Hagia Sophia: Turkey Observes First Muslim Prayers Inside Former Church

• Turkey has held the first Muslim Friday prayers inside the historically former church, Hagia Sophia
• The structure used to be a church in the 6th century before it got turned into a museum and then back into Mosque
• A multitude of crowd witnessed the historic moment as the country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, joined in the session

Turkey has drawn the ire of the international community as it holds the first Muslim Friday prayers inside Hagia Sophia, a structure that historically used to be a church.

In the 6th century, the ancient building was initially a church before it got turned into a mosque, from there to a museum and finally now into a mosque.

Erdogan said Turkey has the sovereign right to do on the historic structure what it willsSource: Getty Images

When the conversion was announced in 2020, it generated heated reactions from international leaders who described it as a blatant disregard for the flow of history.

Erdogan said in 2020:

“Like all our mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be wide open to locals and foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims”

He thanked all those who contributed to the success of the controversial reshaping of the structure to fit a space for Muslim prayers.

He said:

“Like all our mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be wide open to locals and foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims.”

Source: Fox Nigeria

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