Ancient Byzantine Church Officially Becomes Mosque, Greece Criticizes Türkiye’s Decision

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Jakarta – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the opening of a mosque that was a former ancient church in Istanbul. This adds to the list of Byzantine era buildings that have been converted into places of worship for Muslims.

This inauguration was carried out on Monday (6/5/2024), four years after the Erdogan government designated the church as a house of worship for Muslims, reported AP News.

Türkiye officially converted St. Savior in Chora, also known as Kariye in Turkish, became a mosque in 2020. This was done after converting the iconic Byzantine church in Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, into a mosque.

Greece criticizes Türkiye’s decision

The conversion of this place of worship has drawn criticism from Greece. He urged Türkiye to protect this important Byzantine era building. It is known that Hagia Sophia and Kariye are listed as World Heritage Sites at the UN.

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its statement assessed that the Turkish government’s decision violated the church’s status as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. He said this was a challenge for the international community.

“Preservation of the universal character of monuments and compliance with international standards for the protection of religious and cultural heritage are international obligations that are clearly binding on all states,” stressed the ministry as reported Greek City TimesTuesday (7/5/2024).

St. Mary’s Church The Savior in Chora is famous for its intricate mosaics and frescoes. This building contains a rich history dating back to the 4th century. Meanwhile, its current form originates from the 11-12 century.

Rebuilding in that century was carried out because the building collapsed due to an earthquake, the English edition of the Greek newspaper reported, Kathimerini.

This church was previously converted as a mosque, precisely during the Ottoman era after the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. This building was then converted into a museum in 1945.

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(kri/lus)