Orthodox Saint Sava Cathedral In Belgrade, Serbia: “The New Hagia Sophia” Is Part Of A Growing Surge In Conservative Christianity, In Particular Eastern Orthodoxy

by J. Froebel-Parker, Tsarizm, ©2025

(Oct. 30, 2025) — Followers of Dr. Steve Turley, classical guitarist turned political commentator with a growing following on social media, has been vociferous that there is growing rise in conservative Christianity around the world seen in the rising popularity of the Latin Mass in the Roman Catholic Church, the recent rejection of the liberal Church of England and American Episcopal Church by the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, known as GAFCON, cutting ties with the Anglican Communion, while the Orthodox Church in the USA has witnessed a massive growth spurt in believers. According to The Serbian Times, December 2024, in an article titled ORTHODOXY ON THE RISE IN AMERICA, the number of believers has catapulted from 700,000 to 6 million at the end of 2024.

In this framework the opening of the Saint Sava Orthodox Cathedral, dubbed “The New Hagia Sophia,” in Belgrade, Serbia is perfectly contextualized. Turley has explained that he attributes this surge, especially among young males, to the boldness of the traditional figure of Christ, the Pantocrator or Judge of All, who is robust, masculine and clearly defined in Orthodox theology.

In a Turley Talks essay from February 08, 2025 Turley proclaims, “In this cultural climate, Orthodox Christianity is booming. A recent survey indicated that Orthodox parishes experienced a staggering 78 percent increase in conversions in 2022 compared to before the pandemic, driven largely by young men. They find in the Orthodox tradition a continuum of the ancient, offering a sense of belonging and an exciting connection to historical narratives that validate their experiences and desires.”

Saint Sava, born around 1170 as Rastko Nemanjic in Podgorica (also known as Gradina in antiquity) was a Serbian prince and later Orthodox monk. He is known by his moniker of The Enlightener, later becoming the first archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church, since then being regarded as the Protector of Serbia. The church commemorating his legacy is now one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, dominating the landscape of Belgrade as did the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. It is no wonder that the faithful are already referring to it as the “New Hagia Sophia.” But, how massive is it?

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