Turkey Officially Converts Istanbul’s Iconic Chora Church Into A Mosque

Michie said:

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reopened an iconic Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque on Monday, four years after his government had designated it an Islamic house of worship.

Despite criticism from Christians around the world, Turkey formally converted The Church of St. Saviour in Chora — also known as Chora Church and Kariye in Turkish — into a mosque after it had turned Istanbul’s landmark Haghia Sophia into a Muslim prayer space.

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

Chora Church has stood for 17 centuries and famous for its mosaics and frescoes depicting the life of Jesus and Mary.

Last week, Religion Unplugged’s Roberta Ahmanson interviewed Alexei Lidov, noted art historian and Byzantinist, on the past and future of Chora Church as a result of Erdogan’s actions.

Continued below.

Turkey Officially Converts Istanbul’s Iconic Chora Church Into A Mosque

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reopened an iconic Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque on Monday, four years after his government had designated it an Islamic house of worship. Despite criticism from Christians around the world, Turkey formally converted Chora Church into a mosque after

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RileyG said:

How sad.

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RileyG said:

Amen!

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AlexB23 said:

That is what happens when church and state, or in this case, mosque and state are not separated. Politicians can choose when to declare a church building a mosque, or shut down the church entirely. Hopefully the Muslims preserve the Christian art and architecture inside this 1700 year old building.

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