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Istanbul:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday led the primary Muslim prayers attended by 1000’s in Hagia Sophia because the controversial reconversion of the long-lasting Istanbul cathedral right into a mosque.
The highest administrative courtroom revoked the sixth-century monument’s standing as a museum on July 10 and Erdogan then ordered the constructing to reopen for Muslim worship, upsetting the Christian neighborhood and additional straining ties with Greece.
Wearing an Islamic skullcap, Erdogan recited a verse from the Koran earlier than the decision to prayer was heard from the 4 minarets of Hagia Sophia, AFP correspondents stated.
Then the pinnacle of the state spiritual affairs directorate, Ali Erbas, delivered the sermon, which was broadcast dwell on Turkish information channels.
There was such a big circulate of individuals eager to participate within the prayer, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya stated on Friday morning the areas in and round Hagia Sophia had been swiftly stuffed.
Aynur Saatci, 49, described it as a “historic moment”, telling AFP she was on vacation in Erzurum, jap Turkey, however got here again for the occasion.
“I immediately cut my holiday short and returned to Istanbul as soon as I knew we could pray in Hagia Sophia,” Saatci stated. “I’m deeply moved.”
Experts say Erdogan is attempting to invigorate his spiritual and nationalist base and lots of Muslims attending the prayer noticed it as a landmark occasion.
“This is the moment when Turkey breaks its chains. Now it can do whatever it wants, without having to submit to the West,” Selahattin Aydas, from Germany, stated.
“We’ve been waiting for this for years. I’m very happy. There might be sanctions against Turkey because of this, or the number or tourists may fall but that doesn’t change anything for me,” Hatip, who manages a memento store close to Hagia Sophia, stated.
In Greece, church buildings had been in “mourning” with their bells across the nation anticipated to peal at noon to protest the reconversion.
Religious and nationalist teams will maintain protests in Athens and Thessaloniki afterward Friday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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