Turkey officially opens former Byzantine Chora Church as mosque

·

Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally opened a former Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque on Monday, four years after his government had designated it as a Muslim house of prayer. 

Despite criticism from neighboring Greece, the formally converted Church of St. Saviour (or Holy Saviour) in Chora, known as Kariye in Turkish, was a church for centuries, Like Hagia Sophia, and later operated as a museum for decades before it was turned into a mosque. 

Turkey to convert iconic Byzantine Chora church into mosque. Photo Ekathimerini IHA.
Turkey to convert iconic Byzantine Chora church into mosque. Photo: Ekathimerini / IHA.

According to Ekathimerini, Erdogan remotely presided over a ceremony on Monday to mark the opening of the Chora – as well as other recently-restored structures – from a conference hall at his palace complex in Ankara, Turkey.

“May it bring good fortune,” Erdogan said during the televised event.

The decision to convert Haghia Sophia and the Chora Church into mosques was interpreted as an effort to strengthen Erdogan’s ruling party’s conservative and religious support base in the midst of an economic depression.

Source: Ekathimerini

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From Metallica to Maritime: The many lives of Greek shipping tycoon Harry Vafias

Though Greek shipping tycoon, Harry Vafias, spends much time working, it certainly isn't a case of 'all work and no play.’

‘I want them to know their word matters’: Peter Georgiou stands against gender violence

Peter Georgiou, a real estate agent from Rushcutters Bay and father of four-year-old twins Leila and Lola, believes change begins at home.

Thessaloniki’s Byzantine walls to shine with new light project

Thessaloniki’s iconic Byzantine Walls are set to be illuminated under a major cultural initiative announced by the Greek Ministry of Culture.

Greek World Heritage Cities face rising climate threats

Iconic Greek cities—Athens, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Rhodes, and Patmos—face serious climate threats, according to a new UNESCO-backed report.

Are apps like Duolingo enough to learn Greek, or do we need a tutor?

For many people who want to learn conversational Greek, an app, can be a very useful addition to your program.

You May Also Like

Wasteful Wolves pay price as Sydney Olympic steal a point

The Wollongong Wolves threw away a two-goal lead and settled for a point following a 2-2 draw against Sydney Olympic at WIN Stadium on Sunday.  

Greek Australian students named among the 2023 ‘HSC Top Achievers in Course’

There are quite a few Australian students with Greek heritage on the 'HSC Top Achievers in Course' list this year. Find out more.

Two Irish classmates die hours apart on Greek island of Ios

Greek police are investigating the deaths of two Irish teenagers on the Aegean island of Ios over the weekend.