51³Ô¹ÏÍø

ISTANBUL-FEB. 24: Istanbul’s Eyup Sultan Mosque, the hallowed grounds where Ottoman sultans held their sword-girding ceremonies to formalize their ascension to the throne, stands as one of Istanbul's most historically significant and spiritually enduring landmarks.For centuries, this sacred site served as the stage for one of the empire's most critical royal traditions. Upon ascending the throne, Ottoman sultans traveled to the Eyup Sultan Mosque to gird themselves with the Sword of Osman, a ritual that symbolized their assumption of military and political authority and legitimized their rule in the eyes of the state and the people.The mosque takes its name from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, one of the Ansar — the "helpers" who supported Prophet Muhammad after his migration to Medina in 622. The patronym Abu Ayyub means "father of Ayyub." This companion of the Prophet died of illness during the First Arab Siege of Constantinople, and his tomb adjacent to the mosque became the very site where Ottoman sultans performed their sword-girding ceremonies.(Footage by Arif Murat Kayacan/ Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)