Istanbul: Mosques in Turkey reopened on Friday for mass prayers after more than two months as the government further eased strict restrictions to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
Turkey has been shifting since May to a "new normal" by easing lockdown measures and opening shopping malls, barbershops and hair salons.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said many other sites -- restaurants and cafes as well as libraries, parks and beaches -- will reopen from Monday.
Hundreds of worshippers wearing protective masks performed mass prayers outside Istanbul's historic Blue Mosque for the first time since mosques were shut down in March.
In the Ottoman-era Fatih mosque, worshippers prayed both inside and outside, with the municipality handing out disinfectants and disposable carpets.
"I have waited a lot for this, I have prayed a lot. I can say it's like a new birth, thanks to God, he has brought us back here," he said.
Another worshipper, Asum Tekif, 50, said: "It has a been a long time... we missed the mosques."
Turkey, a country of 83 million, has so far recorded 4,489 coronavirus-related deaths and 162,120 confirmed cases.
Prayers in Hagia Sophia
Muslim clerics on Friday recited prayers in the Hagia Sophia, the world famous Istanbul landmark which is now a museum after serving as a church and a mosque.
The prayers were held to celebrate the anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople, today's Istanbul, by the Ottomans in 1453.
"It is very important to commemorate the 567th anniversary of the conquest ... through prayers in the Hagia Sophia," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended the ceremony via videoconference.
The stunning edifice was first built as a church in the sixth century under the Byzantine Empire as the centrepiece of its capital Constantinople.
After the Ottoman conquest, it was converted into a mosque before being turned into a museum during the rule of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, in the 1930s.
But there have been hints about reconverting the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Last year, Erdogan himself mooted the possibility of turning Hagia Sofia museum into a mosque.
Such calls have sparked anger among Christians and raised tensions with neighbouring Greece.
In 2015, a Muslim cleric recited the Koran in the Hagia Sophia for the first time in 85 years to mark the opening of an exhibition.
After Friday prayers at the Blue Mosque, a small group of Muslim worshippers shouted: "Let the chains break and let the Hagia Sophia open".
The group was later dispersed by the police who stopped them from protesting near Hagia Sophia that sits immediately opposite the Blue Mosque.
Addressing a protest meet in front of Konaje police station on Sunday Mr Kateel said: “We (Sangh Parivar) are capable of setting Dakshina Kannada district on fire if the police fail to arrest the accused in Karthik Raj murder case.”
Comments
I think kateel had good new year celebration along with mithun rai.... free alcohol was supplied by mithun rai.....what you say guys????? lagta hai daaru kuch bohat hi zyaada hogayi thi raat me....daaru ka nasha utra nahi hoga....isliye agle din subah aake kateel ne apni dil ki baat keh di.....wo kehte hai na daaru ke nashe me aadmi ke muh se sach nikalta hai
Think twice before u speak, is a famous dialogue which clearly suits Nalini Kumari Kateel.. Mike mila tho pagal bhi gaane lagta hey,,
He is not fit for MP.......should be removed.....
Nalin is lying that he was not well. He uttered what bjp and sanghis have planned. Nothing can be hidden for a long time. this is hidden agenda of sanghis to create trouble in karnataka and costal districts in particular. Police should arrest him under goonda act. He should be removed from MP post as he is unfit for this responsible position. Suprement Court should order central Govt to take notice of this dangerous statement from an MP and remove him from this post. In case Nalin is mentally sick, admit him in a mental hospital.
for instance if this was happened from one of our muslim brother, what would be the reaction and action from these sanghis????? even from chaddi police dept......
ha now we came to know that you are bad mental mp of our dk dist. shame on you. you must resign immediately.
New year night \ raathre paad dina onchooru jaasthiathund\" - mallajjappa powad.
Ancha namma modi 15 lakh niklena bank gu paadwe panthijja..... Anchane indula..
Thoo paadare inbe daane lankeda hanumanthena?"
Hahaha...pukkele...
Typical coward sanghi...
The nation wants to know whether you are really not well or the frog inside well?
No need to give clarification just put this man behind bars. Useless MP
Pradeepji, NOT Wenlock, Kankanady Permanently.
Such goondas are fit to be encountered ....
Yes true he is not well... this all unstable people belongs to BJP/RSS, They dont know what they are speaking after all, all are the followers of chaiwala, what we can expect from this RSS goondas...this marle minister even dont know to speak in parliment, he drinks spit twice before he delivers a word
If he is unwell, admit him to Wenlock
This is the fact and sanghis real mentality. Now he may accept his threatening to set fire his own constituency, message is out in public.
Every anti-national will say the same thing when press conference even Thogadia....Shame on you as a MP of our beloved Dakshina Kannada. Did the people elect you to disturb the area & set fire .. Thooo ninna....
Anna kadle baipinanda thoo malpode, E thoo malpu bokk kadle baipundu.....
why didnt police arrest him, he is enticing people to create violence, why no suo motto on him.
such people should be booked under goonda act
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