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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: LIST OF CHURCHES IN TURKEY
Raffi Bedrosyan
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/08/23/setting-the-record-straight-list-of-churches-in-turkey/
Aug 23, 2011
(Armenian Weekly)-The recently appointed Ambassador to Turkey, Francis
Ricciardone, responding to questions submitted by Senator Robert
Menendez, has made incorrect claims about churches in Turkey. We
would like to provide some facts for the Ambassador's attention.
The St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) church is
Istanbul As the Armenian Weekly readers know from a recent article,
the approximate number of Armenian churches in Ottoman Turkey prior
to 1915 stands at 2300, while the number of active Armenian churches
in Turkey today is 34--28 in Istanbul, 6 in Anatolia. The article
had further qualified that these numbers only represented Armenian
Apostolic Churches under the jurisdiction of the Istanbul Armenian
Patriarchate. When the pre-1915 number of numerous Armenian Catholic,
Protestant, Evangelical churches are to be added to the 2300 Armenian
Apostolic churches, plus the Greek churches, plus the Catholic,
Protestant and Orthodox churches belonging to the various European
communities in Ottoman Turkey, the number of Christian churches easily
doubles up. It would take some research to define the exact number of
the Christian churches prior to 1915; however, it is relatively easier
to determine the number of active Christian churches in Turkey today.
The following list gives the Armenian churches still standing in
Turkey, both in Istanbul and in Anatolia:
Armenian Apostolic Churches in Turkey
In Istanbul:
Christ The King Armenian Church (Kad覺k繹y, Istanbul)
Church of the Apparition of the Holy Cross (Kuruce癬_me, Istanbul)
Holy Archangels Armenian Church (Balat, Istanbul)
Holy Cross Armenian Church (Kartal, Istanbul)
Holy Cross Armenian Church (Selams覺z, Uskudar, Istanbul)
Holy Hripsimiants Virgins Armenian Church (Buyukdere, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Apostolic Church (Bak覺rk繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Be癬_ikta癬_, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Eyup, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Ortak繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Yenik繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Nativity of the Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Bak覺rk繹y,
Istanbul)
Holy Resurrection Armenian Church (Kumkap覺, Istanbul)
Holy Resurrection Armenian Chapel (Taksim, Istanbul)
Holy Three Youths Armenian Church (Boyac覺k繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Trinity Armenian Church (Galatasaray, Istanbul)
Narlikapi Armenian Apostolic Church (Narl覺kap覺, Istanbul)
St. Elijah The Prophet Armenian Church (Eyup, Istanbul)
St. John the Baptist Armenian Church (Uskudar)
St. John The Evangelist Armenian Church (Gedikpa癬_a, Istanbul)
St. John The Evangelist Armenian Church (Narl覺kap覺, Istanbul)
St. John The Forerunner Armenian Church (Baglarba癬_覺, Uskudar,
Istanbul)
St. George (Sourp Kevork) Armenian Church (Samatya, Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (Ghalatya,
Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) Armenian Church
(Kuzguncuk, Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) Armenian Church
(Karak繹y, Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (K覺nal覺ada,
Istanbul)
St. James Armenian Church (Alt覺mermer, Istanbul)
St. Nicholas Armenian Church (Beykoz, Istanbul)
St. Nicholas Armenian Church (Topkap覺, Istanbul)
St. Santoukht Armenian Church (Hisar, Istanbul)
St. Saviour (Sourp Pergitch) Armenian Chapel (Yedikule, Istanbul)
St. Sergius Armenian Chapel (Balikli, Istanbul)
St. Stephen Armenian Church (Karak繹y, Istanbul)
St. Stephen Armenian Church (Ye癬_ilk繹y, Istanbul)
St. Takavor Armenian Apostolic Church (Kad覺k繹y, Istanbul)
Saints Thaddeus and Barholomew Armenian Church (Yenikap覺, Istanbul)
St. Trinity (Sourp Yerrortutyoun) Church (Pera, Istanbul)
St. Vartanants Armenian Church (Ferik繹y, Istanbul)
The Twelve Holy Apostles Armenian Church (Kandilli, Istanbul)
Of the Armenian Apostolic Churches still standing in Istanbul, only
28 are active at present, the rest are closed due to lack of clergy
and/or lack of congregation.
