Setting the record straight: List of churches in Turkey (2023)

(A.W.) - The newly appointed ambassador to Turkey, Francis Ricciardone, responded to questions sent by Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and made false statements about the churches in Turkey. We would like to share some facts with the ambassador.

As readers of the Armenian Weekly know, alast articlepublished in the newspaper, the approximate number of Armenian churches in Ottoman Turkey before 1915 is 2,300, while the number of active Armenian churches in Turkey today is 34-28 in Istanbul and 6 in Anatolia. The article further qualified that these numbers represented only the Armenian Apostolic Churches under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul. If the number of the numerous pre-1915 Armenian Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical Churches is added to the 2,300 Armenian Apostolic Churches, plus the Greek Churches, plus the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Churches belonging to the various European communities in Ottoman Turkey , then this is the case number of Christian churches works easily. It would take some research to determine the exact number of pre-1915 Christian churches; However, today it is relatively easier to determine the number of active Christian churches in Turkey.

The following list gives Armenian churches still standing in Turkey, both in Istanbul and in Anatolia:

Armenian Apostolic Churches in Turkey

In Istanbul:

Armenian Church of Christ the King (Kadıköy, Istanbul)

Church of the Epiphany of the Holy Cross (Kuruçeşme, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Archangels (Balat, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Cross (Kartal, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Cross (No Greetings, Uskudar, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Virgins Hripsimiants (Büyükdere, Istanbul)

Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Mother of God (Bakırköy, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God (Beşiktaş, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God (Eyüp, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God (Ortakoy, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God (Yeniköy, Istanbul)

Holy Nativity of Our Lady Armenian Church (Bakırköy, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection (Kumkapı, Istanbul)

Armenian Chapel of the Holy Resurrection (Taksim, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Three Young Saints (Boyacıköy, Istanbul)

Holy Trinity Armenian Church (Galatasaray, Istanbul)

Narlikapi Armenian Apostolic Church (Narlıkapı, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah (Eyup, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of Saint John the Baptist (Uskudar)

Armenian Church of Saint John the Evangelist (Gedikpaşa, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of Saint John the Evangelist (Narlıkapı, Istanbul)

st. John The Forerunner Igreja Armênia (Bağlarbaşı, Uskudar, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of Saint George (Sourp Kevork) (Samatya, Istanbul)

Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (Ghalatya, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (Kuzguncuk, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (Karaköy, Istanbul)

st. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (Kinaliada, Istanbul)

Saint Jacob Armenian Church (Altımermer, Istanbul)

Saint Nicholas Armenian Church (Beykoz, Istanbul)

St. Saint Nicholas Armenian Church (Topkapı, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of St. Santoukht (Hisar, Istanbul)

Armenian Chapel of the Holy Savior (Sourp Pergitch) (Yedikule, Istanbul)

St. Armenian Chapel of Sergius (Balikli, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of St. Stephen (Karakoy, Istanbul)

st. Armenische Stephanskirche (Yeşilköy, Istanbul)

St. Takavor Armenian Apostolic Church (Kadıköy, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of Saints Thaddeus and Barholomew (Yenikapı, Istanbul)

Church of the Holy Trinity (Sourp Yerrortutyoun) (Pera, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of St. Vartanants (Ferikoy, Istanbul)

Armenian Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles (Kandilli, Istanbul)

Of the Armenian Apostolic Churches that still exist in Istanbul, only 28 are currently active; the others are closed due to lack of clergy and/or lack of church.

in Anatolia

Holy Forty Martyrs of Armenian Sebastea Church (Iskenderun, Hatay)

Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God (Vakıflıköy, Samandağ, Hatay)

St. George (Sourp Kevork) Armenian Church (Derik, Mardin)

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Kayseri)

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Kırıkhan)

Armenian Church of St. Giragos (Diyarbakır) (under reconstruction)

Armenian Catholic Churches in Turkey

Saint Mary Armenian Catholic Church (Beyoğlu, Istanbul)

St. Jean Chrisostomus Armenian Catholic Church (Taksim, Istanbul)

Saint Leon Armenian Catholic Church (Kadıkoy, Istanbul)

Armenian Catholic Church of the Assumption (Buyukada, Istanbul)

Armenian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (Koca Mustafa Paşa, Istanbul)

Armenian Catholic Church of the Holy Savior (Karakoy, Istanbul)

Armenian Catholic Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Ortakoy, Istanbul)

St. Saint Paul Armenian Catholic Church (Buyukdere, Istanbul)

Armenian Catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist (Yeniköy, Istanbul)

Of the Armenian Catholic Churches in Istanbul, only the first four are active.

Armenian Evangelical Protestant Churches in Turkey

Armenian Evangelical Church (Pera, Istanbul)

Armenian Evangelical Church (Gedik Pasha, Istanbul)

Until recently, the Armenian Church Foundations and the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul have had great difficulty in maintaining or protecting the churches and schools under their jurisdiction; there would be no government approval to make minor repairs, let alone paint the dilapidated church and school buildings. But there has been an improvement with the current government which has restored the Church of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van, albeit as a state museum, and has given permission for the repair and rebuilding of some historic churches, notably the Surp Church of Giragos in Diyarbakir.

In order to give a complete picture of the churches in Turkey today, we present below a list of non-Armenian churches.

