on 24 July for the first time since 1934, converted into a mosque the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was completed Friday prayer. Many believers settled down on the prayer mats on the city’s Sultanahmet square. At the entrance to the protected area they are obliged to wear masks. In prayer was attended by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who before the service, recited the first Sura of the Koran.
the crowd of believers from all over Turkey gathered near the Cathedral early Friday morning, July 24, for the first during the last decades of prayer, reports Daily Sabah. They passed through special checkpoints that surround the historical center of Istanbul. It was reported that the security of citizens ensured approximately 17 thousand employees of law enforcement agencies.
access to the Hagia Sophia was closed for the period of visit of the governmental delegation. Just at this time the mask arrived Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by the head of Department on public relations of Fahrettin Altoona and head of the office of religious Affairs (Diyanet), Ali Arbela.
“the Great mosque of Hagia Sophia is the cultural heritage of all mankind, the President said during the Friday worship. – It was a mosque, and she brought back this status.”
the Opening of the mosque began with a prayer program, prepared by the office of religious Affairs. Before the Turkish leader read verses from the Koran. Prayer with a sword in his hand was headed by Ali Erbas by reading a special sermon, entitled as “Hagia Sophia: sign the gains our trust Fatiha” (Sultan Mehmed II).
“Anguish, which has caused deep pain in the hearts of our people, came to an end,’ said Arbus, adding that this mosque, like all others, will be open to people of different nationalities. – Today is the day when believers are in prayer with tears of joy. Today is a day of honor and humility.”
the Turkish leader said that the Ministry of culture and tourism will hold a restoration work inside and outside the mosque. “I hope that together with these works our Hagia Sophia will find different, more expressive structure,” said Erdogan. For a time of worship all the Christian mosaics and frescoes were obscured by special lighting, or covered by curtains.
After Friday prayers leader of Turkey and Chairman of the nationalist movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, visited the tomb of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, who captured Constantinople and turned the 900-year-old Byzantine Church into a mosque, completed around her four minarets.
a kind of “calling card” of Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia was built in Byzantine Empire. After the capture in 1453 of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks, the Cathedral bwas transformed into a mosque. However, since 1935, according to the decree of the former President of Turkey, Mustafa Ataturk, the Cathedral has the status of a Museum. In addition, since 1985, it was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Muslim prayers were heard in the Hagia Sophia after only two weeks after the 10 July, the state Council of Turkey (Supreme administrative court) ruled that the withdrawal of Cathedral status of a Museum. Several hours later, after the court decision, Erdogan issued a decree according to which the Cathedral will be open for the first worship.
this initiative of the Turkish leader appreciated not all. The head of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew strongly opposed the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. He previously stated that such conversion would disappoint Christians and split the East and West.
the fate of the Cathedral closely followed and Greece, because it sees itself as a modern successor of the Orthodox Byzantine Empire. Athens has repeatedly stated that the historical building is a symbol of peace between different religions and civilizations. Therefore, its conversion into a mosque incites national and religious fanaticism.
moreover, the decision of Turkey sharply condemned the US President Donald trump at a meeting with Archbishop of America Orthodox Church of Constantinople Elpidoforos in the White house, reports the Athens news Agency AMNA.
“After the planned 30-minute meeting, which the Archbishop of Elpidophor held with the Vice-President of the United States Mike Pence in Washington, Trump said that the White house is the Archbishop, he invited him into his office and discussed all critical topics within 15 minutes”, – said the Agency.
it is Reported that the American leader looked extremely annoyed because of the news about the Cathedral. He was extremely indignant that the Turkish government violates the freedom of religious minorities in the country. Moreover, he called himself “the helper and supporter of Hellenism”, adding that it “will immediately begin the necessary interventions”.
