Abstract
THE CONTINUITY OF THE SACRED, FROM SAINT MAMAS TO CAMBAZ PIR IN THE CONTEXT OF BATTAL GAZI SAGA AND AN UNKNOWN ENTOMBED SAINT
The strong bond between the sacred and faith continues to exist in all areas of life. The concept of sacred, which has a historical continuity, is entangled with culture. In the structures rooted in ancient times, such as Turkish culture, the phenomenon of sacred is being diversified, as well as gaining a rich dimension. This depth and richness, transform sacred into an element which is intertwined in everyday life. The places of visit located at the regions dominated by Turkish culture and the beliefs and practices built up around them is one of the richness fed from sacred. The place of visit belonging to Cambaz Pir, located at Çayağzı (Cemele) village of Kirsehir, is important in terms of showing the continuity of sacred in the culture. As a result of the review of the information collected from the people, the connections of Mamas, who had been a Christian saint, with Şemmas Pir, who had been mentioned in Battal Gazi Saga, and with Cambaz Pir, whose tomb is located at Cemele, have been determined. Through these relationships, the functional role of Battal Gazi Saga was emphasized for the vitality and continuity of sacred within the culture, particularly for Cambaz Pir. The content of the legends told about a later Muslim Saint were evaluated. Remarks about the relationship of the beliefs and practices developed around the tomb of Cambaz Pir with Turkish culture were covered. Regarding the evaluated aspects, the tomb belonging to Cambaz Pir, located at Cemele, reveals the supracultural power of the sacred; allows the assessment of the relationship between this transformation and works of art, such as saga, legend; and shows the impact of the beliefs and practices brought to life around the sacred on this process.
Keywords
Saint Mamas, Battal Gazi, Cambaz Pir, Sacred, Legend, Şemmas Pir, Visit Place.