Famous Turkish Spiritual & Religious Leaders

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 1 
Murad IV
(Ottoman Sultan)
Murad IV
4
Birthdate: July 26, 1612
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Died: February 8, 1640

Murad IV, who ruled as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, was infamous for his cruelty. He took over the throne at 11 and subsequently came to be known for his exploits in the Ottoman–Safavid War, which changed the map of the Caucasus.

 2 
Abdülmecid II
(Was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Dynasty, the only Caliph of the Republic of Turkey)
Abdülmecid II
3
Birthdate: May 29, 1868
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: BeÅŸiktaÅŸ, Turkey
Died: August 23, 1944

Abdülmecid II is remembered as the last caliph of the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey. Son of Sultan Abdulaziz, he received his education at the palace. After the deposition of his cousin and the abolition of the Sultanate, he was declared the caliph by the Turkish National Assembly.

 3 
Timothy
(Bishop)
Timothy
3
Birthdate: 0017 AD
Birthplace: Lystra, Turkey
Died: 0097 AD
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 4 
Bartholomew I of Constantinople
(Archbishop)
Bartholomew I of Constantinople
4
Birthdate: February 29, 1940
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Zeytinliköy, Turkey
 5 
Basil of Caesarea
(Bishop of Caesarea Mazaca)
Basil of Caesarea
3
Birthdate: 0330 AD
Birthplace: Kayseri, Turkey
Died: January 1, 0379
 6 
Mustafa I
(Sultan of the Ottoman Empire)
Mustafa I
4
Birthdate: 1591 AD
Birthplace: Manisa
Died: January 20, 1639

Mustafa I reigned as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire on two separate occasions; from 1617 to 1618 and again from 1622 to 1623. Nicknamed Mustafa the Mad, Mustafa I is believed to have suffered mental illness and was used as a puppet by his brother-in-law Kara Davud Pasha.

 7 
Sabbatai Zevi
3
Birthdate: August 1, 1626
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Ä°zmir, Turkey
Died: September 17, 1676
Born to wealthy merchants in Smyrna, Sabbatai Zevi later claimed to be the Jewish Messiah. He gained a huge base of followers and gave rise to the Sabbatean movement. Threatened by the Ottoman sultan, he converted to Islam and later died in oblivion. His followers are known as crypto-Jews.
 8 
Mustafa II
(Emperor of the Ottoman Empire)
Mustafa II
3
Birthdate: February 6, 1664
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Died: December 29, 1703

Mustafa II was the Emperor of the Ottoman Empire from 6 February 1695 to 22 August 1703. As the Sultan of the empire, Mustafa II played important roles in the Great Turkish War and Habsburg Wars. He was succeeded by his brother Ahmed III in 1703.

 9 
Suleiman II
(Sultan of the Ottoman Empire)
Suleiman II
3
Birthdate: April 15, 1642
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Constantinople
Died: June 22, 1691

Suleiman II reigned as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from November 1687 until his death in June 1691. He is credited with changing the fortunes of the Ottoman Empire along with Fazıl Mustafa Pasha during the War of the Holy League and reconquered Belgrade in 1690. Suleiman II is also credited with carrying out important fiscal and military reforms.

 10 
Gregory of Nyssa
(Saint)
Gregory of Nyssa
3
Birthdate: 0335 AD
Birthplace: Niksar, Turkey
Died: 0394 AD
 11 
Nazim Al-Haqqani
(Religious leader)
Nazim Al-Haqqani
3
Birthdate: April 21, 1922
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Larnaca, Cyprus
Died: May 7, 2014
 12 
Margaret the Virgin
(Saint)
Margaret the Virgin
3
Birthdate: 0289 AD
Birthplace: Antioch of Pisidia, Turkey
Died: 0304 AD
 13 
Theophanes the Confessor
(Byzantine monk)
Theophanes the Confessor
2
Birthdate: 0758 AD
Birthplace: Constantinople, Turky
Died: March 2, 0817
 14 
Pope John V
(Pope)
Pope John V
2
Birthdate: 0635 AD
Birthplace: Antioch
Died: August 2, 0686
 15 
Michael I Cerularius
(Patriarch of Constantinople)
Michael I Cerularius
2
Birthdate: 1000 AD
Birthplace: Constantinople, Turkey
Died: January 21, 1059
 16 
Gennadius Scholarius
(Philosopher)
Gennadius Scholarius
2
Birthdate: 1400 AD
Birthplace: Constantinople, Turkey
Died: 1473 AD
 17 
Gregory Thaumaturgus
(Saint)
Gregory Thaumaturgus
2
Birthdate: 0213 AD
Birthplace: Niksar, Turkey
Died: 0270 AD
 18 
Sheikh Said
(Politician)
Sheikh Said
0
Birthdate: 1865 AD
Birthplace: Palu, Turkey
Died: June 29, 1925
 19 
Demetrios I of Constantinople
(Ecumenical Patriarch)
Demetrios I of Constantinople
1
Birthdate: September 8, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Constantinople, Turkey
Died: October 2, 1991
 20 
Archbishop Iakovos of America
(Archbishop)
Archbishop Iakovos of America
2
Birthdate: July 29, 1911
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Zeytinliköy, Turkey
Died: April 10, 2005

Born in the Ottoman Empire, now Turkey, Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America was initially educated at the Theological School of Halki and then at Harvard University, before being ordained a priest. A civil rights movement supporter, he had participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches.

