is capable of Both Great and Terrible.
