Thousands attend Eid al-Fitr prayers at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia despite COVID-19 full lockdown

Despite the COVID-19 full lockdown, thousands of people on May 13 performed the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, marking the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, inside and outside the iconic Hagia Sophia.

Thousands of people on May 13 performed the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, despite the COVID-19 full lockdown.

Ali Erbaş, the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), led the prayer with a sword in hand, presenting an Ottoman tradition of conquest.

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