Chora Monastery: So Is It a Mosque or a Museum?

 

 

The decision of the Directorate of Religious Affairs of Turkey, DIYANET, to postpone the official first prayer for the conversion of the Monastery of Chora into a mosque, which was scheduled for Friday, October 30th, has caused concern and conflicting information. As an official reason, it was announced "that the opening of the Kariye Mosque in the Fatih district of Istanbul to worship has been postponed to a later date due to the continuity of the preparations."

However, the Turkish travel news agency "turizmajansi.com" in a post claims that the work has stopped. In fact, the relevant article, citing a tour guide in Istanbul, states that the curtains that covered the beautiful mosaics have been removed, as well as the pulpit dismantled, and the carpet that was laid out for prayer no longer exists.

A Miracle of Saint John Chrysostom in Sri Lanka for a Buddhist Child

 

In November of 2007 the sacred skull of Saint John Chrysostom was brought from Vatopaidi Monastery on Mount Athos to Cyprus on the occasion 1600 years since his repose, and during this time many miracles of the Saint were reported, among which is the following.

A former Buddhist from Sri Lanka who had converted to Orthodox Christianity in Cyprus and was recently baptized, prayed fervently before the sacred skull of Saint John Chrysostom as she venerated him, begging his aid on behalf of her dying nephew in Sri Lanka.