The postponement of the prayer scheduled for Friday at the Chora Church was announced on Thursday afternoon by the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), claiming that it is due to the continuation of the preparations.
As reported by protothema.gr, Diyanet’s announcement about the Chora Church, Kariye Mosque as the Turks call it, does not specify when – for the first time in 72 years – a Muslim prayer will take place, after the decision of Erdoğan’s government to abolish the museum character of the monument.
“The Kariye Mosque in the Fatih district of Constantinople will open as a place of worship after 72 years for Friday prayers on October 30. The mosque will meet its audience. “May Allah hear the prayers in the mosque for a long time,” the head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş, announced on Tuesday on his personal Twitter account.
Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığımıza devredilerek yeniden ibadete açılmasına karar verilen Kariye Camii inşallah 30 Ekim’de Cuma namazı ile birlikte yeniden cemaatine kavuşacak.
Cenab-ı Hak minarelerinden ezan seslerini eksik etmesin. Milletimize ve tüm İslam alemine hayırlı olsun. pic.twitter.com/3OiFL3grQG
— Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş (@DIBAliErbas) October 27, 2020
The precious Christian mosaics will be covered with a “curtain” during prayer hours, a sound system has been installed, while the carpets placed on the marble floor are turquoise, the same as those of Hagia Sophia.
