MULTIMEDIA

First Muslim prayers at Hagia Sophia after 86 years

 

The full moon rises behind the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Turkey, early Tuesday. Worshipers held the first Muslim prayers in 86 years inside the Istanbul landmark that served as one of Christendom's most significant cathedrals, a mosque and a museum before its conversion back into a Muslim place of worship on July 24, 2020. The conversion of the edifice, has led to an international outcry.