Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan officially inaugurated a former Byzantine--era church , previously known as the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora, a United Nations World Heritage Site, as a mosque this week, drawing condemnation fom the Greek government, the Christian Post website reports today (May 13, 20214).
The change is part of a series of conversions in recent years, including the iconic Hagia Sophia in 2020, and has garnered international criticism .
Located in the Faith district of Istanbul, near the ancient city walls, the building, known locally as Kariye, is celebrated for its intricate mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
Greece has been vocal in its criticism, especially since the Kariye was opened as a mosque the day afrter the Greek Orthodox Easter. The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the move in a statement:
"The Turkish authorities' decision to begin the operation of the Monastery of Chora as a Muslim mosque constitutes a provocaton for the international community as it distorts and affects its characters as a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to humanity," the statement reads.
"The maintenance of monuments' universal character and compliance with international standards for the protection of religious and cultural heritage is a clear international obligation binding on all States. "
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