30.10.2026 03:35
In Çiğdemli Town of Sorgun district in Yozgat, the old house of Molla Ali—said to have seen all three of his sons who went to serve in the 1914 mobilization return safely—is known as the "bread hearth." For years, young men setting off for military service have eaten bread from this house and departed with the belief that they will return safely. The tradition, passed down from generation to generation, is still kept alive in the town today.
In Çiğdemli Town, a tradition dating back to the war years has continued for more than a century. The building known as Molla Ali’s old house retains its place in memory as a “hearth” where young men sent off to military service eat a meal.
DURING THE MOBILIZATION, ALL 3 SONS RETURNED SAFE AND SOUND In Çiğdemli Town, whose population is 2,271, it is said that the story of the house known as the “bread hearth” is based on an event believed to have occurred in 1914. According to accounts, during the mobilization period, while about 80 people from the region went to military service, all 3 sons sent from this house returned safe and sound.
The safe return of the 3 brothers at a time when other families in the region suffered losses gave the house a special place among the people. Over time, young men who were going to military service began to set off after eating bread from this house, and the tradition was passed down from generation to generation.
“BOTH THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN CONTINUE THE SAME CUSTOM” Faruk Çelik, a 68-year-old resident of the town, pointed to Molla Ali’s old house and recounted the history of the tradition. Çelik said, “The place we are talking about is Molla Ali’s old houses. According to history, those who went to Yemen from here, those who went to war, returned safe and sound. They returned, and now this place is accepted as a hearth. Both their children and grandchildren continue the same custom. Every group of soldiers gets food from here, eats a morsel, and leaves.”
IN 1984, HE ATE BREAD FROM THIS HEARTH AND WENT TO MILITARY SERVICE Birol Palabıyık, 63, who recounted that he ate bread from this hearth before going to military service in 1984, stated that he completed his duty and returned to his town, and said the tradition continues today. Palabıyık said, “I was born and raised in Çiğdemli Town. It was formerly known as Sorgun Village. I went to military service in 1984. I ate bread from this hearth, and even though I served in the east, I came out safe and sound and returned to my town. According to a belief, whoever eats food here and leaves returns safe and sound. Neighbors generally, when our young people go to military service, eat a morsel here before going. And they return safe and sound.”
RESEARCHER-WRITER TELLS THE STORY Researcher-writer Osman Karaca, who stated that he learned the story of the bread hearth during his research around Yozgat, recounted that while he was researching the life of a veteran, the town’s residents told him about this hearth. Karaca said, “While conducting research around Yozgat, I also went to Çiğdemli Town. While I was researching the life of a veteran there, they told me, ‘We have a bread hearth.’ I asked, what is the story of the bread hearth? They said that while almost every household lost martyrs from among the soldiers who participated in World War I and the War of Independence, no one from this hearth was martyred. Thereupon, those from the village who went to military service did not go without eating bread there, thinking, ‘The soldiers of this house returned safe and sound. If we eat bread from here, we too will return safe and sound.’ In fact, we have something like this: they invite the person going to military service. They turn this into a ritual, and this place is called the bread hearth.”
“THOSE WHO WENT TO KOREA ALSO RETURNED SAFE AND SOUND” Karaca, stating that the tradition continued in later years, expressed that soldiers who went to Korea also returned safe and sound, and that the town did not lose any martyrs in the fight against terrorism either. Karaca said, “There are soldiers who went to Korea. They also returned safe and sound. In the same way, our Çiğdemli Town did not lose any martyrs in the fight against terrorism. It has become a ritual in this way. I hope we will not lose even a single martyr in Turkey from now on either,” he said.