ST KIRAKOS CHURCH OF DIYARBERKIR TO OPEN ON OCT 23
Tert.am
21.10.11
The historical Armenian Surb Kirakos Church in Turkey’s southeastern
province of Diyarbakır will open its doors for a Divine Liturgy on
Sunday Oct. 23 for the first time in decades following the completion
of two years of restorations.
According to Hurriyet Daily News, the church will be blessed toward
evening on Oct 22 in accordance with the traditions of the Apostolic
Armenian Church; the Divine Liturgy is set to take place the day after.
The restoration of the church was funded by donations from Armenians
in Istanbul and abroad through an initiative spearheaded by Vartkes
Ergun Ayık, a businessman of Armenian origin whose roots lie in
Diyarbakır, and Raffi Bedrosyan, an ex-resident of Istanbul who now
lives in Canada.
The Sur District Governorâ~@~Ys Office in Diyarbakır lent its support
to the project as well, while the Bakırkoy District Governorâ~@~Ys
Office in Istanbul allocated two buses free of charge for Bakırkoy
residents who would like to attend the event, as it did during the
opening of the Surp Krikor Lusavorich Church (Church of St. Gregory
the Illuminator) in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri a few
years ago.
Some 1,500 people from Istanbul, Armenia and the United States,
as well as from countries across Europe and the Middle East, are
expected to attend the historic mass.
No vacancies are reported to be left in hotels across Diyarbakır,
as rooms were reserved months in advance. The people of Diyarbakır
are therefore readying to host visitors in their own homes, as they
did two years ago when the historical Surb Khach Church (Church of
the Holy Cross) on Akdamar Island in the eastern province of Van was
opened for mass.
Regarded by art historians as the biggest church in the Middle
East, the Surb Kirakos Church covers 3,200 square meters and has a
capacity of 3,000 people. Used as a command center for German officers
during World War I, the church was then used as an apparel depot by
state-owned Sumerbank until 1950.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2011/10/21/st-kirakos-church-of-diyarberkir-to-open-on-oct-23/
