Fener Greek Patriarch offers greetings for Ramadan

By Esber Ayaydin</p> <p>IZMİR, Turkey (AA) – Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew officiated a service Wednesday at the Saint John Church in memory of the youngest apostle of Jesus and he wished Muslims success in Ramadan.</p> <p>The grave of the Bible writer Saint John is located at the church in western Izmir province.</p> <p>Bartholomew delivered a portion of his address in Turkish and congratulated Muslims on the holy month. </p> <p>“I would like to offer most sincere congratulations and best wishes of myself and the Christian Orthodox community to Muslims for the incipient holy month of Ramadan,” Bartholomew said. </p> <p>He thanked national and local authorities for giving his community permission to hold the liturgy. </p> <p>“We pray that Allah will accept your fasts and prayers,” he said. “We wish you to celebrate your holy Ramadan feast with enthusiasm and love a month hence.”</p> <p>Many Orthodox members from Turkey and Greece attended the liturgy, including Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos’s wife, Vlasia; Greek Ambassador to Ankara Petros Mavroidis; Greece's Consul-General in Izmir Argyro Papoulia and the Head of Greek Orthodox community in Izmir Yorgo Teodoridis.</p> <p>On Ramadan’s first night, Sunday, Muslims offered a special night prayer, Tarawih, which will continue every night during the month.</p> <p>Fasting is observed from dawn to dusk throughout the month and it is one of the five pillars of Islam. </p> <p>Ramadan is a time of self-examination, religious devotion and intense spirituality when believers are surrounded by angels, the gates of heaven are opened and Allah's blessings and mercy are abundant. </p> <p>But it is also a time of great excitement, filling cities with festivities that bring the streets to life when the sun sets.</p> <p> </p> <p>*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz </p> <p>