Turkey's leader marks 746th anniversary of Rumi's death

ANKARA

Turkey’s president on Monday commemorated the 746th death anniversary of Sufi poet Mevlana Jalaluddin al-Rumi -- a 13th century mystic, poet and Islamic scholar.

“We will move forward without despair and intimidation, and march towards future in unity and solidarity by meeting around our common values,” Erdogan said in a statement issued by Turkey’s Directorate of Communications.

“We will overcome all the obstacles that we face with the power of our great heritage,” he added.

Born into a Turkic family in 1207, in what is now Afghanistan, Rumi is one of the most widely read philosophers in the world, with teachings that transcend boundaries of race, color and religion.

In Turkey Rumi is fondly remembered by his followers as Mevlana -- which means scholar.

Upon his death in 1273, Rumi’s followers founded the Mevlevi Order, also known as the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, famous for the Sufi dance known as the Sema ceremony.

Every year, an international commemoration ceremony marking the anniversary of Rumi’s union with God is held in Konya between Dec. 7-17 in honor of the Muslim scholar.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar