Şeb-i Arus Festival Turkey

Şeb-i Arus, meaning "Wedding Night" in Persian (şeb = night, arus = bride/wedding), refers to the death anniversary of Mevlânâ Jalal al-Din Rumi, the 13th-century Persian Sufi poet and founder of the Mevlevi order. For Rumi, death was not an end, but a spiritual reunion with the Divine Beloved, which he described as a “wedding night.” He famously said, "The day of my death is my wedding night."

This celebration is observed annually in Konya, Turkey, where Rumi lived, taught, and was buried. The commemoration period spans from 7 to 17 December, with the central date being 17 December, the day of his passing in 1273. The event has evolved into a ten-day international cultural gathering, drawing thousands of people from across the world to experience the spiritual, poetic, and artistic dimensions of Rumi’s legacy.

Today, these ceremonies are known as the International Vuslat Anniversary Memorial Ceremonies, though they are still commonly referred to as “Şeb-i Arus” by the public.