Hagia Sophia is ready for the first Muslim prayer today, in 86 years, said Governor of Constantinople Ali Yerlikaya, while Ali Erbaş, head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), announced the appointment of three imams and five muezzins for the “Hagia Sophia mosque”.
Meanwhile, Turkish websites publish photos from inside Hagia Sophia with the curtains that will be used to cover the mosaics and frescoes during the prayer.
The mosaics of the Theotokos and Archangel Gabriel, 6.5 and 7.5 meters respectively, will be hidden and revealed with curtains for one minute each. The original idea of using lasers was eventually abandoned.
The omphalion (navel), the holiest part of the temple, will be hidden with a prayer carpet. However, to prevent possible damage, there will be two layers of felt under the carpet. The carpets that will be used in Hagia Sophia are produced in the western province of Manisa, in one of the first workshops in the country. Made 100% from local wool, the green carpets depict Ottoman representations.
The building is expected to accommodate 1,000 to 1,500 people. The prayer will be said by Ali Erbaş. Despite the overcrowding, however, precautionary measures against the coronavirus will be observed, with the mandatory use of masks, disinfectants and the distribution of individual prayer mats to the faithful.
In a press conference given at the site, the governor of the province of Constantinople said that “everyone is looking forward to attending the special prayers with great enthusiasm.”
Referring to the sanitary measures against the coronavirus, he stressed that there will be five different open spaces for pilgrims to avoid overcrowding.
The spaces for the faithful have started opening today at 10:00 local time and Greek time.
LIVE: #HagiaSophia is set to resume religious services today.
Thousands are expected to pray at the #mosque for the first time in 86 years. https://t.co/uVLdvrBsDG
— PresserWatch (@PresserWatch) July 24, 2020
“The entrance to the spaces of prayer will be after security checks at 11 different checkpoints.”
Some roads and subway lines will remain closed before and during prayer.
Yerlikaya clarified that pilgrims coming to Hagia Sophia should wear their own masks and carry their own prayer mats, as a precaution against Covid-19.
Mehmet Boynukalın, Ferruh Muştuer and Bünyamin Topçuoğlu are the appointed imams, Ali Erbaş said.
In addition to President Tayyip Erdogan and nationalist leader Devlet Bahçeli, PMs and members of the ruling AKP, as well as Turkish ministers, will attend the official opening of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque. Many leaders from foreign countries have been invited to attend, including the President of Azerbaijan and the Emir of Qatar.
Source: kathimerini.gr
