Erdogan confirms ancient Istanbul Orthodox church converted to mosque

“The Kariye mosque in its new form will remain open to everyone,” he said

By AFP
May 14, 2024
A visitor walks inside the ancient Orthodox church now converted as the Kariye Mosque in Istanbul. — AFP/File
A visitor walks inside the ancient Orthodox church now converted as the Kariye Mosque in Istanbul. — AFP/File

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday confirmed the reopening for Muslim worship of a mosque in Istanbul converted from an ancient Byzantine Orthodox church.

“The Kariye mosque in its new form will remain open to everyone,” he said, addressing a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Greece’s premier, who had appealed against the conversion of the Holy Saviour in Chora, decorated with 14th-century frescoes of the Last Judgement that are still treasured by Christians.The church was converted into Kariye Mosque half a century after the 1453 conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks.

It became the Kariye Museum after World War II, when Turkey sought to create a more secular republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.Mitsotakis expressed his dissatisfaction to Erdogan on Monday in Ankara.“I discussed with Mr. Erdogan the conversion... I expressed my dissatisfaction to him,” the Greek premier said after meeting with the Turkish leader.