A BRIEF HISTORY OF LARGEST CHURCH IN MIDDLE EAST AND CHRISTIANITY IN DIYARBAKIR
By: Rev. Dr. George A. Leylegian
Thu, Nov 25 2010
Recently it was reported that the Armenian cathedral of Sourp Giragos
in Dikranagerd, Turkey, will undergo major renovation. I thought that
our readers might be interested to read a little about the history
of this famous sanctuary.
The exterior of Sourp Giragos with the new bell tower, 1914.
Amid (alternatively, A-Mi-Da, Amida, Amith, Omid, and later
Diyar-Bakir, Diyarbekir, and among the Armenian community, Dikranagerd
or Dikrisagerd) is situated on the west bank of the Tigris River and
is one of the oldest, continually inhabited cities in the world.
Because of its strategic position, both commercially and militarily,
Amid has boasted a cosmopolitan population, representing nearly every
ethnic and religious group in the area.
It is unknown when and by whom Christianity was introduced into the
city of Amid. It is historically probable that early missionaries,
either directly from Jerusalem (the seat of James) or by emissary
from Antioch (the seat of Peter) or from Edessa (the seat of Thomas)
proclaimed Christianity there. The Armenians maintain that Thaddeus
and Bartholomew preached in Amid on their way north into the Armenian
highlands, while the Syrians credit Thomas, Addai, and Mari with the
introduction of Christianity there. No one can be certain except to say
that a church was established in Amid during the first century. It
is also unclear who the first bishop of Amid may have been, and
what type of persecution befell the community during the first three
centuries of Christian formation. What is known is that in 325 AD,
a bishop named Simon of Amid attended the First Ecumenical Council
at Nicea. Whether he were ethnically Syrian, Greek, Armenian, or
Assyrian remains unclear, and secondary to the importance of episcopal
representation of Amid.
Owing to its geographic location, Amid has been influenced and invaded
from every direction. Not surprisingly, every theological creed and
dispute has been manifested within the many churches inside the city
at various points in history. For that reason, it is improbable that
anyone could truly determine either the origin or the subsequent
denomination of a particular parish over the course of the first 15
centuries of Christianity in Amid. Greeks, Armenians, West Syrians,
East Syrians, and Arabs commingled and collided in the same buildings,
and each voiced conflicting claims to ownership. Prior to the first
Muslim invasion in the 7th century, it is believed that there were
more than 30 churches within the city walls. Research is required to
determine who built which sanctuary and which denomination claimed
specific rights.
After Amid was conquered by the Ottomans in 1517 and the millet
(nationality-based) system of administration was imposed, the
Christians in the city settled into a modus operandi with regard to
the religious demarcation of properties and liturgical services. There
was further definition (and friction) in the late 18th century when
certain groups aligned themselves with the Roman Catholic Uniate
organizations that had recently moved into the area. In the 19th
century, other groups associated themselves with various Protestant
denominations. Each time a group broke away, ancient church buildings
were also requisitioned for use as either Uniate or Protestant places
of worship.
The main altar of the cathedral, 1987.
By the end of the 19th century, the following denominations maintained
churches and related schools in the city: Armenian Apostolic, Armenian
Catholic, Armenian Protestant; Syrian Orthodox (West Syrian, sometimes
called Jacobite), Syrian Catholic, Syrian Protestant; Greek Orthodox
(both Greek-speaking and Arabic-speaking), Greek Catholic (also called
Melkites); Assyrian Orthodox (East Syrian, sometimes called Nestorian),
Assyrian Catholic (also called Chaldean), Assyrian Protestant; Roman
Catholic (also called Latin, serving mostly Europeans); Arab Catholic,
Arab Protestant.