In Anatolia
Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebastea Armenian Church (Iskenderun, Hatay)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Vak覺fl覺k繹y, Samandag, Hatay)
St. George (Sourp Kevork) Armenian Church (Derik, Mardin)
St. Gregory The Enlightener Armenian Church (Kayseri)
St. Gregory The Enlightener Armenian Church (K覺r覺khan)
St. Giragos Armenian Church (Diyarbak覺r) UNDER RECONSTRUCTION
Armenian Catholic Churches in Turkey
St. Mary Armenian Catholic Church (Beyoglu, Istanbul).
St. Jean Chrisostomus Armenian Catholic Church (Taksim, Istanbul)
St. Leon Armenian Catholic Church (Kad覺koy, Istanbul)
Assumption Armenian Catholic Church (Buyukada, Istanbul)
Armenian Catholic Church of Immaculate Conception (Koca Mustafa
Pa癬_a, Istanbul)
St. Saviour Armenian Catholic Church (Karak繹y, Istanbul)
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Catholic Church (Ortak繹y,
Istanbul)
St. Paul Armenian Catholic Church (Buyukdere, Istanbul)
St. John the Baptist Armenian Catholic Church (Yenik繹y, 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 Pa癬_a, Istanbul)
Until recently, the Armenian Church Foundations and the Istanbul
Armenian Patriarchate had great difficulty to preserve or to protect
the church buildings and schools under their jurisdiction; there would
be no permission from the government to carry out minor repairs or even
paint the deteriorating church and school buildings. But there has been
an improvement with the present government, which has restored the Holy
Cross Church on Akhtamar Island on Van Lake, albeit as a state museum,
and has given permission to the repair and reconstruction of a few
historic churches, most notably the Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir.
To provide a complete picture of churches in Turkey today, we present
below a lists of non-Armenian churches:
Greek Orthodox Churches
Fener Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate, Fener
Panagia Mugliotissa, H.Georgios Poteras, Fener
Aya Irini, Topkap覺
Aya Yorgi, Buyukada
Hagios Poliektus, Topkap覺
Havariyyun, Fatih
Kanli, Fatih
Nikolaos, Ayakap覺
Kyriaaki, Kumkap覺
Panagia Elpida, Kumkap覺
Theodoros, Yenikap覺
Panagiea, Alt覺mermer
Menas,
Georgios,
Khristos Analepsisi,
Nikolaos,
Konstantinos,
Helene, Samatya
Panagia, Belgradkap覺
Nikolaos, Topkap覺
Demetrios, Sarma癬_覺k
Georgios, Edirnekap覺
Panagia, Salmatomruk
Panagia Hanceriotissa, Tekfursaray覺
Panagia Suda, Egrikap覺
Panagia Blakherna, Demetios Kananou, Ayvansaray
Panagia Balinu, Taksiartes, Balat
Hpasaskave, Hask繹y
Konstantinos ve Helene, Beyoglu
Panagia, Galatasaray
Trias, Taksim
Panagia Evangelistria, Dolapdere
Demetrios, Athanisios, Kurtulu癬_
Dodeka Apostoloi, Ferik繹y
Hristos Metamorphosisi, 癬^i癬_li
Panagia, Be癬_ikta癬_
Phokos, Ortak繹y
Demetrios, 襤oannes Prodromos, Kuruce癬_me
Taksiarkhes, Propethes Elias, Arnavutk繹y
Khralamsok, Bebek
Panagia Evangelistira, Boyac覺k繹y
Taksiarkhes, 襤stinye
Nikolaos, Panagia, Yenik繹y
Panagia Pege, Silivrikap覺
Nikolaos, Georgios, Khristos, Buyukada
Trias, Hsypridon, Khristos, Heybeliada
Georgios, Khristos, Burgazada
Khrasitos, K覺nal覺ada
Heuphemia, Trias (Aya Triada), Kad覺k繹y
