Hz. Ömer Tekke/Agioi Phanontes Ayios Epiktitos/Çatalköy, east of Kyrenia 7th century

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Located in a beautiful landscape next to the sea, Hz Ömer Tekke has been used not only as a place of worship, but also as a recreation spot. It is supposed to contain the tombs of seven Muslim warriors, dated to the 7th century AD. There is a cave under the building, which is venerated mostly by the Orthodox Christians and called Agioi Phanontes or Agioi Saranda, but this part is also claimed as the first burial location of the Muslim warriors before they were transferred to the mausoleum. The site appears to be mostly forgotten by the Greek Cypriots, since only a few Greek Cypriots, who used to live in the neighborhood, could remember visiting it in the past.

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Ομέρ Τεκές/Άγιοι Φανέντες, Άγιος Επίκτητος/Çatalköy ανατολικά της Κερύνειας, 7ος αι. μ.Χ.

 

αθώς βρίσκεται σε μια όμορφη τοποθεσία κοντά στη θάλασσα ο Ομέρ τεκές χρησιμοποιήθηκε όχι μόνο ως λατρευτικός χώρος, αλλά και ως τόπος αναψυχής. Σύμφωνα με την παράδοση εκεί έχουν ταφεί επτά μουσουλμάνοι πολεμιστές κατά τον 7ο αιώνα μ.Χ. Κάτω από το κτίριο βρίσκεται μια σπηλιά (Άγιοι Φανέντες ή Άγιοι Σαράντα) που έχει μεγαλύτερη λατρευτική σημασία για τους ορθόδοξους χριστιανούς. Οι μουσουλμάνοι υποστηρίζουν ότι αυτός ήταν ο αρχικός χώρος ταφής των μουσουλμάνων πολεμιστών πριν μεταφερθούν τα οστά τους στο μαυσωλείο. Φαίνεται ότι οι Ελληνοκύπριοι είχαν ξεχάσει τον χώρο, αφού μόνο λίγοι Ελληνοκύπριοι που έμεναν στη γειτονιά θυμούνται να τον έχουν επισκεφθεί  στο παρελθόν.

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Hz. Ömer Tekkesi/Ayii Fanondes, Ayios Epiktitos/Çatalköy, Doğu Girne, 7. Yüzyıl

 

Denizin yanında güzel bir manzara eşliğindeki Hz. Ömer Tekkesi, sadece bir ibadet yeri olarak değil, aynı zamanda dinlenme yeri olarak da kullanılmaktadır. MS. 7. yy’a tarihlendirilen mezarların, yedi Müslüman mücahite ait olduğuna inanılır. Binanın alt tarafında bulunan mağara daha çok Ortodoks Hıristiyanlar tarafından kutsal sayılarak Ayii Fanondes veya Ayii Saranda olarak adlandırılır, ancak bu kısmın Müslüman mücahitlerin ilk gömüldükleri yer olduğu iddiası da vardır. Mekan, Rumlar tarafından çoğunlukla unutulmuş gibi görünmektedir, zira sadece eskiden civarda oturan Rumlar burayı ziyaret ettiklerini hatırlamaktadırlar.