1st Friday Prayer in 1st Mosque in Athena

Today, the first Friday prayer was held in the first mosque in the Greek capital, "Athens", after its inauguration on November 2.

After years of uncertainties caused by red tape, cutbacks and opposition from religious and political coalitions, the first government-funded mosque in Athens since 1833 opened its doors, according to Reuters.

Amid the anti-Coronavirus measures, prayer was limited to only 12 people, 9 men and 3 women, with the observance of the rules of spacing and wearing face masks.

During the Friday sermon, the importance of mosques was emphasized, and that in the time of the Prophet Mohamed, they were not limited to worship, but rather were used as courts and schools.

The mosque was decided to be built in 2006, but the bureaucracy and legal barriers delayed its construction for 10 years.

It took 14 years of planning and construction, with an area of 850 square meters, and a capacity for 350 people, without a minaret.