Hioannes Khrysostomos, Kalam覺癬_
Georgios, Yeldegirmeni
Prophetes Elias, Uskudar
Pantelemion, Georgios, Kuzguncuk
Georgios, Cengelk繹y
Hristos Metamorphosis, Kandilli
Konstantinos ve Helene, Pa癬_abahce
Paraskeve, Beykoz
Paraskeve, Konstantinos, Tarabya
Paraskeve, Buyukdere
襤oannes Prodromos, Yenimahalle
Georgios, Khristos Analepsis, Bak覺rk繹y
Stephanos, Ye癬_ilk繹y
Demetrios, Panagia, Prophetes Elias, Buyukada
Nikolaos, Prophetes Elias, Heybeliada
襤oannes Prodromos, Burgazada
Panagia, K覺nal覺ada
Georgios Metokhi, Fener
Georgios Metokhi, Yenik繹y
Georgios Metokhi, Heybeliada
襤oannes Prodromos Methokhi, Balat
Panagia Kaphatiane, Hnikolaos, 襤oannes Prodromos, Galata
Bal覺kl覺 Hagia Kharalampos, Silivrikap覺
Haigoi Anargiroi, Silivrikap覺
Hristos Genesis, Arnavutk繹y
Although these Greek churches are still standing, very few are still
active as there are virtually no Greeks left in Turkey. Last census
numbers indicate a population of less than 2000, which means there
are about twenty Greeks left for each Greek church in Turkey.
European Catholic Churches
Saint Benoit (French), Galata
Saint Esprit (French), Beyoglu
Saint Antoine(French), Beyoglu
Santa Maria (襤talian), Tunel
Sankt Georg (Austria), Karak繹y
Saint Pierre et Saint Paul (French), Galata
Notre Dame de l'Assumption (French), Moda
St Augustine (French), Fenerbahce
Czestochova Meryem Ana (Polish), Polonezk繹y Anglican Churches
English Consulate Anglican Chapel, Galatasaray
Kirim Anglican Church, Beyoglu
Pera Resurrection Church- Aynal覺ce癬_me Beyoglu
All Saints Anglican-Presbyterien, Moda Protestant Churches
German Protestant Church, Tarlaba癬_覺, Beyoglu
Netherlands Consulate Dutch Chapel, Beyoglu
Swedish Lutheran, Tunel
Istanbul Nehir Pentecostal, Harbiye
襤stanbul Alt覺ntepe Protestant, Alt覺ntepe Other Orthodox Churches
Russian Orthodox, Galata
Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Orthodox, Balat
In recent years, a few Christian churches have been created in resort
areas such as Antalya and Bodrum, frequented by European retirees,
but these are not recorded.
When responding to Senator Menendez's questions, perhaps the Ambassador
only relied on information provided by Turkish government sources,
which could sometimes be unreliable on issues related to "past history"
or to present concerns such as Christian missionary activities. One
remarkable example of this is a January 2007 dated Turkish Security
General Directorate circular, which indicated that while there
were 77,777 mosques in Turkey at the end of 2006, the number of
non-Moslem religious institutions had climbed to 373. The circular
expressed concern that this number had increased greatly from 273
in 2005, mostly due to illegal missionary activities of Protestant
Christians. Of the 373 recorded 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 illegal
Protestant Missionary churches. In addition, 36 Jewish Synagogues,
9 Jehovahs Witness temples were recorded. Interestingly, there were
more than 900 "gathering centres" (cemevi) recorded for Alewites as
cultural centres, since they are not recognized as belonging to an
official religion.
