Another historic Orthodox church in Istanbul is being converted into a mosque. In fact, the Turkish president will also attend the “opening” via the Internet Tayyip Erdogan.According to the Turkish media, the restoration work of the museum of the Monastery of Chora has been completed and since yesterday it is functioning again as a mosque. This is the famous catholicon that has remained from the original Monastery and is called the Church of Agios Sotiros in Chora, a masterpiece of the Late Paleologian Period with an exquisite interior decoration that is comparable to that of Hagia Sophia.

Initially, the Alone in the Country (Carrie Mosque) was to be converted into a mosque in 2020 as was Hagia Sophia. Some had hoped that Turkey would reconsider this decision which, like Hagia Sophia, caused an international outcry.

But after many postponements, Turkey’s 11th General Directorate of Institutions announced that the Kariye Mosque – which was converted from a church to a mosque, from a mosque to a museum and from a museum back to a mosque in 2020 – will function as a mosque again from today after 4 years of restoration work.

President Erdogan will even attend the opening via video conference from Ankara during the ceremony for the completion of the works of the General Directorate of Foundations for the maintenance of 201 historical monuments, including the Chora Monastery.

Same process as with Hagia Sophia

The Monastery/Church of Agios Sotiros in Chora dates from the 6th century AD. while its unique mosaics and frescoes were created in the 14th century, from 1305 to 1320 during the Palaiologos reign. It was converted into a mosque in 1511 and by decision of the Turkish cabinet it became a museum in 1945, i.e. after the death of Kemal Atatürk, who had initially turned Hagia Sophia into a World Heritage Site.

After the Country decision, the American foundation Dumbarton Oaks took on the enormous task of restoring and conserving the mosaics and frescoes. Work began in 1948 and was completed ten years later, in 1958.

The legal process of re-converting the temple into a mosque was the same as that of Hagia Sophia. In 2019, Turkey’s Council of State overturned the 1945 decision, and a year later President Erdogan announced that the monument would once again function as a mosque. An announcement that saddened even many Turkish citizens who thronged the site to admire the magnificent interior of the monument that was famous for its high art.