Turkish President Erdogan inaugurated a Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque, following a 2020 government declaration.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially inaugurated an ancient Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque, following his government declaring it a Muslim house of prayer four years ago. The Church of St. Saviour in Chora, also known as Kariye, and Istanbul's Haghia Sophia were transformed into mosques in 2020. Both conversions drew praise from Muslim faithful but criticism from Greece and other countries, who urged Turkey to protect the Byzantine-era monuments. Both are on the UN World Heritage List.