One of the most enjoyable surprises about our Turkey trip has been getting a closer look and understanding of the Muslin faith and how the people incorporate it into the daily lives. Like the ubiquitous Cathloc churches that pepper the landscape back in the states, and throughout Europe, as well as the thousands of Temples we saw in Thailand, Turkey has countless and often very beautiful small, local Mosques. With their signature domed ceilings and their tall cylindrical minarets, they are a striking reminder of the countries prominent and passionate belief in Allah. A special treat to us first time visitors is the practice of daily prayer. Five times a day, before dawn, during the lunch hour, afternoon, sunset and late in the nightime, the devote will kneel, facing toward Mecca, and pray. As a reminder to do so, every mosque in the country, like the hourly chiming church bells in states, will blast out, from loud speakers high on the minarets, a couple minutes of ritual chanting by one of their holy leaders. As an outsider it is completely unintelligible, but yet mysteriously haunting a beautiful. So imagine our delight, when standing high on a hill overlooking a small town, standing in the middle of the ruins of the 1800 year old church of Saint John, a Christians religious leader of a faith, pretty much displaced in this country, we sudden hear the amplified chanting coming from two separate mosques far in the distance. Like echo reverb the two chants blended and overlapped, sounding utterly enchanting and beautiful. Fortunately Kelli had the foresight to grab the camera and capture a minutes worth of this otherworldly magic.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:20:09 +0000
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