First prayer held in Greek Mosque after 90 years

For the first time in 90 years, Greek Muslims prayed in a 111-year-old mosque in the city of Thessaloniki on Saturday. The historic New Mosque, which is used as an exhibition hall by the Greek administration, was visited by a group of madrasah (Islamic school) students on Saturday. The students, who went to Thessaloniki under an initiative of the city's mayor, Yiannis Boutaris, performed the noon prayer in the mosque, marking the first prayer there in 90 years. Turkey's Thessaloniki consul general, Tugrul Biltekin, stated that he is pleased with the decision, saying: "This is a historic moment as a mosque was opened to a prayer for the first time since World War I. I hope mosques in Thessaloniki and other locations in the region will be open to Muslims during holy days." The historic New Mosque was constructed by Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli in 1902 and was closed to prayer in 1923 by the Greeks. The mosque, which was used as archaeology museum between 1925 and 1963, later became the Thessaloniki Municipality's exhibition hall in 1986.