Greece called Turkey's opening of the Church of Christ the Savior in Istanbul for Muslim worship a provocation

The Greek Foreign Ministry called the opening by the Turkish authorities for worship in Istanbul of the former Church of Christ the Savior in the Fields from the ensemble of the monastery in Chora, which was a museum for more than 70 years, and in 2020 converted into a mosque, a provocation.

This is stated in statementdistributed by the Greek Foreign Ministry.

“The decision of the Turkish authorities to open the Chora Monastery as a Muslim mosque is a challenge to the international community, as it distorts and insults its character as a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to humanity. Preserving the universal character of the monuments and complying with international norms for the protection of religious and cultural heritage is clear an international obligation for all states,” the statement said.

The Greek right-wing parliamentary party Helliniki Lisi (Greek Solution) believes that the decision of the Turkish authorities casts a shadow on the planned visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara in a week to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Dictator Erdogan, taking advantage of apathy [греческого] government, without hesitation converts the Byzantine temple of the monastery at Chora in Constantinople into an Islamic mosque. This is a sacrilege on a global scale, which occurred several years after the desecration of the very cradle of Orthodoxy – the Hagia Sophia. And all this a few days before Mitsotakis’s visit to Ankara! If the Greek Prime Minister, after this historic provocation, insists on his decision to meet with Erdogan, then from “incompetent” he becomes “accomplice” – says a statement quoted by the Athens Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).

Kariye Mosque in Istanbul (the former Church of Christ the Savior in the Fields) is open for Muslim worship after a four-year restoration. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took part in the opening ceremony of the temple via video link. According to the TRT Haber television company, residents of not only Istanbul, but also other regions of Turkey arrived in Kari to participate in the first divine service in 79 years.

The Byzantine Church of Christ the Savior in the Fields from the ensemble of the monastery in Chora was built in the 6th century and has retained its appearance almost in its original form. In 1511, shortly after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople, it became a mosque. From 1945 to 2020 it was a museum. The former monastery houses a fresco known to Orthodox Christians around the world. “The Resurrection of Christ.”

In 2020, by order of the Turkish President and despite protests from Greece, Hagia Sophia again became a mosque. Tourists will also have to pay for visiting it and will cost about 25 euros. The Istanbul City Hall reported that Kariye has been officially open to the public since May 7.

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