For the first time in decades, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is open for Friday Muslim prayers, the BBC reports.
Earlier this month, a Turkish court ruled that the conversion of the historic building into a museum, decided by Turkey's then-secularizing leadership in 1934, would be overturned, and that the structure, originally built as a cathedral 1,500 years ago and converted into a mosque following the Ottoman conquest, would revert to a Muslim place of worship.
In a televised address on Thursday, Istanbul's governor told those planning to attend prayers to bring "[face] masks, a prayer rug, patience and understanding."
Turkey's religious affairs minister, Ali Erbas, said that about 1,000 people would be permitted to attend prayers at the site at any one time. President Erdogan is expected to be among them today.