MEVLANA CELALEDDIN-I RUMI

UNESCO anniversary - the 800th Birthday of Mevlana Celâleddin-i Rûmi

On the occasion of the 800th Birthday of Mevlana Celâleddin-i Rûmi (called "Rumi"), founder of the Dervish Order "and the UNESCO Mevlana Gedenkjahres the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, and the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey yesterday, Wednesday evening to a" Mevlevi Sema ceremony in the Vienna Votivkirche invited. Around 300 guests followed the presentation of specially from Konya for the event angereisten religious brothers and were able to witness how the dervishes and danced in a trance so displaced.

For Rev. Martin Rupprecht (Dechant Deanery 15 and communications manager with the Islamic Faith Community in Vienna), it was something very special, the Muslim religious in his church to welcome. "It is nice to see that Muslims in a Catholic church spiritual experience. This is for me an expression of hope and unity," said Rupprecht.



Selim Yenel, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in Vienna, fell in his welcome speech also referred to the peculiarity of the evening. "It is a very special event, especially in this environment. And that is precisely what Rumi has always preached: tolerance for others. He has not because of its origin or religion or even condemned assessed. The word intolerance has it in his vocabulary does not exist" , Yenel.



Rumi - poet, philosopher and religious founder

Mevlana Celâleddin-i Rûmi is regarded as founder of the Mevlevi-Derwischordens "in Turkish Konya. Born on 30 September 1207 in Balkh, then Persia (now Afghanistan), he as the son of an influential theologians early age with his father to Anatolia. As early as age 20, he took over the chair of Islamic studies and drew up there writings, which until today as the cornerstone of oriental literature. In Konya, where he died in 1273, he met his teacher Sufi Schemseddin of Tabriz, was devoted entirely to the mysticism and became one of the most influential representative of Sufism.



The Sufism is the spiritual, mystical direction of Islam. The term "Sufi" or "Dervish" (from the Persian word "Darvish" beggar) designated originally a Muslim religious ascetic religious community, with a life of extreme poverty and austerity strengths and their goal is to God "as close as possible. "



By ascetic exercises, meditation and ritual dances of the Sufi tries, a pure soul to obtain. Dervishes are also as a source of enlightenment, wisdom, poetry and art of healing. The dervishes impressively illustrate the mystical side of Islam and in recent years all over the world völkerverbindenden ambassadors of the Islamic faith. Many believers relate remains their inspiration from the teachings of Rumi, who is not only religious but also the founder was one of the most important Islamic mystics and poets - which it remained until today.



Various Sufi brotherhoods or Dervish Order in time. They are also known as "Tariqa" (Arabic for road), a group of people, "the same way together to travel to God". Most dervishes live today is not celibate, often not even in closed monasteries and differ little from purely externally to others. Each order is a "Pir" (Persian for elder) or a "Sheik" (Persian for Sheikh).



The "dance" of the dervishes

The Rumi in Konya, founded Mevlevi-Derwischorden became famous through his very special "dance". The supporters are trying by circling movements to get into a trance. Similar to outsiders so often a dance performance, it is but a prayer or the central expression of faith of the dervishes, which is closer to God. Each ceremony will be led by a Sheikh. Only if he signs there may be started. At the beginning of up to 45 minutes continuous prayer, the Sufi on a red coat, "the center of the earth" marks and wear a red hat (symbolic "grave stone") or black capes, in addition to a grave to remember and during the "Dance" dropped. In turn, the ecstatic Sufi in a circle, with the top right hand is stretched to the blessing of God to receive. The left shows down to the received blessings in the world to distribute. The "spinning dervishes," as they are often called, became more dancing in a trance, until it at the end of the prayer sink down - like a Be One with God.