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Musa Boba tekke - Holy Prophet Elijah chapel
Izbul, Bulgaria
RELIGIONS Islam, Orthodox
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELIGIOUS SITE
DESCRIPTION Musa Boba türbe, also known as Ali Boba or Holy Prophet Elijah chapel is a dual temple located in the Chiflika area. The mausoleum of the Muslim saint Musa Boba is also venerated as an Orthodox shrine by Christians. Two preserved tombstones and remnants of others testify that once there was a cemetery.
A stone path, ending with nine steep stairs leads to the entrance of the tomb. The building itself presents the so-called "folk architecture" from the late 19th - early twentieth century. The türbe is made of massive oak wood, lined with veneered boards, built on a stone base with a height of 2 m, with a veranda (4.00 x 2.20 m) covered with pillows and blankets.
The tomb is oriented to the west-northeast. The tombstone is without an inscription, covered with green and white cloths. Tall candelabras (çırağ) are placed on both sides of the grave.
There is also Orthodox icons of St. Ivan Rilski and Prophet Elijah. Christian icons, especially of St. Elijah and the Holy Mother, have been placed inside the shrine since the 1940s.
HISTORICAL RELEVANCE A heterodox Islamic religious complex probably existed at the site since the second half of the XVI century.
A stela from the Turbe is still displayed on the most important place in the rural mosque. This is indicative of the need to preserve the connection with the legendary past, particularly important for local Muslims, in which the conflict between the various Islamic religious practices has long been dimmed.
INTER-RELIGIOUS RELEVANCE The dual sanctuary is a product of ethno-confessional interactions and a topos of great regional importance. The temple venerated by Christians, Shiite and Sunni Muslim is a monument to the tolerance of the diverse local religious communities.
Organized pilgrimages to the türbe were more common until the end of the 1970s. Today, there are more individual visitors or small groups of devotees.
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE Most pilgrims visit the site on Hıdırellez or Saint George's day. Christians also visit the chapel on the holiday of Prophet Elijah. The saint is venerated in the muslim world, and often identified with the Imam Ali. He is given the epithet "the righteous" in the Quran.
There is a syncretism - layering and coexistence of pre-Islamic beliefs about giants, folk concepts of holiness and legendary reminiscences from the activities of Islamic religious sites in the area.
HOW TO USE WITH THE STUDENTS - Direct visit
- Classroom activity: Examine the shared values and syncretic spiritual practices of diverse religious communities as a basis for tolerance and interfaith dialogue. This could take the form of a discussion and a homework assignment. The topic could also be expanded to a research project encompassing two lessons and two homework assignments. For detailed instructions, refer to Research Project. (
https://bit.ly/2vWgylU)
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