Raffi Bedrosyan
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/08/23/setting-the-record-straight-list-of-churches-in-turkey/
Aug 23, 2011
(Armenian Weekly)-The recently appointed Ambassador to Turkey, Francis
Ricciardone, responding to questions submitted by Senator Robert
Menendez, has made incorrect claims about churches in Turkey. We
would like to provide some facts for the Ambassador's attention.
The St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) church is
Istanbul As the Armenian Weekly readers know from a recent article,
the approximate number of Armenian churches in Ottoman Turkey prior
to 1915 stands at 2300, while the number of active Armenian churches
in Turkey today is 34--28 in Istanbul, 6 in Anatolia. The article
had further qualified that these numbers only represented Armenian
Apostolic Churches under the jurisdiction of the Istanbul Armenian
Patriarchate. When the pre-1915 number of numerous Armenian Catholic,
Protestant, Evangelical churches are to be added to the 2300 Armenian
Apostolic churches, plus the Greek churches, plus the Catholic,
Protestant and Orthodox churches belonging to the various European
communities in Ottoman Turkey, the number of Christian churches easily
doubles up. It would take some research to define the exact number of
the Christian churches prior to 1915; however, it is relatively easier
to determine the number of active Christian churches in Turkey today.
The following list gives the Armenian churches still standing in
Turkey, both in Istanbul and in Anatolia:
Armenian Apostolic Churches in Turkey
In Istanbul:
Christ The King Armenian Church (Kad覺k繹y, Istanbul)
Church of the Apparition of the Holy Cross (Kuruce癬_me, Istanbul)
Holy Archangels Armenian Church (Balat, Istanbul)
Holy Cross Armenian Church (Kartal, Istanbul)
Holy Cross Armenian Church (Selams覺z, Uskudar, Istanbul)
Holy Hripsimiants Virgins Armenian Church (Buyukdere, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Apostolic Church (Bak覺rk繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Be癬_ikta癬_, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Eyup, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Ortak繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Yenik繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Nativity of the Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Bak覺rk繹y,
Istanbul)
Holy Resurrection Armenian Church (Kumkap覺, Istanbul)
Holy Resurrection Armenian Chapel (Taksim, Istanbul)
Holy Three Youths Armenian Church (Boyac覺k繹y, Istanbul)
Holy Trinity Armenian Church (Galatasaray, Istanbul)
Narlikapi Armenian Apostolic Church (Narl覺kap覺, Istanbul)
St. Elijah The Prophet Armenian Church (Eyup, Istanbul)
St. John the Baptist Armenian Church (Uskudar)
St. John The Evangelist Armenian Church (Gedikpa癬_a, Istanbul)
St. John The Evangelist Armenian Church (Narl覺kap覺, Istanbul)
St. John The Forerunner Armenian Church (Baglarba癬_覺, Uskudar,
Istanbul)
St. George (Sourp Kevork) Armenian Church (Samatya, Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (Ghalatya,
Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) Armenian Church
(Kuzguncuk, Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) Armenian Church
(Karak繹y, Istanbul)
St. Gregory The Enlightener (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch) (K覺nal覺ada,
Istanbul)
St. James Armenian Church (Alt覺mermer, Istanbul)
St. Nicholas Armenian Church (Beykoz, Istanbul)
St. Nicholas Armenian Church (Topkap覺, Istanbul)
St. Santoukht Armenian Church (Hisar, Istanbul)
St. Saviour (Sourp Pergitch) Armenian Chapel (Yedikule, Istanbul)
St. Sergius Armenian Chapel (Balikli, Istanbul)
St. Stephen Armenian Church (Karak繹y, Istanbul)
St. Stephen Armenian Church (Ye癬_ilk繹y, Istanbul)
St. Takavor Armenian Apostolic Church (Kad覺k繹y, Istanbul)
Saints Thaddeus and Barholomew Armenian Church (Yenikap覺, Istanbul)
St. Trinity (Sourp Yerrortutyoun) Church (Pera, Istanbul)
St. Vartanants Armenian Church (Ferik繹y, Istanbul)
The Twelve Holy Apostles Armenian Church (Kandilli, Istanbul)
Of the Armenian Apostolic Churches still standing in Istanbul, only
28 are active at present, the rest are closed due to lack of clergy
and/or lack of congregation.
