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Chora -Kariye Issue - Is Chora A Church, Museum or a Mosque?
History of Chora
Chora Monastery, Church of the Holy Savior in Chora (Kariye Museum)
What is this old Chora issue? What did they build Chora for and what will happen to it?
Kariye museum is actually a big complex monastery church. The original name Chora means suburban in ancient Greek. This name transformed into Kariye in Turkish. I'm going to call it "Chora Church" since I consider earlier periods.
Deep note: You need to know about Hagia Sophia to understand Chora better. Here's my article about it.
Why was the suburban area of Chora church important for Christian history?
In ancient sources, according to Simeon Metaphrates who lived in 10th century, the graves of Saint Babylas and his 84 students who were martyred in the great massacre in Nikomedia (todays Iznik) were buried here in 4th century during emperor Diocletian's reign in 298. That's why the area got important. There used to be a small chapel which collapsed long ago.
Emperor Justinian built a monastery on the ruins of that chapel in 536. But this building also collapsed in 557. Byzantines rebuilt the monastery a few more times in 9th, 11th century by Maria Dukaina, the mother-in-law of Alexios I but devastated by the Latin invasion of 1204-1261.
Today's Kariye was constructed by Theodoros Metokhites; the treasurer of Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II. (He also got himself depicted on a mosaic presenting Chora Church to Christ). Metokhites filled the church with all those frescoes and mosaics which we won't be able to see again probably.
Architectural design of monastery?
Outer narthex + inner narthex + naos + additional chapel for burial niches: parekklesion
Why did they apply narthex and naos plan?
Furthermore it reminds me of emperor Justinian's words about Hagia Sophia: "Oh Solomon! I have outdone thee."
What to do with the Temple of Jerusalem?
Courtyard: Section 1. People present for prayers, sacrifices and other rituals in the courtyard.
Sacred Area: Section 2. The priests prepare for these rituals.
Naos: Section 3. The high priest could enter the most sacred area (naos) only once a year.
Similar here in Chora:
Outer narthex helps people think about theirs and god's identity, why they come there just before they enter the sacred area.
Inner narthex is where priests get ready for rituals and enter the Naos with a cross. Building had 4 domes covering all sections.
Especially the inner(life of virgin mary mosaics) and outer narthex (life of Jesus icons) of the church are decorated with magnificent mosaics.
Ancestors of Jesus, Deisis, Christ the Pantokrator,Hodegetria, Koimesis, Jesus and Theodoros Metochites, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, The Ascension, Anastasis and many more about Mary's and Jesus' life.
These mosaics and frescoes are made far beyond the strict religious forms that were valid at the time. The depth in mosaics and the dynamic style in figures carry a superior artistic value that heralds the Renaissance period even in the Middle Ages.
Kariye Mosque
Here comes the museum
By the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Turkey, Kariye Mosque got converted into Kariye Museum on August 29, 1945. Plaster over mosaics and frescoes were removed during restorations and opened to the public in 1958.
Kariye museum is in UNESCO World Heritage List.
21 August 2020 Kariye is a mosque again and it's open to prayers from now on. That means they will cover the floor with carpets and walls&domes with no one knows what!
Did we need it? No.
Did we want it? No.
Frankly speaking, many locals heard about Kariye for the first time in their lives by the news. They didn't even know that it existed before.
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