Beyoğlu municipality’s iftar unites clergy of all Religions
ISTANBUL – Anatolia News Agency
3/8/2011
While The Galata Mevlevihanesi Museum waits for the opening to the public,it hosted Beyoğlu Municipality’s traditional fast-breaking dinner. Herve Magro, French consul to Istanbul, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos were among its guests.
Galata Mevlevihanesi hosted Beyoğlu Municipality’s traditional fast-breaking dinner, or iftar, Tuesday, with participation of top clergy of three celestial regions. The iftar started with a whirling dervish show.
Speaking to the members of the press, Istanbul mufti Mustafa Çağrıcı said that Ramadan always had a claim to become a shared value among all believers.
Also attending the dinner, Herve Magro, French consul-general to Istanbul, said that everyone must give ear to the message the Holy Ramadan conveys. “Whichever religion we believe, it is all of our’s duty to make the world a better, more peaceful place.”, he said.
Peace message from the clerics
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos said that fasting fulfills its true meaning when supported with other virtues such as following a decent path, being fair and just, avoiding from misconduct and envy, helping the needy, protecting the weak, and sharing happiness and love.
Turkey Jews’ Chief Rabbi İsak Haleva said that all the celestial religions conveyed the same message which was “we all were brought to this worl by the same parents.” He also said that Ramadan was the month of mercy, during which we were supposed to treat eachother more mercuifully, otherwise we would not have the right to ask for God’s mercy.
“This is the most important message this month gives to us. A great majority of the global economy is spent on armament. Is it God’s wish that brother kills brother? Enough is enough; we must stop fighting now and start loving and caring for each other. Turkey could shine a light on the world by succeeding in this”, he said.
The Galata Mevlevihanesi Museum will be open to the public after its opening ceremony, anticipated to be scheduled around late July to early autumn. The museum has gone through intense restoration work for the past year. The Galata Mevlevihanesi Museum is on Galipdede Cad No. 15 Tünel in Beyoðlu neighhborhood.
First and the oldest ‘tekke’
The Galata Mevlevihanesi Museum is at the site of the original Galata dervish lodge, or “tekke.” Built in 1491 during the reign of Sultan Beyazıt II, Galata Mevlevihanesi was the first and oldest tekke in Istanbul, other former lodges being Kasımpaşa Mevlevihanesi, Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi and Uskudar Mevlevihanesi. The dervish lodge has been rebuilt and repaired several times over the centuries, with a modern museum building now standing on the original tekke grounds. It first burned down and was rebuilt in 1766 by Sultan Mustafa III, and later underwent repairs during the reigns of Sultans Selim III, Mahmud II and Abdülmecid.
