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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Sept 18 2010
Van, its people ready for Armenians gathering for historic service
The people of Van are saying that they are ready to be hosts for the
mostly Armenian visitors who will be in the city on Sunday for the
historic religious service at the 10th century Armenian Church of the
Holy Cross on Akdamar Island in Lake Van.
"If there is an Armenian fear, it is because of ignorance," said Yaşar
Kuzgun, 66, a retired civil servant.
"This religious service will make both Turks and Armenians interact.
If there are still fears, they will start to disappear," he added.
The Turkish government is opening the 1,100-year-old Cathedral of the
Holy Cross for a one-day religious service on Sept. 19 -- an event
that is to become an annual occurrence.
Many people believe that a religious service at the historic church,
which is now a state museum, could be a symbol of reconciliation
between Turkey and Armenia -- which still do not have diplomatic
relations despite the US-brokered peace accords the two countries
signed last year.
The Armenians who lived in this province -- located on the eastern
shore of Lake Van and in eastern Anatolia -- were deported by Ottoman
forces in 1915, while the Ottoman Empire was trying to quell civil
strife.
"Turks and Armenians lived in peace here in the past. That's what our
grandfathers tell us. There have been some provocations, and as a
result, there have been hostilities between the two peoples," said
Tamer Karoğlu, 32, who sells construction materials in Van's lively
market.
There are approximately 60,000 Armenians left living mostly in
İstanbul, and as such, the church does not have a congregation -- but
the church is very important for Armenians inside and outside of
Turkey.
The cross will be erected after the service, if not before, upon the
initiative of the Van Chamber of Commerce.
Akdamar Island has received almost as many tourists in the first seven
months of this year as it did during the whole of 2009, when more than
20,000 tourists visited the island. This year, there have been already
around 17,000 visitors.
Officials said the visits started to increase as word spread that the
site would be opened to worship.
Sinan Çağlar, 28, a jeweler in the Van market, sells gold pendants
prepared especially for the Sept. 19 event -- as it depicts the Church
of the Holy Cross.
"Armenians are our old neighbors. We have high expectations from the
event. We hope the church will be opened every six months to worship
or even more, not just for one day a year," he said.
Some residents of Van voice reservations regarding the opening of the
church but maintain that they still support the government's
initiative to restore the church and open it to services.
"The Sunday service will be a test. We will see how the Armenians
behave. If they do not have any more claims, like demanding land, we
will continue our dialogue," said a 27-year-old woman who identified
herself as Zeynep.
Governor: We expect no problems
Van Governor Münir Karaloğlu said preparations were complete for the
religious gathering.
"We have our technical preparations complete. In terms of security,
our city's police will be sufficient. We will have a helicopter to
observe the island from the air. The church on the island is very
small, so a lot of people will follow the service from live television
on the island. Our press tent will serve journalists who come to the
city to cover the event," Van's popular governor told Today's Zaman.
On Friday, the press center at the governor's office was busy with
foreign and domestic journalists who were receiving accreditation for
the Sept. 19 event. The staff was helpful and quick. So far 118
Turkish and 27 foreign members of press had been accredited.
The governor's office also said the city's hotels and hostels were
full and that if there were more visitors, the people of Van were
ready to host them in their homes.
"Our goal is to serve people. We want our visitors to be happy. When
you look at the old city of Van, you see that a mosque, a church and a
synagogue existed not far from each other. This religious service is
an opportunity to show our hospitality and our tolerance," Karaloğlu
said, while adding that he felt lucky to be a governor at this
historic time.
'Cross will be erected after ceremony'
There had been problems surrounding erecting a 100-kilogram cross on
top of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island, but the
problem was mostly solved by temporarily placing the cross on a wooden
base.
Turkish officials said there were difficulties in erecting the cross
on the steeple in time for the historic service, leading to the
temporary solution.
Armenian Patriarchate clergymen from İstanbul will decide where to
display the cross -- inside or outside of the church -- until it is
erected on the church after the service and when preparations are
complete.
Father Tatoul Anushian told Today's Zaman that, according to Turkish
officials, the cross would be permanently placed on the church after
the service.
Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, had agreed to send two
senior clerics to the church for the service. However, the decision
was revoked after controversy erupted over whether or not the cross
would be erected on the steeple of the church for the service.
Meanwhile, on Friday afternoon, Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Chairman Zahir Kandaşoğlu began efforts to erect the cross before the
Sept. 19 service.