In Anatolia
Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebastea Armenian Church (Iskenderun, Hatay)
Holy Mother-of-God Armenian Church (Vak覺fl覺k繹y, Samandag, Hatay)
St. George (Sourp Kevork) Armenian Church (Derik, Mardin)
St. Gregory The Enlightener Armenian Church (Kayseri)
St. Gregory The Enlightener Armenian Church (K覺r覺khan)
St. Giragos Armenian Church (Diyarbak覺r) UNDER RECONSTRUCTION
Armenian Catholic Churches in Turkey
St. Mary Armenian Catholic Church (Beyoglu, Istanbul).
St. Jean Chrisostomus Armenian Catholic Church (Taksim, Istanbul)
St. Leon Armenian Catholic Church (Kad覺koy, Istanbul)
Assumption Armenian Catholic Church (Buyukada, Istanbul)
Armenian Catholic Church of Immaculate Conception (Koca Mustafa
Pa癬_a, Istanbul)
St. Saviour Armenian Catholic Church (Karak繹y, Istanbul)
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Catholic Church (Ortak繹y,
Istanbul)
St. Paul Armenian Catholic Church (Buyukdere, Istanbul)
St. John the Baptist Armenian Catholic Church (Yenik繹y, 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 Pa癬_a, Istanbul)
Until recently, the Armenian Church Foundations and the Istanbul
Armenian Patriarchate had great difficulty to preserve or to protect
the church buildings and schools under their jurisdiction; there would
be no permission from the government to carry out minor repairs or even
paint the deteriorating church and school buildings. But there has been
an improvement with the present government, which has restored the Holy
Cross Church on Akhtamar Island on Van Lake, albeit as a state museum,
and has given permission to the repair and reconstruction of a few
historic churches, most notably the Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir.
To provide a complete picture of churches in Turkey today, we present
below a lists of non-Armenian churches:
Greek Orthodox Churches
Fener Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate, Fener
Panagia Mugliotissa, H.Georgios Poteras, Fener
Aya Irini, Topkap覺
Aya Yorgi, Buyukada
Hagios Poliektus, Topkap覺
Havariyyun, Fatih
Kanli, Fatih
Nikolaos, Ayakap覺
Kyriaaki, Kumkap覺
Panagia Elpida, Kumkap覺
Theodoros, Yenikap覺
Panagiea, Alt覺mermer
Menas,
Georgios,
Khristos Analepsisi,
Nikolaos,
Konstantinos,
Helene, Samatya
Panagia, Belgradkap覺
Nikolaos, Topkap覺
Demetrios, Sarma癬_覺k
Georgios, Edirnekap覺
Panagia, Salmatomruk
Panagia Hanceriotissa, Tekfursaray覺
Panagia Suda, Egrikap覺
Panagia Blakherna, Demetios Kananou, Ayvansaray
Panagia Balinu, Taksiartes, Balat
Hpasaskave, Hask繹y
Konstantinos ve Helene, Beyoglu
Panagia, Galatasaray
Trias, Taksim
Panagia Evangelistria, Dolapdere
Demetrios, Athanisios, Kurtulu癬_
Dodeka Apostoloi, Ferik繹y
Hristos Metamorphosisi, 癬^i癬_li
Panagia, Be癬_ikta癬_
Phokos, Ortak繹y
Demetrios, 襤oannes Prodromos, Kuruce癬_me
Taksiarkhes, Propethes Elias, Arnavutk繹y
Khralamsok, Bebek
Panagia Evangelistira, Boyac覺k繹y
Taksiarkhes, 襤stinye
Nikolaos, Panagia, Yenik繹y
Panagia Pege, Silivrikap覺
Nikolaos, Georgios, Khristos, Buyukada
Trias, Hsypridon, Khristos, Heybeliada
Georgios, Khristos, Burgazada
Khrasitos, K覺nal覺ada
Heuphemia, Trias (Aya Triada), Kad覺k繹y
