Greece: Athens — the capital of Greece opens its first mosque after 14 years of disputing and bureaucratic delays, reports the local media.
However, the mosque’s inaugural prayers were held keeping in mind the physical distancing measures as the city is said to have a rising number of COVID-19 cases. Furthermore, the mosque was laid opened for the worshippers on Monday.
The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs announced the opening in a press release late Monday, specifying that under the current circumstances only around 10 people at a time would be permitted to pray in the mosque, reports AFP.
It is reported that it is the only mosques dating from the Ottoman era and is now operating in Greece are located in the border region with Turkey, reports AFP. It is said that the Turkey border has about a minority of 150,000 Muslims.
The mosque is said to be built by the state funds and works were completed by 2019and can accommodate up to 350 people.
After years of opposition, the opening was delayed yet again in recent months owing to restrictions imposed to stem the coronavirus pandemic, according to the ministry.
One of the people who campaigned said that they have been waiting for its opening for months, but we did not know the exact date, reports AFP.
Numerous makeshift mosques in Athens apartments, basements and even sheds were created over the years, which the state tried to regulate by granting operating permits.
Some 650,000 Muslims live in Greece, the majority in Athens. Most are migrants who arrived in the country over the last 20 years.