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| 1576: San Antonio di Padova, Istanbul, Turkey |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Leo.
The church:
San Antonio di Padova, Istanbul, Turkey.
Denomination:
Roman Catholic, Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul.
Comment: We have received a comment on this report.
The building:
The present Italian neo-Gothic style church of red brick with
white marble ornamentation dates from 1912, and replaces an
earlier Franciscan church at a different location. It was built
on the spot formerly occupied by the Concordia Theatre, where
Italian operettas and musical comedies were performed. The church
stands in a courtyard between two apartment buildings, aptly
named St Anthony's Apartments, which were intended to provide
funding for the church. The interior is spacious, with a free-standing
altar surmounted by a large stained glass window. On its left
is the baptismal font, and on its right a side altar where the
Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Stations of the cross line the
north and south walls. Scores of votive candles overflow their
stands, lit by the constant stream of pilgrims who visit the
church.
The church:
This is Istanbul's largest church with the busiest congregation.
From 1935 to 1944, the apostolic delegate to Turkey, the Most
Revd Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (later to become Pope John XXIII),
preached at this church. He is known in Turkey as the Turkish
Pope because of his fluent Turkish and his often expressed love
for Turkey and the city of Istanbul. Three masses are celebrated
every Sunday – in Italian, English and Turkish. At the
mass I attended, the congregation ranged between ages two and
seventy, fairly evenly balanced between male and female and
mixed in terms of social class.
The neighbourhood:
From the time of the Roman emperor Constantine, who gave his
name to the ancient city of Byzantium, until 1453, when troops
led by Mehmed the Conqueror broke through Constantinople's walls,
the metropolis known today as Istanbul was one of the world's
most important centres of Christianity. Today Christians comprise
less than 0.3 percent of the entire population of Turkey. The
Church of San Antonio di Padova is located on Istiklal Avenue,
a thoroughfare lined with food and drink establishments as well
as entertainment and cultural venues. Perhaps the most important
feature of Istiklal Avenue is that life goes on non-stop in
cycles of 24 hours.
The cast:
There were three concelebrants but no names were given.
The date & time:
4 May 2008, 7.00pm.
What was the name of the service?
Messe ("Mass" in Turkish).
How full was the building?
About two-thirds full. I counted 180 people but several left
before the end as it appeared to be a longer service than usual.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
No.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Reverent despite tourists milling around.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
I don't speak Turkish but I recognised "Alleluia"
being sung by the cantor as the altar party entered. The priest
began, "In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit, Amen," before welcoming people.
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
None.
What musical instruments were played?
Guitar.
Did anything distract you?
There was a little girl in white (who I later discovered was
named Sophie Maria) running up and down and pirouetting. I wondered whether it was her first communion day, but later realised she was going to be baptised, because she was anointed near the beginning of the service. An altar boy blew out the candles at the end. I have been rebuked for doing this in my own church since it is very difficult to get candle wax off the fair linen cloth.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Relaxed and informal. The cantor with a guitar led people in
familiar songs. The baptism of Sophie Maria and the mass itself
were in Turkish and followed the standard rubrics. Chrismation
took place at the start of mass, and the baptism proper followed
the sermon and the chanting of the litany of the saints. It
seemed strange to hear God the Father addressed as Allah.
Everyone prayed the Lord's Prayer in the orans position (with
hands extended and lifted upward). The words of the Peace were
in Turkish, followed by the singing of a Hebrew worship song.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
10 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – He spoke without notes and used a lot of gestures.
He smiled often and his voice conveyed amazement.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
It was the Sunday after the Ascension and I guessed that an
oft repeated word that sounded like eujeya meant
"the highest."
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
Everyone praying in the orans position for the Pater Noster, beautiful impromptu harmonies during the singing of "Immaculate Mary", singing shalom aleichem during the Peace, hearing God prayed to as Allah and the singing of the litany of the saints. It reminded me that Sophie Maria was joining this long list of holy people throughout time and space. Some people have argued that Mystery Worshipper reports of a service in an unknown language are pointless, but I knew exactly what was going on and felt very much a part of this extended family gathering.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
I was slightly annoyed that the service started six minutes late and that there was no chalice on offer. I was also sad that I had paid three visits to the nearby Anglican Chaplaincy to discover it locked on each occasion, with no noticeboard, so I was unable to worship with my own denomination.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
The altar party left informally, leaving behind an elderly priest
who really needed a helping hand to get down the steps. They
made a beeline for Sophie Maria’s family and there was a lot
of applause and photos. I had to meet a friend for dinner, but
when I tried to leave I discovered the door had been locked.
Someone had to open it for me.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
I suspect there was some sort of reception, because the priest
had pointed to a nearby room. I am sure I would have been made
very welcome had I been able to stay.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9 – It seems to be the centre of a diverse community, with masses in English and Italian, as well as Turkish.
Did the service make you
feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes. I felt like the member of a huge, extended family that had just welcomed its newest member.
What one thing will you
remember about all this in seven days' time?
Sophie Maria pirouetting. |
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| The Mystery Pilgrim |
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| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
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