Hioannes Khrysostomos, Kalam覺癬_
Georgios, Yeldegirmeni
Prophetes Elias, Uskudar
Pantelemion, Georgios, Kuzguncuk
Georgios, Cengelk繹y
Hristos Metamorphosis, Kandilli
Konstantinos ve Helene, Pa癬_abahce
Paraskeve, Beykoz
Paraskeve, Konstantinos, Tarabya
Paraskeve, Buyukdere
襤oannes Prodromos, Yenimahalle
Georgios, Khristos Analepsis, Bak覺rk繹y
Stephanos, Ye癬_ilk繹y
Demetrios, Panagia, Prophetes Elias, Buyukada
Nikolaos, Prophetes Elias, Heybeliada
襤oannes Prodromos, Burgazada
Panagia, K覺nal覺ada
Georgios Metokhi, Fener
Georgios Metokhi, Yenik繹y
Georgios Metokhi, Heybeliada
襤oannes Prodromos Methokhi, Balat
Panagia Kaphatiane, Hnikolaos, 襤oannes Prodromos, Galata
Bal覺kl覺 Hagia Kharalampos, Silivrikap覺
Haigoi Anargiroi, Silivrikap覺
Hristos Genesis, Arnavutk繹y
Although these Greek churches are still standing, very few are still
active as there are virtually no Greeks left in Turkey. Last census
numbers indicate a population of less than 2000, which means there
are about twenty Greeks left for each Greek church in Turkey.
European Catholic Churches
Saint Benoit (French), Galata
Saint Esprit (French), Beyoglu
Saint Antoine(French), Beyoglu
Santa Maria (襤talian), Tunel
Sankt Georg (Austria), Karak繹y
Saint Pierre et Saint Paul (French), Galata
Notre Dame de l'Assumption (French), Moda
St Augustine (French), Fenerbahce
Czestochova Meryem Ana (Polish), Polonezk繹y Anglican Churches
English Consulate Anglican Chapel, Galatasaray
Kirim Anglican Church, Beyoglu
Pera Resurrection Church- Aynal覺ce癬_me Beyoglu
All Saints Anglican-Presbyterien, Moda Protestant Churches
German Protestant Church, Tarlaba癬_覺, Beyoglu
Netherlands Consulate Dutch Chapel, Beyoglu
Swedish Lutheran, Tunel
Istanbul Nehir Pentecostal, Harbiye
襤stanbul Alt覺ntepe Protestant, Alt覺ntepe Other Orthodox Churches
Russian Orthodox, Galata
Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Orthodox, Balat
In recent years, a few Christian churches have been created in resort
areas such as Antalya and Bodrum, frequented by European retirees,
but these are not recorded.
When responding to Senator Menendez's questions, perhaps the Ambassador
only relied on information provided by Turkish government sources,
which could sometimes be unreliable on issues related to "past history"
or to present concerns such as Christian missionary activities. One
remarkable example of this is a January 2007 dated Turkish Security
General Directorate circular, which indicated that while there
were 77,777 mosques in Turkey at the end of 2006, the number of
non-Moslem religious institutions had climbed to 373. The circular
expressed concern that this number had increased greatly from 273
in 2005, mostly due to illegal missionary activities of Protestant
Christians. Of the 373 recorded 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 illegal
Protestant Missionary churches. In addition, 36 Jewish Synagogues,
9 Jehovahs Witness temples were recorded. Interestingly, there were
more than 900 "gathering centres" (cemevi) recorded for Alewites as
cultural centres, since they are not recognized as belonging to an
official religion.