Muslim worshippers gathered in Istanbul as the historic Hagia Sophia site opened for the first time on Friday for prayers, since it was ruled by the Turkish authorities that it could be converted into a mosque.
Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya in his statement on Thursday said, “Muslims are excited, everyone wants to be at the opening,”
The Unesco World Heritage site became a museum in 1934 which means it’s 1,500-year-old.
However, a Turkish court had annulled its status, saying any use other than as a mosque was “not possible legally”.
An announcement made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the world-famous site would be ready for Friday prayers from 24 July. The president was seen joining Muslim worshippers to pray around midday at (09:00 GMT).
Political leaders worldwide had criticised the decision to turn Hagia Sophia which was built as an Orthodox Christian cathedral before it’s first converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest nine centuries late, back into a mosque.
While a lot of people were excited at the new change, it appears the secular opposition party that runs Istanbul is displeased with this new development and has described the move to turn it back into a mosque after 86 years as political rather than religious.
The crowd was huge, lot’s of people traveled far and near in thousands to worship. The outside was filled to the brim.
The security was tight across the historic peninsula of Istanbul, and at one point dozens of worshippers broke through a police checkpoint. A group of men waved Turkish flags and chanted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest).
The inside was full to the brim. Worshippers took their places on the grass or on the pavement. The lucky ones found shade under a tree.
Pictures of interior of Hagia Sophia
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