Erdogan confirms ancient Istanbul Orthodox Church converted to mosque
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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.
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Mitsotakis expressed his dissatisfaction 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.
