Şahin Up Town Mosque reopens for worship
After approximately 18 months of renovation, the Yukarı Mahalle Mosque in Şahin village, Xanthi, reopened for worship with Friday prayers on December 20, 2024.
The reopening ceremony began with the recitation of the mevlid-i şerif and the Qur'an before the Friday prayer. Attendees from neighboring villages and Xanthi filled the mosque, where Imam Hamdi Bekir personally welcomed guests.
In his address, Imam Bekir thanked the Şahin Foundation Committee and the villagers for their material and moral support during the renovations, emphasizing the harmony and dedication that ensured the project’s success.
Prominent attendees included Ozan Ahmetoğlu (President of the Xanthi Turkish Union), Ahmet Kurt (Mayor of Mustafçova), MPs Burhan Baran and Hüseyin Zeybek, Mufti Mustafa Trampa, and Turkish Consul General Aykut Ünal. They praised the community's efforts in creating this significant work.
Mufti Trampa highlighted the mosque’s historical importance, noting its role during the Bulgarian occupation when the first conflict occurred there, resulting in 25 martyrs. He explained the symbolic green and red flags above the mihrab, representing Islam and Turkish identity, which were preserved in the renovations.
Following the Friday prayer, attendees enjoyed traditional pilaf and ayran. Later that evening, a special program for women was held at the mosque.
