Hagia Sophia to open for Muslims' Friday prayers

Friday prayers are to be held at Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia building for the first time since the celebrated museum was turned back into a mosque.

"Muslims are excited, everyone wants to be at the opening," Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said on Thursday.

The 1,500-year-old Unesco World Heritage site became a museum in 1934.

But earlier this month, a Turkish court annulled Hagia Sophia's museum status, saying its use as anything other than a mosque was "not possible legally".

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then announced that the world-famous site would be used as a mosque for Friday prayers from 24 July.

The move was criticised by religious and political leaders worldwide.

In a televised address on Thursday, Governor Yerlikaya urged those attending prayers on Friday to bring "[face] masks, a prayer rug, patience and understanding" as measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 would be in place.

He added that healthcare workers would be made available at the site.

Turkey's religious affairs minister, Ali Erbas, said that about 1,000 people would be able to attend prayers at the site at any one time.

He said that "modifications" had been made inside and that a "garden setup" had been prepared, adding that the site would remain open overnight.

Erdogan is expected to be among the worshippers on Friday.

(Source: BBC)