Turkey resumes limited mass prayers at mosques as virus curbs ease

Turkey on Friday resumed some mass prayers at a limited number of mosques after a break of more than two months, as Ankara continued to ease restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

Turkey had suspended prayers, limited travel, and closed shops and restaurants. However, the government has started to ease the measures amid a slowdown in infections and deaths.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday intercity travel restrictions will be lifted and cafes, restaurants, gyms, museums, and beaches will reopen on June 1.

Prayers, suspended on March 16, resumed on Friday under new guidelines aimed at minimizing the risk of infection, and only at certain mosques and outdoor public spaces, the religious affairs directorate (Diyanet) said.

Initially, only Friday, noon, and afternoon prayers will be permitted and worshippers must wear face masks during prayers, Diyanet said last week. Everyone must bring their own prayer mats or are provided with single-use mats at the mosques.

Limits were set on the number of worshippers and the ground will be marked to ensure social distancing, it said.

Erdogan said Koranic verses would be recited at the Hagia Sophia on Friday to commemorate the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, in a rare occurrence at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Hagia Sophia was the main cathedral in Christendom for 900 years before becoming one of Islam’s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935, when it was converted to a museum. Last year, Erdogan said he planned to change its status back to a mosque.