Interreligous Prayer at the Antonianum

The evening of April 14, 2015 was a memorable one for the academic community of the Pontifical University Antonianum. St. Francis Hall was packed with people for an interreligious prayer service promoted in the "spirit of Assisi", by the Friars of Istanbul and the "Whirling Dervishes, who are linked by old friendship. The latter, Muslims in Istanbul, are inspired by a mystic of the Middle Ages (Jalal Din Rumi: 1207-1273), and are accompanied in their dance by musicians and singers. The prayer service was marked in two phases. In the first, the Franciscan Friars read and sang hymns inspired by St. Francis. The second part comprised the prayer and dance of the "Whirling Dervishes". The meeting of interreligious prayer for peace ended with the blessing of St. Francis and a short message of the General Minister, Friar Michael A. Perry, read in Italian and Turkish. [gallery link="file" ids="9159,9160,9161,9162,9163,9164,9165,9166,9167,9168,9169,9170"]