FILE PHOTO: People visit the Saint Sophia or Ayasofya Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was a Byzantine cathedral before it became a mosque and now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 10, 2020. REUTERS / Murad Sezer
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Mosaics depicting Christian figures in Istanbul’s former Hagia Sophia will be draped in curtains during Muslim prayers, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Sunday as work continues to prepare the building for use as a mosque.
Authorities had said last week that the mosaics would be hidden with curtains or lasers when the first prayers are held next Friday.
In a move that sparked international criticism and concern, President Tayyip Erdogan declared Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship earlier this month after a court ruling that the conversion of the building to a museum in 1934 was illegal.
Hagia Sophia dates back to the 6th century and has a history as a church and mosque before becoming a museum.
In an interview with NTV television, Kalin said that some mosaics of Mary and Gabriel placed in the direction of Qiblah, where Muslims face each other during prayer, would be covered with curtains.
He said that other mosaics of Jesus and other Christian figures did not represent an obstacle to Muslim prayers because they are not located in the direction of Qiblah. But he did not say whether they would remain uncovered at all times.
Outside of prayers, Hagia Sophia will be open to all visitors and tourists and all mosaics will be discovered, authorities said.
Erdogan visited the mosque earlier Sunday to inspect progress on the building’s preparation.
Reports from Ali Kucukgocmen; Edited by Frances Kerry
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