18 September 2010, Saturday
YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN İSTANBUL
From: A. Papazian
Sept 18 2010
Van, its people ready for Armenians gathering for historic service
The people of Van are saying that they are ready to be hosts for the
mostly Armenian visitors who will be in the city on Sunday for the
historic religious service at the 10th century Armenian Church of the
Holy Cross on Akdamar Island in Lake Van.
"If there is an Armenian fear, it is because of ignorance," said Yaşar
Kuzgun, 66, a retired civil servant.
"This religious service will make both Turks and Armenians interact.
If there are still fears, they will start to disappear," he added.
The Turkish government is opening the 1,100-year-old Cathedral of the
Holy Cross for a one-day religious service on Sept. 19 -- an event
that is to become an annual occurrence.
Many people believe that a religious service at the historic church,
which is now a state museum, could be a symbol of reconciliation
between Turkey and Armenia -- which still do not have diplomatic
relations despite the US-brokered peace accords the two countries
signed last year.
The Armenians who lived in this province -- located on the eastern
shore of Lake Van and in eastern Anatolia -- were deported by Ottoman
forces in 1915, while the Ottoman Empire was trying to quell civil
strife.
"Turks and Armenians lived in peace here in the past. That's what our
grandfathers tell us. There have been some provocations, and as a
result, there have been hostilities between the two peoples," said
Tamer Karoğlu, 32, who sells construction materials in Van's lively
market.
There are approximately 60,000 Armenians left living mostly in
İstanbul, and as such, the church does not have a congregation -- but
the church is very important for Armenians inside and outside of
Turkey.
The cross will be erected after the service, if not before, upon the
initiative of the Van Chamber of Commerce.
Akdamar Island has received almost as many tourists in the first seven
months of this year as it did during the whole of 2009, when more than
20,000 tourists visited the island. This year, there have been already
around 17,000 visitors.
Officials said the visits started to increase as word spread that the
site would be opened to worship.
Sinan Çağlar, 28, a jeweler in the Van market, sells gold pendants
prepared especially for the Sept. 19 event -- as it depicts the Church
of the Holy Cross.
"Armenians are our old neighbors. We have high expectations from the
event. We hope the church will be opened every six months to worship
or even more, not just for one day a year," he said.
Some residents of Van voice reservations regarding the opening of the
church but maintain that they still support the government's
initiative to restore the church and open it to services.
"The Sunday service will be a test. We will see how the Armenians
behave. If they do not have any more claims, like demanding land, we
will continue our dialogue," said a 27-year-old woman who identified
herself as Zeynep.
Governor: We expect no problems
Van Governor Münir Karaloğlu said preparations were complete for the
religious gathering.
"We have our technical preparations complete. In terms of security,
our city's police will be sufficient. We will have a helicopter to
observe the island from the air. The church on the island is very
small, so a lot of people will follow the service from live television
on the island. Our press tent will serve journalists who come to the
city to cover the event," Van's popular governor told Today's Zaman.
On Friday, the press center at the governor's office was busy with
foreign and domestic journalists who were receiving accreditation for
the Sept. 19 event. The staff was helpful and quick. So far 118
Turkish and 27 foreign members of press had been accredited.
The governor's office also said the city's hotels and hostels were
full and that if there were more visitors, the people of Van were
ready to host them in their homes.
"Our goal is to serve people. We want our visitors to be happy. When
you look at the old city of Van, you see that a mosque, a church and a
synagogue existed not far from each other. This religious service is
an opportunity to show our hospitality and our tolerance," Karaloğlu
said, while adding that he felt lucky to be a governor at this
historic time.
'Cross will be erected after ceremony'
There had been problems surrounding erecting a 100-kilogram cross on
top of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island, but the
problem was mostly solved by temporarily placing the cross on a wooden
base.
Turkish officials said there were difficulties in erecting the cross
on the steeple in time for the historic service, leading to the
temporary solution.
Armenian Patriarchate clergymen from İstanbul will decide where to
display the cross -- inside or outside of the church -- until it is
erected on the church after the service and when preparations are
complete.
Father Tatoul Anushian told Today's Zaman that, according to Turkish
officials, the cross would be permanently placed on the church after
the service.
Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, had agreed to send two
senior clerics to the church for the service. However, the decision
was revoked after controversy erupted over whether or not the cross
would be erected on the steeple of the church for the service.
Meanwhile, on Friday afternoon, Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Chairman Zahir Kandaşoğlu began efforts to erect the cross before the
Sept. 19 service.
18 September 2010, Saturday
YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN İSTANBUL
From: A. Papazian