Turkish top cleric yet again takes stage at official ceremony, recites prayer

Ali Erbaş, the vocal head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), on Sep. 20 recited the Islamic prayer to mark the inauguration of the Türkevi, or Turkish House, in New York. Erbaş has come under fire in recent years over his increased involvement in state affairs.

Tuesday September 21 2021 12:55 am

Duvar English

Ali Erbaş, the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), was on stage again during an opening ceremony on Sept. 20, as he recited the prayer to mark the inauguration of the Türkevi, or Turkish House, in New York.

This is the second time in September that Erbaş made an appearance during an official ceremony.

On Sept. 1, he had held a sermon for the opening of a new service building for the Court of Cassation, which critics said was a death prayer for Turkey's secularism and independent judiciary.

The appearance of Erbaş standing alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during ground-breaking ceremonies has become more common in recent years.

Apart from Erdoğan, the Sept. 20 opening ceremony also saw the attendance of several Turkish government and foreign officials.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was among the guests.

Other guests included Turkish Cyprus President Ersin Tatar, Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, as well as representatives of foreign missions.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan said the Türkevi Center will stand as a reflection of Turkey's place on the world stage ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, in 2023.