Erdogan personally checks Hagia Sophia's conversion into a mosque
Erdogan personally checked how Hagia Sophia is being converted into a mosque. Photo: britannica.com
On July 19, 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Hagia Sophia to check how the process of its transformation into a mosque is going, Interfax reports.
Photos of this visit were published by the Turkish leader’s administration.
Preparatory work is being done inside the Cathedral: special means will be installed in Hagia Sophia to cover the icons during prayers, and carpets will be placed on the floor.
The first Muslim service is expected to be held on July 24, with nearly 500 people taking part in it. It has not yet been announced whether the President of Turkey will be among the worshipers.
As reported by the UOJ, the EU spokesman Josep Borrell said earlier: the EU considers the decision of the Turkish authorities to convert Hagia Sophia in Istanbul from a museum into a mosque “regrettable”.
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