Editing Nicosia (section)

==== Islam ====
[[File:Nicosia 01-2017 img13 Omeriye Mosque.jpg|thumb|left|Omeriye Mosque in Nicosia]]
Historically Nicosia (south and north) hosts over 15 mosques, either originally constructed as such or converted from a church.
The Ömeriye Mosque, formerly known as the Augustinian Church of Saint Mary is a mosque in the walled city of Nicosia on the island of [[Cyprus]], currently located in the south section of Nicosia.<ref name="TDV"/> Following the [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus]], the mosque gained significance as one of the most important sites of Muslim worship in the non-Muslim section of the island and the city.<ref name="TDV">{{cite journal|last1=Çiçek|first1=Kemal|title=LEFKOŞE, published by Türk Diyanet Vakfı(Turkish Religious Affairs Association), Location: Gazimağusa, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus|journal=İslam Ansiklopedisi (Encyclopedia of Islam)|date=1997|volume=27|page=126|url=http://www.tdvia.org/dia/ayrmetin.php?idno=270126|access-date=25 September 2016}}</ref>
Currently, the mosque is functioning and open for both worshippers and visitors.<ref name="History Köseoğlu"/><ref name="Vesna Maric"/>

Formerly, the site of the mosque was occupied by the Augustinian Church of Saint Mary, which dated back to the 14th century. During the [[Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–73)|Ottoman-Venetian War of 1570-73]], the church was first heavily damaged during the [[siege of Nicosia]] in 1570, and was eventually levelled after the war.<ref name="History Köseoğlu">{{cite news|url=http://www.dunyabizim.com/dunyada-kultur/13034/kuzeyle-guney-arasinda-kopru-lefkosa-video-haber|publisher=Kuzey Haber Ajansı - KKTC (Northern News Agency - TRNC)|title=Kuzey ile Güney arasında köprü: Lefkoşa|date=11 April 2013|access-date=24 September 2016|author=Derya Köseoğlu|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225223903/https://www.dunyabizim.com/dunyada-kultur/kuzeyle-guney-arasinda-kopru-lefkosa-video-haber-h13034.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the Turkish conquest of Cyprus, [[Lala Mustafa Pasha]], the Ottoman commander, ordered a mosque to be built on the site of the former church,<ref name="History Köseoğlu"/> based on a popular belief that [[Umar]], second [[caliph]] of Islam, was buried at this site in 7th century.<ref name="Vesna Maric">{{cite book|last1=Maric|first1=Vesna|title=Cyprus|date=2009|publisher=LonelyPlanet|pages=72–73|isbn=9781741048032|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6BKlnz-TResC&q=%C3%B6meriye+camii+k%C4%B1br%C4%B1s&pg=PA72|access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref>

According to [[Turkish Cypriot]] folklore, the Ömeriye Mosque is the first mosque where [[Turkish people|Turks]] prayed on the island following its conquest in 1571.<ref name="Haber7">{{cite news|url=http://www.haber7.com/kibris/haber/1165426-kibris-rum-kesiminde-51-yil-sonra-ilk-namaz|publisher=Haber 7|title=Kıbrıs Rum Kesimi'nde 51 Yıl sonra İlk Namaz (First Prayer in Greek Section of Cyprus After 51 Years)|date=4 June 2014|access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref>