The ex-Basilica of Hagia Sophia, converted into a mosque, will remain open to visitors outside of Muslim prayer times, during which Christian icons should be hidden, announced on Tuesday, July 14, the Authority of Religious Affairs in Turkey.
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The Council of State, the highest administrative court in Turkey, acceded to the request of several associations Friday by revoking a government decision dating from 1934 granting Hagia Sophia the status of museum. As soon as this decision was made public, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. The first Muslim collective prayers will be held there on July 24.
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In a statement released Tuesday, Diyanet, the Turkish Authority for Religious Affairs, said that Christian performances in the former Byzantine basilica " do not constitute an obstacle to the holding of prayers ". " The (Christian) icons should be hidden by curtains and other suitable means, " added Diyanet. Turkish media has reported on the possible use of lighting techniques to darken icons during the five daily Muslim prayers. " There is no obstacle from a religious point of view for the opening of Hagia Sophia to visitors outside prayer times, " continued Diyanet.
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A major architectural work built in the 6th century by the Byzantines who crowned their emperors there, Hagia Sophia is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and one of the main tourist attractions of Istanbul with some 3.8 million visitors in 2019. From July 24, entry will be free for visitors. Converted into a mosque after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, it was transformed into a museum in 1934 by the leader of the young Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal, anxious to " offer it to humanity ".
The decision to restore it to Muslim worship has drawn criticism abroad, notably in Russia and Greece, which closely follow the fate of the Byzantine heritage in Turkey. Pope Francis said he was “very distressed” by this reconversion.