Icons in Hagia Sophia will be draped during prayer
Icons of Hagia Sophia (right) closed with special drapery. Photo: romfea.gr
The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet wrote that during Islamic worship, the walls inside Hagia Sophia will be covered with special means and lighting, reports the Greek edition Romfea.
According to the Hurriyet newspaper, special blinds will be installed in the temple to cover the icons during Islamic prayers, while the floor will be covered with carpets, which will have special lighting to darken the space and hide the icons.
It also means, according to Romfea, that visitors to Hagia Sophia will have to take off their shoes at the entrance to the temple.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) spoke out about the murals preserved on the walls of Hagia Sophia: “When this temple was first converted into a mosque, most of the mosaic images were simply knocked down with hammers, and only a small part was preserved under the stucco. What will happen to these murals – will they be knocked down with hammers, or smeared with plaster, or will they be somehow hidden from the eyes of those Muslims who will pray in this place?”
Read also
Medieval сhurch сrumbles as Culture Ministry сites missing agreement
The 14th–15th-century St. Nicholas Church in Chesnyky, Ivano-Frankivsk Region, is falling into disrepair.
Poland сondemns Lviv Regional Council's decision to declare 2007 year of UPA
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says the Lviv Regional Council's decision to dedicate 2027 to the UPA and Roman Shukhevych is harmful to Ukraine.
OCU seeks court recognition of ownership of seized Cherkasy cathedral
The Cherkasy Regional Commercial Court will hear an OCU lawsuit seeking ownership of St. Michael's Cathedral, which was seized from UOC believers.
Lithuanian bishop: Ukraine is no model for believers' rights
Vicar of Vilnius Diocese voices concern over attempts to import Ukraine's religious conflict into Lithuania.
Hundreds of believers honor St. Alexis of Carpatho-Russia in Khust Eparchy
At the St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Iza-Karputlash, Metropolitan Mark of Khust led a festive liturgy, concelebrated by six metropolitans, five archbishops and three bishops.
Court upholds UOC parish appeal in Voloshky over OCU switch dispute
The Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal of the St. Nicholas parish of the UOC in the village of Voloshky, Volyn region, in a dispute over a transfer to the OCU.