Mosque
Culture
Hundreds Gather for Eid Muslim Prayers at Thessaloniki’s Yeni Mosque
Hundreds of faithful gathered on Wednesday for the Eid Muslim prayers at Thessaloniki's Yeni Mosque which opened for the first time in more than 100 years in Greece.
Crowds were seen arriving to pray early in the morning at the...
Culture
Turkey Set to Turn Iconic Chora Byzantine Church Into Mosque
After Hagia Sophia, Turkey is about to turn the iconic Chora Church in Istanbul into a mosque, according to a Yeni Safak newspaper report.
The Chora Church, Kariye in Turkish, which functioned as a museum for seventy-nine years, will open...
Culture
Turkey to Charge Hagia Sophia Entrance Fee for Foreign Tourists
Turkey unveiled plans for a visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia, including charging foreign tourists with an entrance fee to be implemented starting Jan. 15.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that extensive restoration work is underway...
Ancient Greece
How Byzantine Architecture Influenced the World
Despite relative obscurity in Western historiography, Byzantine architecture has had a profound influence across the world. The Byzantines, also known as the Eastern Romans, developed a distinctive architectural style that has continued to influence construction to this day.
Not limited...
Politics
Palestinians Angered by Israeli Minister’s Visit to Jerusalem Holy Site
Palestinians have decried the visit of Israeli Minister of National Security to a holy site in Jerusalem, calling it an "unprecedented provocation."
Furthermore, minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's approach to security issues is unpopular with some Palestinians. His visit to the holy...
Culture
Ancient Marble Floors Damaged in Hagia Sophia
A number of tiles of the ancient marble floors in Hagia Sophia have been damaged by heavy machines used to clean the site, according to Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet.
The historic building, which was built as a church in the Byzantine...
World
55 Killed in ISIS Suicide Bombing at Afghanistan Mosque
Local media in Afghanistan say 55 people were killed in an ISIS-led suicide bombing that targeted a mosque in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Friday.
"This afternoon, an explosion took place in a mosque of our Shiite compatriots...
Culture
Erdogan: Conversion of Hagia Sophia into Mosque "Crown of 2020"
In an address to the nation, Turkish President Erdogan called his decision to convert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque the "crown of 2020."
Greece
Athens Opens First-Ever Official Mosque to the Faithful
After a fourteen-year wait, the first ever-official mosque began operating in Athens on Monday, welcoming Muslims for prayer.
“A long effort by successive governments since 2006, when Law 3512 was passed, has been completed. Greece sends a clear message inside...
Greece
Thousands Attend Hagia Sophia Prayers As Monument is Converted to Mosque
Thousands of worshipers, many waving Turkish flags, gathered at Hagia Sophia for Friday prayers as the UNESCO World Heritage Site was officially inaugurated as a mosque.
The 1,500-year-old site became a museum in 1934. But earlier this month, a Turkish...