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The Council of State, after examining a lawsuit filed by a Turkish NGO, reversed a 1934 government decision and ruled that the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, should be reopened to the Muslim faithful.
The decision of the State Council, which was reported to the AFP news agency, was unanimously adopted.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Istanbul Cathedral will be handed over to the Directorate for Religious Affairs and that the Muslim worship will be held there again.
Built in the 16th century in Constantinople at the time, the cathedral, which became the first Christian cathedral in the Roman Empire, attracts many tourists. It has had the status of a museum since 1935 and was open to people of all faiths, as provided for in the decision of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which became one of the most important secular reforms.
S t. The Wisdom Cathedral was converted into a mosque when Constantinople was conquered in 1453 by the Ottoman Empire.
However, calls for the restoration of mosque status have fueled anger among Christians, as well as tensions between historical opponents Turkey and Greece, which are now NATO allies.
However, calls for the restoration of mosque status have fueled anger among Christians, as well as tensions between historical opponents Turkey and Greece, which are now NATO allies.
Before the court announced the decision, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul shared his A photo of the Cathedral of Wisdom on his official Twitter page with the title “Good Friday”.
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