A tour from Turkey to Greece - linking Asia to Europe

(Part I)

ISTANBUL, Turkey — This is the third day of our ten-day package tour of Turkey and Greece for 20 OB Montessori line managers and senior teachers. After a 13-hour flight with stop over at Doha, Qatar, the first five-day visit to Turkey started right away sailing along the famous Strait of Bosphorus. It separates Asia and Europe. Istanbul was founded in the 7th century B.C. It was a natural defense site and commanded a huge trade along the Bosphorus. For 16 centuries, Istanbul was a great imperial capital, first of the Byzantine Empire and then of the Ottoman sultans. Its magnificent monuments reflect the histories of these two civilizations.

Constantine the Great and the Christian history of Istanbul

In AD 324, after defeating his co-emperor Licinius, Constantine the Great (324-37) became sole ruler of the Roman Empire. One of his greatest achievements was to move the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium. Initially, Constantine preferred the site of Troy for his capital, but was persuaded by advisers that Byzantium held a superior position for both defense and trade. Constantine’s city was officially styled the “New Rome” but became widely known as Constantinople.

Constantine was also instrumental in the spread of Christianity. According to legend, he saw a vision of the cross before a battle in 312. He was strongly influenced by his mother Helena or St. Helena. She is traditionally credited with finding the relic of the True Cross, with which she is represented in Christian iconography. Although not actually baptized until just before his death, Constantine worked hard to create a coherent system of Christian belief out of the variant practices of the day.

The emperor quickly started on an ambitious program of construction work, which continued until Emperor Justinian, making it the richest city in Christendom for almost a thousand years. It radiated out from three great buildings: the Church of Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome and the Great Palace. Today, Hagia Sophia, except for Christian mosaic does not have religious statues since it was converted into a Muslim mosque.

The city also had great many churches and palaces filled with exquisite works of art. The Archaeological Museum houses objects sent by the ancient provincial governors from the length and breadth of the Ottoman Empire so that today it has the world’s largest collection of classical artifacts. Everyday life centered on the four market squares or “fora.”

Istanbul’s markets

Whether you want to lose yourself in the aromas of exotic spices, rummage for old prints among second hand books, hunt for souvenirs or try exotic food, you will find them in the markets or bazaars of Istanbul. For such a short stay, we were led to the Grand Bazaar. Its 4,000 shops spread out along narrow labyrinth of passages have everything from jewelry to foodstuff (honeycomb, dried fish roe, dried fruits, cheeses) and Arabian perfumes, which provide the basic essences of French perfumes. The Spice Bazaar is an exotic trading house for dried herbs, spices and Turkish delights. Colorful fabrics in traditional designs from all over Turkey and Central Asia where hand-appliqued cloths, silk ikats, and Ottoman kaftans are widely sold.

Another great find are the Turkish carpets, made from the ancient skill of weaving rugs handed down from generations. Used for warmth or decoration in the home, dowry for brides or as donations to mosques, carpets are of two kinds — knotted carpets or flat woven carpets known as “kilim.”

The Turkish baths (hamam)

No trip to Istanbul is complete without an hour or two spent in a Turkish bath (hamam), which will leave your body feeling rejuvenated. Turkish baths differ little from the baths of ancient Rome, from which they derive, except, there is no pool of cold water to plunge into at the end.

A full service will entail a period of relaxation in the steam-filled hot room, punctuated by bouts of vigorous soaping, massaging and scrubbing using a camel hair glove. Towels and soap will be provided, but you can take special toiletries with you.

The rise of the Ottoman empire and the Crusades

In 1453 Sultan Mehmet II captured Constantinople. The Ottoman Sultans were admired and feared for their military strength and ruthless toward opponents and rivals. For 400 years, most of them lived in the Topkapi Palace by the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus. The palace is among the monuments within the historic area of Istanbul, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Their harem could have as many as 800 to 1,000 women “slaves” taken from all over the empire. The Sultan’s mother presided over the harem, followed by usually four wives or favorites. Topkapi Palace reminded me of personages in Arabian Night tales of Scheherazade.

