44°
The funeral in Frankford Township caused delays in the area, with Sussex County Sheriff Michael Strada asking drivers to avoid the intersections of Route 15, 206, 565 and the surrounding area during the funeral.
Gulen's official X account said that an estimated 20,000 people were inside and outside of the ballpark for this funeral. The stadium has 4,200 seats, the website says.
Gulen died at St. Luke's Hospital, Monroe campus, in Stroudsburg, PA at 83 years old. Herkul Nagme, a media outlet linked to Gulen, said he'd been receiving medical treatment for some time.
Gulen reportedly lived in eastern Pennsylvania after immigrating to the United States in 1999 for medical treatment. He will be buried at the Chestnut Retreat Center in Saylorsburg where he lived and worked.
In 2016, Gulen was accused of being behind a failed coup against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Gulen denied any involvement and the US refused to extradite him to Turkey, the Washington Post reported.
In the aftermath of the coup attempt, thousands of Gulen supporters were fired from their jobs while others were jailed, according to the Post. Universities and media outlets thought to be fronts for Gulen's followers were closed, the Post reported.
Gulen remained a harsh critic of Erdogan, calling him a "narcissistic dictator."
Gulen spent the last 8 years of his life in a gated compound in the Pocono Mountains, continuing to wield influence among his millions of followers in Turkey and throughout the world.
He helmed a major movement that brought hundreds of schools to countries around the world.
His website says he had an extensive knowledge and teaching experience in Islamic scholarship, having written more than 60 books translated into several world languages.
"Years of service as an imam, preacher, and civil society activist with acclaimed competence as a speaker on Islam, education, and dialogue in Turkey," it reads.
Gulen's official X account shared photos of his funeral.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Columbia and receive free news updates.
