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Times.am, Armenia
Sept 19 2010
CNN: `At least they cannot forbid me to pray silently,' Father Anno
By Times.am at 19 September, 2010, 12:52 am
For the first time in nearly a century, the Turkish government will
allow Armenian Christians to hold a prayer service in one of the
area's oldest and most famous churches, CNN reported.
More than two months before the scheduled September 19th church
service, nearby hotels were booked solid. Cunduz is hoping for a burst
of new tourist business.
`I hear up to 10,000 Armenian visitors will be coming,' he says, as he
steers his boat towards a small island at one end of the lake.
Nestled amid the rocks, stands a stone church with a pointed dome.
Armenian Christians built it 11 centuries ago. The only way to get to
Akhtamar Church is by boat.
Visitors have to climb up a steep pathway to reach the church's low
entrance, where on a recent visit, chanting echoed from inside the
building.
Inside, a man was seated barefoot in lotus position on the floor,
singing. His voice echoed off vaulted ceilings decorated with
hand-drawn icons painted cobalt blue and charcoal black.
An embarrassed Turkish security guard approached and interrupted.
`This is a museum. Prayer is illegal in here,' the guard explained.
`Even if someone comes and reads a poem out loud, even if a Muslim
prays here, we have to stop them.'
He offered the man a candle, and directed him towards a dark alcove in
the church where visitors were invited to light candles.
The singer turned out to be Father Anno Schulte-Herbrûggen, a visiting
Catholic priest from Austria.
`At least they cannot forbid me to pray silently,' Father Anno later said.
A few years ago, the church's roof was leaking, its ancient icons in
danger of being destroyed.
The Turkish government embarked on a million dollar restoration of the
building. It was re-opened in 2007, but this month will mark the first
time Armenians will be allowed to pray here.
The church is an architectural gem. Its rock exterior is decorated
with ornately carved sculptures of warriors, saints and gargoyles. The
façade is also scored with countless small crosses and Armenian
messages, apparently graffiti carved into the rock by pilgrims over
the centuries.
`This place is really wonderful!' exclaimed Dilan Bal, an ethnic Kurd
from Switzerland. `It's a church and we are Muslims... so its
interesting.'
Bal and several other friends from Europe had been performing
impromptu folk dances inside the church. They were among the day's
handful of visitors to Akhtamar.
The church stands as a lonely symbol of a culture that has all but
disappeared from this corner of Eastern Turkey.
Some observers hope Sunday's church service will mark a step towards
healing the deep scars left by this bloody chapter of history.
But suspicion between Armenians and Turks still runs deep.
Armenians have objected to the Turkish government's decision not to
allow a cross to be placed on the dome of the roof. In recent weeks,
Turkey has allowed a cross to be erected on the grounds in front of
the church.
Meanwhile, in October 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed U.S. and
European-backed agreements aimed at restoring normal diplomatic
relations between the two neighbors. But as of this month, the
Turkish-Armenian border, which is located less than 200 miles from
Akhtamar Island, still remains closed.
`The church, it belongs to the Armenians,' says Muzbah Cunduz, the
ferryboat captain. `But the land around here does not.'
/Times.am/
From: A. Papazian
Sept 19 2010
CNN: `At least they cannot forbid me to pray silently,' Father Anno
By Times.am at 19 September, 2010, 12:52 am
For the first time in nearly a century, the Turkish government will
allow Armenian Christians to hold a prayer service in one of the
area's oldest and most famous churches, CNN reported.
More than two months before the scheduled September 19th church
service, nearby hotels were booked solid. Cunduz is hoping for a burst
of new tourist business.
`I hear up to 10,000 Armenian visitors will be coming,' he says, as he
steers his boat towards a small island at one end of the lake.
Nestled amid the rocks, stands a stone church with a pointed dome.
Armenian Christians built it 11 centuries ago. The only way to get to
Akhtamar Church is by boat.
Visitors have to climb up a steep pathway to reach the church's low
entrance, where on a recent visit, chanting echoed from inside the
building.
Inside, a man was seated barefoot in lotus position on the floor,
singing. His voice echoed off vaulted ceilings decorated with
hand-drawn icons painted cobalt blue and charcoal black.
An embarrassed Turkish security guard approached and interrupted.
`This is a museum. Prayer is illegal in here,' the guard explained.
`Even if someone comes and reads a poem out loud, even if a Muslim
prays here, we have to stop them.'
He offered the man a candle, and directed him towards a dark alcove in
the church where visitors were invited to light candles.
The singer turned out to be Father Anno Schulte-Herbrûggen, a visiting
Catholic priest from Austria.
`At least they cannot forbid me to pray silently,' Father Anno later said.
A few years ago, the church's roof was leaking, its ancient icons in
danger of being destroyed.
The Turkish government embarked on a million dollar restoration of the
building. It was re-opened in 2007, but this month will mark the first
time Armenians will be allowed to pray here.
The church is an architectural gem. Its rock exterior is decorated
with ornately carved sculptures of warriors, saints and gargoyles. The
façade is also scored with countless small crosses and Armenian
messages, apparently graffiti carved into the rock by pilgrims over
the centuries.
`This place is really wonderful!' exclaimed Dilan Bal, an ethnic Kurd
from Switzerland. `It's a church and we are Muslims... so its
interesting.'
Bal and several other friends from Europe had been performing
impromptu folk dances inside the church. They were among the day's
handful of visitors to Akhtamar.
The church stands as a lonely symbol of a culture that has all but
disappeared from this corner of Eastern Turkey.
Some observers hope Sunday's church service will mark a step towards
healing the deep scars left by this bloody chapter of history.
But suspicion between Armenians and Turks still runs deep.
Armenians have objected to the Turkish government's decision not to
allow a cross to be placed on the dome of the roof. In recent weeks,
Turkey has allowed a cross to be erected on the grounds in front of
the church.
Meanwhile, in October 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed U.S. and
European-backed agreements aimed at restoring normal diplomatic
relations between the two neighbors. But as of this month, the
Turkish-Armenian border, which is located less than 200 miles from
Akhtamar Island, still remains closed.
`The church, it belongs to the Armenians,' says Muzbah Cunduz, the
ferryboat captain. `But the land around here does not.'
/Times.am/
From: A. Papazian