Turkey’s ongoing restoration of the 10th-century Armenian Cathedral of Ani has raised alarm over fears it may be reopened as a mosque, as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s broader pattern of Islamizing historic Christian landmarks.
The cathedral — also known as Surp Asdvadzadzin or Holy Mother of God — is one of the most significant remnants of medieval Armenian Christianity. It has been under restoration since 2022 as part of a project led by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
According to a July 9 AsiaNews report, questions about the project’s intent surfaced after Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency published a July 3 report describing the cathedral as a “conquest mosque.”
The terminology, AsiaNews reported, echoes Erdogan’s previous moves to convert Christian churches such as Hagia Sophia and Chora into functioning mosques.
George Aslan, an Assyrian member of the Turkish Parliament, formally questioned the government’s plans in parliament, AsiaNews also reported.
“Is it true that after the restoration of Ani Cathedral, it will be opened as a mosque? If so, what is the justification for this decision?” Aslan asked Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. “Would the decision to change the religious identity of this historical structure and convert it into a mosque not contradict Turkey’s multi-religious and multicultural character?”
However, Armenian outlet CivilNet challenged that narrative, arguing the concerns were premature. It claimed Andalou’s language referred only to the cathedral’s temporary use as a mosque following the 1064 Seljuk conquest.
AsiaNews framed the potential conversion as part of Erdogan’s “Islamo-nationalism” agenda, which it called “a strategy to cover up the country’s ongoing economic crisis and for him to maintain power.” The report cited a pattern of sectarian violence and the quiet removal of Christian history from public life.
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