Sulaymaniye Mosque, Istanbul’s most important mosque is both a tribute to its architect, the great Sinan, and a fitting memorial to its founder Suleyman the Magnificent. It was not only a place of worship, but also a charitable foundation or “kulliye.” The mosque is surrounded by its former hospital, soup kitchen, schools, caravanserai and a bath house. This complex provided a welfare system, which fed over 1,000 of the city’s poor — Muslims, Christians and Jews alike — every day. Suleyman inherited the throne at the age of 26, and reigned for 46 years. This influential Sultan excelled in many roles: as conqueror, statesman, legislator and patron of the arts. His reign was the Golden Age of the Ottomans.

The Trojan heroes in Cannakale

Cannakale, a few hours drive from Istanbul brought us to Troy. Troy gives us the visions of the star-crossed lovers, Helen and Paris, of Greek and Trojan heroes of betrayal and revenge, of cunning and deceit, of a huge wooden horse, of the destruction of a great city. Blind Homer immortalized them all in two epic poems, the Iliad and Odyssey. A handful of 19th-century archaeologists were convinced that Homer had based his story on the events that happened to a real city.

Heinrich Schliemann, an archaeologist used a fortune amassed in business to realize his life-long dream of discovering ancient Troy. He began excavating some likely sites in the 1860’s on the ruins at Hisarlik in 1870 and found an ancient city resembling the layout of ancient Troy. His greatest find was a hoard of gold and silver jewelry that he smuggled to Germany calling it Priam’s Treasure (King Priam is mentioned in the Iliad.) More conspicuous is a recreation of the wooden Trojan horse.

Mary’s last years in Ephesus

Our Turkey trip ended in Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary. To reach it, one passes by the harbor town of Kusadasi, which means “bird island,” set in a superb gulf.

Blessed Mother Mary was 48 years old when Our Lord was crucified, then resurrected and ascended to heaven. Our Lord left her in the care of St. John. When Mary told St. John that Herod was about to persecute the Christians in Jerusalem, he urged her to seek a temporary refuge in Asia Minor. The Lord revealed to His Mother that she should accompany John to the city of Ephesus. Mary and her adopted son John traveled to a port and embarked on a ship, which sailed northward across the Mediterranean Sea. John and Mary settled in an isolated home of some poor women, where the Mother of God spent many hours praying fervently for the Christians who were suffering in the cruel persecution of Herod in the Holy Land.

The Blessed Virgin also converted a number of persons by the example of her charity among the poor and the sick. There were never any wrinkles or signs of age in her lovely features. She prayed especially for the deluded young pagan priestesses of the famous Temple of Diana and succeeded in bringing nine of them to belief in the true God.

After the Blessed Virgin had passed her 60th birthday, the Holy Trinity, wishing to reward her perfect generosity in doing the will of God throughout her life, sent the Archangel Gabriel to reveal to her when she was destined to die. Gabrielle greeted Mary with these words: “The Lord sends us to announce to thee in His name the happy end of thy pilgrimage upon earth. Exactly three years from today, thou salt be taken up and received into the everlasting joy of heaven.”

When the three years were nearly over, the Blessed Virgin asked John’s permission to visit all the holy places for the last time. Then she made her last will and testament in the presence of the Blessed Trinity, to whom she humbly declared: “Highest Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of the goods of mortal life and of the world, I possess none that I can leave, for I have never possessed or loved anything beside Thee. Two tunics and a cloak I leave to John for disposal. My body I ask the earth to receive again. My soul I resign into Thy hands, O my God. My merits I leave to the Holy Church. I offer these merits for the apostles and priests of the present and future ages and for all those who turn to me in order to obtain Thy protection. From this hour I desire to continue my prayers for all the sinning children of Adam as long as the world shall last.”

The Savior ratified His Mother’s last will with these words: “Let it be done as thou wishest and ordainest.”