Mauritania rejoices opening of Hagia Sophia as mosque

By Omer Erdem

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - Mauritanian people on Saturday rejoiced at the news that historic Hagia Sophia will open as a mosque.

In the capital Nouakchott, prayers were offered as the news came that Hagia Sophia will be open for prayers.

A group in Nouakchott said they sacrificed a camel to celebrate the Turkish court verdict.

They said that Hagia Sophia is of great significance to the entire Muslim world.

Mauritanians said the decision will open a new page in the Islamic history, leading to the unity of the Muslims.

They thanked the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier on Friday, a Turkish court annulled a 1934 cabinet decree, which had turned Istanbul's Hagia Sophia into a museum.

This verdict by the court paved the way for its use again as a mosque after 85 years.

The court ruled that the architectural gem was owned by a foundation established by Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Istanbul, and presented to the community as a mosque -- a status that cannot be legally changed.

Hagia Sophia was used as a church for centuries under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. It was turned into a mosque following the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. In 1935, Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum.