Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew meets UNESCO Executive

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with the Special Adviser to the Director-General of UNESCO, Mounir Bouchenaki in Istanbul on Tuesday.

During their meeting, they discussed issues of common interest, including the conversion of Hagia Sophia and Chora Church into a mosque.

Hagia Sophia – Then, Now, Always

July 24. A day of mourning for Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom) and for all Christians.

Despite international condemnation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan led the first Muslim prayer in Hagia Sophia in 86 years.

Erdoğan gifts a plaque with verses from the Quran to Hagia Sophia

Last year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gifted a plaque with verses from the Quran to the museum turned mosque.

The plaque which was made by Turkish artist Mehmet Özçay, was placed on a wall near the pulpit.

Turkish Authorities Cover Priceless Byzantine Frescoes at Chora Church with Screens

Turkish authorities covered priceless Byzantine frescoes and iconography at the former Chora Church, considered one of the most significant collections of such art in the world.

Also known as the Church of the Holy Savior, authorities converted the UNESCO World Heritage site into a mosque in August last year.

*More on GCT: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew receives COVID-19 vaccine