How to make the conversion of the emblematic Christian church of Hagia Sophia into a mosque possible was issued earlier in the form of instructions by the Directorate of Religious Affairs of Turkey (Diyanet).
According to the announcement, published by Anadolu, the hagiographies should not be illuminated, while they must be covered during the prayer of the Muslims “by appropriate means.”
At the same time, the Directorate states that “there is no religious obstacle” for the “mosque” to remain open for visitors during non-prayer hours, while adding that “the existence of hagiographies does not pose a threat to the regularity of prayers to be performed in Hagia Sophia.”
Visitors are required, according to Islamic religion, to take off their shoes before entering the temple.
“(Christian) Icons should be covered with covers and other appropriate means,” Diyanet writes.
The Turkish media had reported on the use of techniques to plunge the icons into darkness during the Muslim prayers, performed five times each day.
Specifically, the means that will be used in order for the temple to function as a mosque, had been announced in a relevant report by the Hürriyet newspaper.
According to the report, special curtains will be used which will be opened during the prayer, while carpets will be placed on the floor which will be illuminated to darken the space and to conceal the hagiographies.