Hagia Sophia to open 'outside prayer times': Turkey

Turkey's Hagia Sophia will open to visitors outside prayer times and its Christian icons will remain, religious officials said Tuesday, after a court ruling paved the way for it to become a mosque.

The decision sparked condemnation from Western governments, Russia and Christian leaders -- Pope Francis saying he was"very distressed". "The icons should be curtained off and unlit through appropriate means during prayer times," it said. Hagia Sophia, a major tourist attraction, has been the scene of Islam-linked activities in recent years. In 2018, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan controversially recited a verse from the Koran in the building.

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Hagia Sophia to open 'outside prayer times': TurkeyISTANBUL (AFP) - Turkey's Hagia Sophia will open to visitors outside prayer times and its Christian icons will remain, religious officials said on Tuesday (July 14), after a court ruling paved the way for it to become a mosque.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Hagia Sophia to open 'outside prayer times': TurkeyISTANBUL (AFP) - Turkey's Hagia Sophia will open to visitors outside prayer times and its Christian icons will remain, religious officials said on Tuesday (July 14), after a court ruling paved the way for it to become a mosque.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »