The Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece expressed its dissatisfaction with the conversion of the Chora Monastery into a mosque.
It emphasized its concern that the Turkish government has transformed a total of four Christian churches from monuments of world cultural heritage into symbols of the imposition of power and points of division.
The Synod also discussed and determined the program to celebrate the memory of St. Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, the founder of the Church of Greece.
In particular, the Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece noted in its announcement:
The Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece of the 167th Synodal Period met today, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, under the presidency of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.
The Standing Holy Synod expressed its strong dissatisfaction and concern over the decision of the Government of Turkey to convert the Monastery of Chora into a Muslim mosque, following the example of Hagia Sophia of Nice, Hagia Sophia of Trebizond, and Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, thus transforming this historic Christian monument from a World Heritage Site into a symbol of the imposition of power and a point of division and separation.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
