The first-ever church built during the Turkish Republic era is planned to open its door to Christians soon. Sait Susin, president of the Istanbul Syriac Kadim Foundation, told the media that plans were underway to inaugurate the church, in two months

In a 2019 ceremony attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the foundation was laid for the St. Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church in Yesilkoy on the European side of Istanbul.

Susin said there are some churches from the Turkish Republic era, but all of them are churches that were either repaired or about to fall, not built from scratch.