 21 
Jacob Of Serugh
(One of the Most Important Syriac Poet-Theologians of His Time)
Jacob Of Serugh
1
Birthdate: 0451 AD
Birthplace: Suruç, Turkey
Died: November 29, 0521
Jacob of Serugh was a Syriac poet-theologian best remembered for his prodigious corpus of over 700 verse homilies. One of the most important Syriac poet-theologians of his time, Jacob is considered equal in stature to Narsai.
 22 
John of Ephesus
(Historian)
John of Ephesus
1
Birthdate: 0507 AD
Birthplace: Amida, Turkey
Died: 0586 AD
 23 
İskilipli Mehmed Atıf Hoca
(Islamist Who in 1920s Opposed Western Influences in the Turkish Society)
İskilipli Mehmed Atıf Hoca
1
Birthdate: 1875 AD
Birthplace: Ä°skilip, Turkey
Died: February 4, 1926
 24 
Hovhannes Tcholakian
(Priest)
Hovhannes Tcholakian
1
Birthdate: April 12, 1919
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Istanbul
Died: September 16, 2016
 25 
Palladius
(Monk)
Palladius
1
Birthplace: Galatia, Turkey
Died: 0450 AD
 26 
Constantine-Silvanus
(Religious Leader)
Constantine-Silvanus
1
Birthplace: Samosata, Commagene, Turkey
Died: 0684 AD
 27 
Gregory of Sinai
(Monk)
Gregory of Sinai
1
Birthdate: 1260 AD
Birthplace: Klazomenai, Turkey
Died: November 27, 1346

Gregory of Sinai was a monk who played a major role in the emergence of Hesychasm in 14th century. He learned the ways of Hesychasm from Arsenios. Gregory of Sinai is also credited with founding a monastery in southeast Bulgaria where he had taken shelter in the Bulgarian Empire in an attempt to escape the increasing Muslim raids on Athos.

 28 
John IV of Constantinople
(Bishop)
John IV of Constantinople
1
Birthplace: Constantinople
Died: September 2, 0595
 29 
Euthymius I of Constantinople
(Patriarch of Constantinople)
Euthymius I of Constantinople
1
Birthdate: 0834 AD
Birthplace: Silifke, Turkey
Died: August 5, 0917
 30 
Anthimus VI of Constantinople
(Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople)
Anthimus VI of Constantinople
0
Birthdate: 1782 AD
Birthplace: Kutali Island, Turkey
Died: December 7, 1877
 31 
John Scholasticus
(Ecumenical Patriarch)
John Scholasticus
1
Birthdate: 0503 AD
Birthplace: Constantinople
Died: August 31, 0577
 32 
Theodore Balsamon
(Canonist)
Theodore Balsamon
0
Birthplace: Constantinople, Turkey
Died: 1195 AD
 33 
Arsenius Autorianus
(Patriarch of Constantinople)
Arsenius Autorianus
0
Birthdate: 1200 AD
Birthplace: Constantinople, Turkey
Died: September 30, 1273
 34 
Eustathius of Sebaste
(Bishop)
Eustathius of Sebaste
0
Birthdate: 0300 AD
Birthplace: Sivas, Turkey
Died: 0377 AD
 35 
Athanasius I of Constantinople
(Patriarch of Constantinople)
Athanasius I of Constantinople
0
Birthdate: 1230 AD
Birthplace: Edirne, Turkey
Died: October 28, 1310
 36 
Flavian I Of Antioch
(Bishop)
Flavian I Of Antioch
0
Birthdate: 0320 AD
Birthplace: Antioch, Turkey
Died: January 31, 0404
 37 
Flavian II Of Antioch
(Archbishop)
Flavian II Of Antioch
0
Birthplace: Antioch, Turkey
Died: 0518 AD
 38 
Nilus of Sinai
(Saint)
Nilus of Sinai
0
Birthplace: Ankara, Turkey
Died: November 12, 0430
 39 
Antony III of Constantinople
(Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople)
Antony III of Constantinople
0
Birthplace: Turkey
Died: 0983 AD
 40 
Sergius I of Constantinople
(Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople)
Sergius I of Constantinople
0
Birthdate: 0565 AD
Birthplace: Syria
Died: December 9, 0638