Posted on 12/01/2006 7:10:53 AM PST by jan in Colorado
Pope Benedict ended a sensitive, fence-mending visit to Turkey on Friday amid praise for visiting Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque and praying there facing toward Mecca "like Muslims."
The Pope, who sparked protests across the Muslim world with a speech two months ago seen as criticizing Islam, looked relaxed and pleased as he entered the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit for a mass at the end of the four-day trip.
His first visit to a mostly Muslim country, held under tight security for fear of protests by nationalists and Islamists, was highlighted by a series of conciliatory gestures culminating in a stop on Thursday afternoon in Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque.
Istanbul Grand Mufti Mustafa Cagrici, who prayed with him there, said Benedict had faced Mecca and stood like Muslims do when they pray aright. "These were very nice gestures," he told NTV television.
"The Pope's dreaded visit was concluded with a wonderful surprise," wrote daily Aksam on its front page. "In Sultan Ahmet Mosque, he turned toward Mecca and prayed like Muslims," the popular daily Hurriyet said, using the building's official name.
Just before leaving, Benedict said he hoped his visit was seen as "a sign of friendship between religions" that helps bring countries and cultures closer together.
His gestures, including support for Ankara's bid to join the European Union and praise for Islam as a peaceful faith, seem to have persuaded the Turks to move beyond the tension following his speech quoting a Byzantine emperor as calling Islam violent.
But in Islam's Middle Eastern heartland, Arab commentators still call for Benedict to issue a full apology for his speech. Shocked by the protests it triggered, the Pope has said he did not agree with the controversial quote but has not apologized.
Catholic officials also presented the mosque visit as a key moment of reconciliation.
"I would compare the Pope's visit to the mosque to Pope John Paul's gestures at the Western Wall," said veteran Vatican mediator Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, referring to Pope John Paul II's prayers at Jerusalem's Western Wall in 2000.
"Yesterday, Benedict did with the Muslims what John Paul did with the Jews."
TRIP BRINGS OUT THE DIPLOMAT
Benedict told Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler at the city's airport before leaving for Rome that his visit to the Blue Mosque and the nearby Aya Sofya museum, once a Christian church and then a mosque, had "left a lasting impression" on him.
"A part of my heart stays here in Istanbul," he said, describing the city as "profoundly European" and a bridge between Europe and Asia. "I hope (my visit) "has the effect of bringing structures and civilizations progressively closer."
The trip brought out the diplomat in the theologian who was expected to take a tougher stand on Islam than his more outgoing predecessor John Paul.
Benedict did press during the trip for more freedom of religion in Turkey and by extension in other mostly Muslim countries, but not in the confrontational way some Church officials expected after he was elected Pope in April 2005.
About 30,000 of Turkey's 100,000 Christians are Roman Catholic, mostly living in Istanbul and Izmir.
There were only scattered protests against the visit
The ENEMEDIA doesn't even know the meaning of the word 'fact'!
To some degree, yes. But as I pointed out in a few other posts, lying smack between the Pope and Mecca was............Jerusalem. The Pope was facing Jerusalem, the Holy City. The 'grand mufti' seems to have lost his sense of direction, or was just plain lying, as muslims are allowed to do if it "pleases allah".
***
Could it also have been the Mufti's effort to be gracious to his guest? I know, we are so accustomed to the Islamofascist thugs running around beheading everyone and demonstrating their hatred for "infidels" time and again, but I guess I have some hope that there are some Muslims who are not cut from that cloth. And...maybe this was a little effort on the cleric's part to do a bit of schmoozing before the cameras as well.
LOL! Never thought of it that way!
That says a little something, doesn't it? I personally think this visit is going to be the beginning of the end for Islam. It's not going to go quietly, but there are men of goodwill within it who will perhaps now begin to question it and eventually seek a way out of it.
Now that's funny. In a wistful sort of way.
Catholic Christianity has a traditional direction (east, towards Jerusalem), but the tradition has not been adhered to for quite some time. That said, the traditional direction is primarily with reference to formal acts or the siting of liturgical buildings. In fact, the word "orientation" comes from finding the East (Orient) and locating a building facing it.
Nobodys says you can't pray standing on your head (if you really want to...).
Actually, another point is that Islam is a syncretist religion, taking a little bit of this and a little bit of that from the religions that circulated in the ME at the time of their "visionary." Mohammed picked some bits from Arian Christianity, some bits of Jewish ritual law and history as it appears in the Old Testament (weirdly transformed, of course), and all sorts of bizarreness from pagan moon worship and its cultural practices.
Isn't that fricking special? It just makes me all warm and tingly. Kum Ba Yah, y'all.
I understand now. Thank you.
Sorry - no offense intended. It's just that I've been a Catholic for my entire life (except for the first 5 years when I was a Baptist before my parents converted), and I had never heard about the East orientation thing. (though I did know that the word "orientation" meant towards the east - 2 years of high school Latin. In fact I can't really think of a Catholic Church that I've been in that does have the altar at the east end - and these aren't new churches either.
I didn't know that you're a published author!
Pope Benedict knew exactally what he was doing when he used that quote. Look at the reaction by the Muzzies. It is telling.
Think I will use it as a tagline for a while....
In hindsight, I ought to have said most churches face east. Especially those built when symbolism was appreciated. On the other hand, even the recently completed Bavarian Beer Hall looking church's altar is facing east. Maybe it's just more common where I am. But overgeneralizations always lead to trouble.
No biggie, I'm just frustrated that anyone is making any sort of big deal about the Pope's actions.
The cemetary is still there.
I don't think this pope is that clueless about Islam. I can't figure out why political leaders and politicians can't point out the obvious.
If you don't want to offend Muslims by telling the truth,then remain silent.
When Infidel leaders call Islam a religion of peace it only helps the Muslims by keeping the Infidels off guard against the threat of Muslims who want to subjugate convert or kill Infidels. - tom
BFLR = Bump for later reading
I have a long book that gets longer every day, just ask my kids!
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