In 1518, the Ottomans confiscated the largest Armenian Apostolic
church in Amid, called Saint Theodore (“Sourp Toros”), and converted
the sanctuary into a mosque, renaming it Kursunlu Cami. The community
was devastated by the confiscation and was likewise pressured to
accommodate the dislodged congregation. There was a smaller church,
called Saint Sergius (“Sourp Sarkis”), which was upgraded to the
position of cathedral for the Armenians. Sourp Sarkis was later
renovated, and eventually contained five altars. Until 1915, Sourp
Sarkis was famous because it preserved the valuable relic of the
right-side nail used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This relic
was brought out in solemn procession several times each year, and
was venerated by all of the Christians in Amid. When Sourp Sarkis was
pillaged in May 1915, the relic of the Holy Nail was either stolen or
lost. During most of the 20th century, the building has been operated
as a warehouse, and has consequently fallen into ruins.
The Weekly thanks Missak Kelechian for providing this photograph of
Sourp Giragos upon reading this article online.
In the early 18th century (perhaps in 1722), the Ottomans decided that
the city was too overcrowded; consequently, all of the cemeteries
(Christian and Muslim alike) were to be exhumed and the remains
re-interred in new cemeteries located outside of the city walls. On the
grounds of the earlier Armenian cemetery in the middle of the city was
a funeral chapel. This chapel had been donated by a grieving family
in loving memory of their daughter and her infant son, both of whom
passed away shortly after childbirth. Appropriately, the name of the
chapel was Saints Cyriacus and Julietta.
Briefly, toward the end of the third century, the widow Julietta
was persecuted for her adherence to Christianity. She was arrested
and brought before the local judge who demanded that she renounce
her faith. She refused. In order to intimidate her, the judge seized
hold of her three-year old son, Cyriacus. The little boy, attempting
to defend his mother, also began to proclaim “I am a Christan! I am a
Christian!” The judge became so infuriated that he grabbed Cyriacus by
the feet and, swinging the child, dashed the little boy’s head against
the stone steps, killing him. It is said that Julietta died of fright
at seeing this gruesome persecution of both Christianity and her son.
The solemnity of their martyrdom spread quickly throughout the area,
and countless churches and shrines were built in memory of Saints
Cyriacus and Julietta. They are likewise venerated by all Orthodox
and Catholic Churches throughout the world. In Armenian, Cyriacus is
“Giragos,” and Julietta is “Houghida” or “Oghida.”
After the relocation of the cemetery, the city land still belonged
to the Armenians, who decided to build a new church on the site.
Accordingly, the new church was consecrated in the names of Saints
Cyriacus and Julietta. During the course of the 18th and early
19th centuries, the edifice was renovated and enlarged on several
occasions. Tragedy struck on June 10, 1880, when the entire sanctuary
was consumed in a devastating fire.
The Armenian community decided to rebuild and even enlarge the
structure, which was completed in 1883. At the time, the new church of
“Sourp Giragos yev Houghida” was purported to be the largest Armenian
basilica in Anatolia. The external dimensions are 31 meters in length
by 35 meters in width. The basilica is renowned for having seven
altars, constructed with mosaic tiles and overlaid with gold: five on
the ground floor and two on the second story. From the northeast to the
southeast: Saint Gregory the Illuminator (“Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch”),
Saints Cyriacus and Julietta, the main altar in the center dedicated
to the Holy Birthgiver-of-God Mary (“Sourp Asdvadzadzin”), Saint
John the Baptist (“Sourp Garabed”), and Saint Stephen the Protomartyr
(“Sourp Sdepannos”). Upstairs: Saints Peter and Paul (“Sourp Bedros
yev Sourp Boghos”) and the Holy Archangels (“Sourp Hreshdagabedk”).
Church services were held every morning and every evening. Holy
Badarak was offered every Sunday as well as other days during the week,
often at one of the various altars in commemoration of a particular
saint’s day. The Dikranagerdtsis were fond of entering the cathedral
throughout the day, and especially as they would pass by to and from
their daily tasks.