Greek Orthodox Churches

Fener Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate, Fener

Panagia Mugliotissa, H. Georgios Poteras, Fener

St. Irene, Topkapi

Aya Yorgi, Buyukada

Hagia Poliektus, Topkapi

Havariyyun, Fatih

Kanli, Fatih

Nicholas in the grave

Kyriaaki, Kumkapi

Panagia Elpida, Kumkapi

Theodoros, Yenikapi

Panagiea, Altımermer

bis

George

Christos Analepsis,

Nicolau,

Konstantin,

Helena, Samatya

Panagia, Belgradkapi

Nicholas, Topkapi

Demetrius, Epheus

Georgios, Edirnekapi

Prayer Salmatomruk

Panagia Hanceriotissa, Tekfursarai

Panagia Suda, Egrikapi

Panagia Blakherna, Demetios Kananou, Ayvansaray

Panagia Balinu, Taksiartes, Balat

Hpasaskave, Haskoy

Konstantinos and Helene, Beyoglu

Panagia, Galatasaray

Triassic, Taksim

Panagia Evangelistria, Dolapdere

Demetrius, Athanasius, Kurtulus

Dodeka Apostoloi, Feriköy

Metamorfose de Christos, Şişli

Panagia, Besiktas

Phokos, Ortakoy

Demetrios, Ioannes Prodromos, Kuruçeşme

Taxiarcas, Prophetes Elias, Arnavutköy

Khralamsok, Pato

Panagia Evangelistira, Boyacikoy

Taksiarches, İstinye

Nikolaos, Panagia, Yeniköy

Panagia Pege, Silivrikapi

Nicholas, George, Christos, Buyukada

Trias, Hsypridon, Christos, Heybeliada

Georgios, Christos, Burgazada

Khrasitos, Kinaliada

Heupämie, Triassic (Hagia Triada), Kadıköy

Hioannes Khrysostomos, Kalamış

Georgio, windmill

Elijah Prophets, Uskudar

Pantelemion, Georgios, Kuzguncuk

Georgios, Cengelkoy

Metamorfose de Cristo, Kandilli

Konstantinos and Helene, Pasabahce

Paraskeve, Beykoz

Paraskeve, Constantine, Tarabya

Paraskeve, Buyukdere

İoannes Prodromos, Yenimahalle

Georgios, Christos Analepsis, Bakırköy

Stephanos, Yesilköy

Demetrius, Panagia, Elia der Prophet, Buyukada

Nikolaos, Elijah the Prophet, Heybeliada

Ioannes Prodromos, Burgazada

Panagia, Kinaliada

Georgios Metokhi, Lanterna

Georgios Metokhi, Yenikoy

Georgios Metokhi, Heybeliada

Ioannes Prodromos Methokhi, Balat

Panagia Kaphatiane, Hnikolaos, Ioannes Prodromos, Galata

Balikli Hagia Kharalampos, Silivrikapi

Haigoi Anargiroi, Silivrikapi

Christos Genesis, Arnavutkoy

Although these Greek churches still exist, very few are active as there are virtually no Greeks in Turkey. The latest census figures show a population of less than 2,000, which means there are about 20 Greeks for every Greek church in Turkey.

European Catholic Churches

Saint Benoit (French), Galata

Saint Esprit (French), Beyoglu

Saint Antoine (French), Beyoglu

Santa Maria (Italian), tunnel

Sankt Georg (Austria), Karakoy

St. Peter and St. Paul (English), Galata

Our Lady of the Assumption (French), Fashion

Augustine (French), Fenerbahçe

Tschenstochau Meryem Ana (Polonesa), Polonezköy
Anglican Churches

Anglican Chapel of the English Consulate, Galatasaray

Crimea Igreja Anglicana, Beyoglu

Birnen-Auferstehungskirche - Aynalıçeşme Beyoğlu

All Saints Anglican Presbyterian Fashion
evangelical churches

German Evangelical Church, Tarlabasi, Beyoglu

Chapel of the Consulate of the Netherlands, Beyoğlu

Swedish Lutheran Tunnel

Pfingsten do Rio Istanbul, Harbiye

Istanbul Altintepe Protestant, Altintepe
Other Orthodox Churches

Russian Orthodox, Galatian

Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Orthodox, Balat

In recent years, some unregistered Christian churches have been built in tourist areas such as Antalya and Bodrum, frequented by European pensioners.

In answering Senator Menendez's questions, the ambassador may only have relied on information from Turkish government sources, which can sometimes be unreliable when it comes to matters related to "past history" or current concerns such as Christian missionary activities. A notable example of this is a January 2007 circular from the General Directorate of Security in Turkey, which indicates that while there were 77,777 mosques in Turkey at the end of 2006, the number of non-Muslim religious institutions has risen to 373, indicating that this figure has increased from 273 increased sharply in 2005, mainly due to the illegal missionary activity of Protestant Christians. Of the 373 registered religious institutions, 321 were Christian churches, including 90 Greek Orthodox (75 in Istanbul), 55 Armenian (48 in Istanbul), 60 Assyrian, 3 Chaldean, 4 Bulgarian, 1 Arabic Orthodox, 53 Christian churches for foreigners and 52 churches illegal Protestant missionaries. In addition, 36 Jewish synagogues and 9 temples of Jehovah's Witnesses were registered. Interestingly, there were over 900 "gathering centers" (cemevi) registered as cultural centers for the Alevis, since they do not belong to any official religion.