EU official in Turkey marks anniversary of Rumi’s death

By Taner Aydin

KONYA, Turkey (AA) - Head of the EU delegation to Turkey commemorated on Tuesday the 746th anniversary of Islamic scholar, Sufi mystic Rumi’s death in central Konya province.

“For us in Europe, he [Rumi] is a very important humanist and very important philosopher who had a great influence on teaching [not only] here in Anatolia but worldwide," Ambassador Christian Berger told Anadolu Agency during his visit to Konya.

Rumi's teaching is "well known all over the world," Berger said, adding: “We are following one of his invitations. Because several hundred years ago he [Rumi] said ‘come whoever you are. Here we are.”

Berger and other 18 ambassadors from EU countries attended the commemoration ceremony. They also visited a neighborhood where Christians and Muslims lived side by side in peace.

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 Burak Dag from Ankara