The basilica was built with 16 monolith columns forming 20 arches that
supported a flat roof; there was no dome surmounting the structure,
though the sanctuary was constructed with giant windows all across the
northern and southern walls to allow plenty of sunshine. Around the
interior was a second story gallery that extended across the western,
northern, and southern walls. It is said that more than 3,000 faithful
could be comfortably accommodated on both floors during services.
It was decided that the headquarters of the diocese of Dikranagerd
would be relocated from Sourp Sarkis to Sourp Giragos, making the new
church the cathedral for the diocese. Surrounding the cathedral were
a series of buildings: chapels, rectories for the priests, classrooms
for the Sunday School, bookstore, kitchen for preparing food daily
for the poor and elderly, and the offices for the prelature. At its
peak, there were more than 100 clergy and laity on the staff of the
cathedral. For a brief time, there was also a parochial school for
boys and girls located within the compound.
Over the course of several centuries, Sourp Giragos accumulated
a substantial financial endowment. Either through bequests or by
purchase, the church came to own numerous residential and commercial
properties within the city walls, as well as livestock and numerous
acres of farmland in the surrounding villages. The properties produced
rental income to the church, and the farms provided both food and work
for the people. The bank investments produced annual returns for the
salaries and maintenance of the staff and charitable foundations.
Medical services, daily meals (both served and delivered), orphan care,
and elder support were all part of the services ministered by the
church and out of the endowment. The church also owned and maintained
critical water wells and fountains inside and outside the city. In
addition to the cemeteries, the church was also responsible for several
chapels and shrines that were visited regularly during pilgrimages.
The first bell tower of the cathedral, which was built in 1884, was
struck by lightning on Holy Saturday morning, 1913. It was rebuilt that
same year, and when it was completed, it was the tallest structure
in the city. The bell was cast by the famous Zildjian Company. The
spire would become a point of contention with the Muslims, since the
Armenian bell tower was taller than any of their minarets.
On May 28, 1915, as the Ottomans were dragging the Armenian prelate,
Mgrditch Vartabed Chulghadian, off to be tortured and eventually
martyred, the artillery cannon from across the city took aim at the
bell tower and shot it to pieces as the prelate was forced to watch.
Even though the church continued to operate during the 20th century,
the bell tower was never rebuilt.
Most of the Armenians living inside the city were trapped, and
neighborhood by neighborhood, the Ottomans pillaged property and
killed the helpless Dikranagerdtsis with nearly full-proof entrapment.
The gendarmes sealed off each street and then raided the houses
without reproach.
After 1918, the few Armenians still residing both in the city and
surrounding villages congregated around the large complex of Sourp
Giragos, and attempted to revitalize the community. Until 1985, there
was a permanent priest living inside the compound, and services were
continued daily for the remaining 100 or so families.
In the early 1990’s, during a series of severe snowstorms, sections of
the roof of the cathedral collapsed, eventually leaving the basilica
with just four walls and no protection from the elements. Vandals
caused serious damage to the altars as they chipped away the mosaics
and tore out the artwork and gold overlay. The floor of the basilica
was mired in mud and debris for many years, and most of the metalwork
has corroded in the interim.
Within the compound was a small chapel dedicated to Saint James
(“Sourp Hagop”). The Armenians would utilize this chapel for their
occasional services when a priest would visit from Istanbul.
The deteriorating economic and political conditions in Diyarbakir
forced most of the Armenians to leave, either to Istanbul or to
Europe. Today, there are just a handful of Armenians living in the
city. It should be noted that the other Christians living in the city
were also persecuted by the Ottomans in 1915. Many were massacred and
others were forced to leave. Today, only the Syrian Orthodox and the
Chaldean Catholics have been able to keep their ancient churches in
the city.
It gives a very different meaning to the words of our beloved song:
“Umoonuh daran, yesi chi daran, key amoh.”
From: A. Papazian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2010/11/25/a-brief-history-of-largest-church-in-middle-east-and-christianity-in-diyarbakir/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArmenianWeekly+%28Armenian+Weekly%29