5/10/2024 Türkiye (International Christian Concern) — After four years of renovations, Türkiye has converted the ancient Byzantine Chora Church in the heart of Istanbul into a mosque. This decision, reminiscent of the conversion of Hagia Sophia in 2020, has sparked controversy both domestically and internationally. 

The Chora Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its stunning Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, has long been cherished as a cultural and historical treasure. The move to repurpose it as a mosque has drawn criticism from preservationists and religious minority groups alike, who argue that it represents a disregard for cultural heritage and religious tolerance. The building, now known as the Kariye Mosque, officially opened for Muslim worship on May 6.

Critics see the conversion as a calculated political maneuver aimed at appeasing Islamist parties, which constitute significant voting blocs supporting the ruling Turkish President’s Justice and Development Party, or AKP. This shift in the status of historic Christian sites reflects a broader trend in Türkiye, where some monuments with Byzantine and Greek heritage have been repurposed in recent years. 

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou condemned the move, describing it as a manifestation of “cultural insecurity and religious intolerance” that consigns a rich legacy of Christian art and culture to obscurity. The conversion of these sites underscores the complex historical and cultural dynamics between Türkiye and its Christian past. 

Historically, Türkiye was the center of the Greek Christian world until the Ottoman Turks’ conquest of Constantinople, now Istanbul, in 1453. Since then, the region has predominantly been Muslim. Despite Türkiye’s official secular stance in the modern era, political shifts driven by Islamist parties have led to the conversion of some historically significant Christian monuments into mosques. 

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