Protests and special service held in Greece over conversion of Hagia Sophia
Hours after first prayer was offered at Hagia Sophia, Greece and Turkey got into a verbal fight over the conversion of the museum to a mosque, after the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday said what was happening in Istanbul was "not a show of force, but proof of weakness".
Turkey slammed Greek statements against the move to convert Hagia Sophia back into a mosque after the first Muslim prayers were held there.
Turkey slammed Greek statements against the move to convert Hagia Sophia back into a mosque after the first Muslim prayers were held there.
(Photograph:AFP)
A group of far-right Greek extremists burned Turkish flags on Friday to protests against the reopening of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque instead of a museum.
A group of far-right Greek extremists burned Turkish flags on Friday to protests against the reopening of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque instead of a museum.
(Photograph:AFP)
Protesters waved flags and held banners during a gathering outside a church in Thessaloniki.
Protesters waved flags and held banners during a gathering outside a church in Thessaloniki.
(Photograph:AFP)
The head of the Church of Greece Archbishop Ieronymos held a special service at Athens Metropolitan Church chanting the Akathist Hymn in honour of the Virgin Mary. The same service had been officiated in Hagia Sophia.
The head of the Church of Greece Archbishop Ieronymos held a special service at Athens Metropolitan Church chanting the Akathist Hymn in honour of the Virgin Mary. The same service had been officiated in Hagia Sophia.
(Photograph:AFP)
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Orthodox faithful attended the special service at Athens Metropolitan Church on July 24, 2020 while Orthodox believers protested against turning the reopening of the mosque.
Orthodox faithful attended the special service at Athens Metropolitan Church on July 24, 2020 while Orthodox believers protested against turning the reopening of the mosque.
(Photograph:AFP)
"The spoiled children of Europe, who cannot accept renewed prostration in Hagia Sophia, are once again delusional," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.
"The spoiled children of Europe, who cannot accept renewed prostration in Hagia Sophia, are once again delusional," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.