Greek church bells toll for Hagia Sofia as Greeks protest mosque conversion

Athens, Greece: Church bells across Greece tolled in mourning on Friday, July 24 as the first Islamic prayers in nine decades were held at Hagia Sophia in Turkey, marking the monument's conversion into a mosque.

Most Greeks consider the site, built in 537 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, as central to their Orthodox Christian religion.

Greek criticism of the conversion has been scathing, underscoring often tense relations between Greece and Turkey. "What is unfolding in Constantinople today is not a demonstration of strength, but proof of weakness," said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a televised address, referring to Istanbul by the old name of the city used by Greeks.

Several hundred Greeks gathered in central Athens, some carrying Greek flags, to stage a demonstration in protest at the conversion.

Greece and Turkey disagree on a range of issues from airspace to maritime zones and ethnically split Cyprus. Tensions upped a notch this week with verbal jousting over the delimitation of their continental shelves in the eastern Mediterranean, an area thought to be rich in natural resources.

Turkey: Hagia Sophia mosque open to all religions - Erdogan

Istanbul, Turkey: Hagia Sophia will be open to the believers of all religions, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, July 24 after attending the first Muslim prayers in the historic building.

Following the prayers, Erdogan visited the tomb of Mehmed the Conqueror', the Ottoman Sultan who conquered Istanbul from Byzantium and converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque. During his 17-year rule, Erdogan has championed Islam and religious observance and backed efforts to restore Hagia Sophia's mosque status. He said Muslims should be able to pray there again and raised the issue - popular with many pious supporters - during local elections last year.

Erdogan has reshaped Turkey's modern republic, established nearly a century ago by the staunchly secularist Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, lifting a ban on Muslim headscarves in state institutions, promoting religious education and taming Turkey's powerful military, once a bastion of Ataturk's secular values.

Turkey: Imams recite Quran at Hagia Sophia as thousands gather for first Friday namaz

Istanbul, Turkey: Thousands of Turks gathered near Hagia Sophia early on Friday, July 24 as imams recited Quran verses inside the historic building ahead of the first prayers there after President Tayyip Erdogan declared it as a mosque.

Crowds formed at checkpoints surrounding the historic heart of Istanbul, where thousands of police maintained security. On entering the secured area the worshippers, wearing face masks, sat spaced out on prayer mats in the city's Sultanahmet Square. A top Turkish court announced this month it annulled Hagia Sophia's status as a museum. Erdogan immediately turned back into a mosque a building which was a Christian Byzantine cathedral for 900 years before being seized by Ottoman conquerors and serving as a mosque until 1934.

The president was scheduled to attend Friday prayers shortly after 1 pm (1000 GMT) along with several hundred invitees for the ceremony in the sixth-century building. During his 17-year rule, Erdogan has championed Islam and religious observance and backed efforts to restore Hagia Sophia's mosque status. He said Muslims should be able to pray there again and raised the issue - popular with many pious AKP-voting Turks - during local elections last year.

The conversion triggered fierce criticism from church leaders, who said the conversion to exclusively Muslim worship risked deepening religious divisions. Turkey says the site will remain open for visitors and its Christian artworks protected.

Erdogan has reshaped Turkey's modern republic, established nearly a century ago by the staunchly secularist Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, lifting a ban on Muslim headscarves in public, promoting religious education and taming Turkey's powerful military, once a bastion of Ataturk's secular values.

In Hagia Sophia, the Christian frescoes and the glittering mosaics adorning the cavernous dome and central hall will be concealed by curtains during Muslim prayer times, but remain on display for the rest of the time.

Turkey: Erdogan unveils 'mosque' sign at Hagia Sophia entrance

Istanbul, Turkey: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan unveiled the new sign for "The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque" on Thursday, July 23, a day before the first Muslim prayers are held in Istanbul's controversial landmark.

Hagia Sophia served as a Christian Byzantine cathedral for 900 years before it was seized by Ottoman conquerors and converted to a mosque. Muslims prayed there until 1934 when it became a museum. But a Turkish court recently annulled the decree that turned it into a museum, opening the way for the sixth-century building to be converted back into a mosque, a move backed by Erdogan.

The decision unleashed a torrent of criticism from church leaders, who said the conversion to exclusively Muslim worship risked deepening religious divisions. Turkey says the site will remain open for visitors and its Christian artworks protected.

Christian frescoes and the glittering mosaics adorning the cavernous dome and central hall will be concealed by curtains during Muslim prayer times, but remain on display for the rest of the time.