Kubilay was an astonishing person. He was extremely bright with his multiple degrees, and his mind boggling ability with languages. When I first met him he had taught himself Irish and Welsh in suburban Istanbul. He worked with the OSCE and was about to embark on his career in London.

He would not have claimed to have religious faith but he would have claimed to have a deeply humane concern for people around him. He travelled hugely and got to know the world in a way few of us ever do. Like so many people in the society around us he was not familiar with the language of spirituality nor would he have been brought up with that because of all its complications in a country such as this. Nevertheless many of us believe that in Christ God owns human nature entirely and that to aspire to the best aspirations of humanity is to know God. It is precisely within this faith that some of us have gathered around Kubilay's grave, just as others have gathered around with other sorts of faith. It is with a living hope that we give thanks to God for Kubilay's life, that we commend his soul to the love of God.

Some of us come, not in empty social politeness with ultimate hopelessness, but we come in living faith to support Erol and Ann in the reality of their pain, and to share with them the love that we can only know in God. And so I shall not say " what a marvellous young man Kubilay was; good bye!" and leave it at that. Rather in faith I can say "Go forth, Kubilay, on your journey from this world, in the name of God who created you, in the name of God who redeems you, and in the name of God who now and always holds you in his eternal love. Today may you enter paradise and enjoy the whole company of Heaven. Amen."