The answer of the General Directorate of Foundations (VGM), to which we requested information, "The restoration is in progress, we cannot give information" was meaningful!
Concerning the Kariye Mosque, where the call to prayer was not silenced from the conquest of Istanbul until 1945, the Council of State decided in November 2019 that "the mosque cannot be used outside of its primary function" and ruled that the 1945 decision was not in accordance with the law.
Following the decision of the Council of State, with the Presidential Decree dated August 21, 2020, it was decided to open the Kariye Mosque for worship by transferring it to the Presidency of Religious Affairs.
Milli Gazete has been following the developments related to Kariye Mosque closely since the first day.
The Kariye Mosque, which was restored and postponed hours before its opening in 2020, is still waiting to be opened for worship.
Burhan Ersoy, General Manager of Foundations at the time, stated in the statement he made to the Milli Gazete in 2021 that the opening was planned to be made towards the end of the year.
Almost two years have passed since the date Ersoy gave, and the Kariye Mosque still has not been opened to worship.
Kariye Mosque, which started to be used as a mosque after the Conquest of Istanbul and where the call to prayer was recited until 1945, longs for its community.
In November 2019, the Council of State made a satisfactory decision regarding the Kariye Mosque, which was turned into a museum with the decision of the Council of Ministers dated 29.08.1945.
Evaluating the issue of opening the Kariye Mosque to worship, the Council of State decided that "the mosque cannot be used outside of its primary function" and ruled that the 1945 decision was not in accordance with the law.
DELAYED HOURS BEFORE ITS OPENING
Following the decision of the Council of State, "The mosque cannot be used outside of its primary function", it was decided to open the Kariye Mosque for worship by transferring it to the Presidency of Religious Affairs, with the Presidential Decree published in the Official Gazette dated August 21, 2020.
Visiting the Kariye Mosque a few days after the Presidency's decision on the matter, the President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş said, "With this decision, the process began. There are actions to be taken inside. Hopefully, it will be opened to worship as soon as possible after these procedures are completed. We will start with a Friday prayer."
While the Kariye Mosque was expected to be opened for worship, a shocking statement came from the Directorate of Religious Affairs.
"The opening of the Kariye Mosque, located in the Fatih district of Istanbul, for worship was postponed to a later date due to the continuation of the preparations. It is announced to the public with respect," the statement said.
3 YEARS HAVE PASSED, STILL NO SOUND
Kariye Mosque, which was turned into a museum with the decision of the Council of Ministers dated 29.08.1945, was left longing for the community for 75 years.
With the decision of the Council of State, legal obstacles were lifted, but it still has not been opened despite the intervening 3 years.
While waiting to meet the Kariye Mosque community, there is no sound from the authorities on the subject.
The Kariye Mosque, whose carpets were hastily removed one day before its opening, whose pulpit was dismantled, and whose opening was postponed, was restored again.
Milli Gazete, which is a close follower of the subject, asked the developments regarding the Kariye Mosque to Burhan Ersoy, the General Manager of Foundations at the time, and was informed that the mosque would be opened at the end of 2021.
Ersoy, who made a statement to our newspaper in 2021, noted that the tender was made within the scope of the mosque restoration and that the works are continuing and that the mosque will be opened at the end of 2021.
In the three years that have passed, neither the decision of the Council of State was implemented nor the promises made were kept.
FROM VGM, “RESTORATION CONTINUES, WE CANNOT GIVE INFORMATION” ANSWER
When the Kariye Mosque was not opened in the three years that passed, we, as the Milli Gazete, recently requested a written statement from the General Directorate of Foundations.
“The Kariye Mosque, which was handed over to the Diyanet with the Presidential Decree on August 21, 2020, after which the Council of State decided in 2019 that the mosque cannot be used outside of its primary function, has still not been opened in the past three years.
As Milli Gazete, we want to receive written information about the latest situation of the Kariye Mosque," from the General Directorate of Foundations to our written request.
"Your request has been reviewed; It was not deemed appropriate by the authority as the restoration work on the work is still ongoing," the answer has been given from the foundation.
MİLLİ GAZETE CONTINUES TO KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA WITH ITS HEADLINES
Milli Gazete, which has been following the issue since the first day for the opening of the Kariye Mosque, "The carpets have been removed, the pulpit has been dismantled!", "Is it going back to the beginning in Kariye Mosque?", "It's the second Friday, no answer!", "In Kariye What's going on? Our newspaper kept the subject on the agenda with the headlines such as “What an endless restoration!”, “Year-end promise to Kariye Mosque”, “Kariye Mosque is still sad”.