Erdoğan opens modern Türkiye's first new church

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has inaugurated the first church built with government backing in the Turkish republic's 100-year history.

The opening of the church situated in Istanbul marks a pivotal cultural and political moment for Türkiye.

The foundation stone for the construction of the Mor Ephrem Syrian Orthodox Church was laid by Erdoğan in 2019, an event for Istanbul's 17,000-strong Assyrian Christian community.

“This is the first newly built church to open its doors since the founding of the Turkish Republic,” Istanbul Syriac Kadim Foundation president Sait Susin told AFP. “We are happy.”

Assyrian Christianity, with its roots tracing back to the first century A.D., has a rich historical presence in the region encompassing southeastern Türkiye, Syria and Iraq. The main church of the Assyrian community moved from the eastern Turkish city of Mardin to Damascus in 1932. The construction of the Mor Ephrem Syrian Orthodox Church in Istanbul symbolizes a revival of this ancient faith on Turkish soil.

The newly inaugurated church, located in the Bakırköy district's Yeşilköy neighborhood, is designed to accommodate 750 worshipers.

Following the official opening ceremony, the first religious service at the church is scheduled to be held on Oct. 15. The church complex comprises five floors, with one floor designated as a cultural hall. This space will serve as a hub for various community events, including baptisms, condolences, weddings, as well as meetings and conferences.

The ground floor of the church houses the area for religious services, along with the living quarters for the metropolitan, guest rooms and parking facilities.