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Istanbul:
Turkey’s Hagia Sophia may open to guests outdoors prayer occasions and its Christian icons will stay, spiritual officers mentioned on Tuesday, after a courtroom ruling paved the way in which for it to develop into a mosque.
The sixth-century Istanbul landmark’s museum standing — in place since 1934 — was revoked on Friday and management was handed to the spiritual authority, Diyanet.
The resolution sparked condemnation from Western governments, Russia and Christian leaders — Pope Francis saying he was “very distressed”.
Hagia Sophia spent nearly 1,000 years as a cathedral earlier than being transformed right into a mosque in 1453 and later a museum.
Diyanet mentioned in a press release on Tuesday that Christian icons in Hagia Sophia had been “not an obstacle to the validity of the prayers”.
“The icons should be curtained and shaded through appropriate means during prayer times,” it mentioned.
“There is no obstacle from a religious perspective to Hagia Sophia Mosque being open to visitors outside prayer times.”
Hagia Sophia, a serious vacationer attraction, has been the scene of Islam-linked actions in recent times. In 2018, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recited a verse from Koran on the constructing.
Erdogan, who mentioned the primary Muslim prayers in Hagia Sophia would start on July 24, has insisted the constructing shall be open to all, together with non-Muslims.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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