Pope ‘pained’ by Hagia Sophia decision

Vatican City: Pope Francis has said he’s “pained” by Turkey’s decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia back into a mosque.

Speaking at a service in the Vatican, the Roman Catholic leader added that his “thoughts go to Istanbul”. Hagia Sophia was built as a Christian cathedral nearly 1500 years ago and turned into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of 1453.