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HULIQ.com, SC
Oct 23 2011
American Armenian Christian Pilgrims Safe in Eastern Turkey After Earthquake
Submitted by Armen Hareyan on 2011-10-23
A delegation of Armenian American pilgrims who had departed to Eastern
Turkey to renovate the largest Christian church in the Middle East,
St. Giragos Armenian Church, are reportedly safe and not effected by
the powerful earthquake hitting the Eastern province of Van this
morning.
The Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America expresses its
sorrow over the lives lost in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that rocked
eastern Turkey this morning.
We are greatly relieved to report that the delegation of Armenian
pilgrims, who had departed from the Eastern Diocese earlier this week
to take part in the re-consecration of the historic Armenian Church in
the city of Diarbekir (Dikranagert), are safe and were not affected in
any way by the earthquake. The group of Diocesan leaders led by
Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian were far from the strike
zone and did not experience any of the tremors or aftershocks,
Archbishop Barsamian reported in a telephone interview on Sunday
morning.
Plans for later this week which would have taken the pilgrims to
Van - the historic Armenian region which was seriously affected by this
morning's disaster - were cancelled; instead, the pilgrims visited the
St. Kevork Church in Derek, near Mardin. They will travel to Istanbul
as scheduled on Tuesday.
The sacred festivities at the St. Giragos Church in Dikranakert took
place before the earthquake, and went forward as planned. Archbishop
Barsamian described the service as deeply moving, both in terms of the
event itself and in terms of the extremely warm welcome accorded the
Armenian visitors to the city. More than 2,000 people took part in the
service, including dignitaries from the Armenian Church, officials
from various levels of Turkey's government, and diplomats from a
number of countries, including the U.S.
"After such a splendid ceremony, our hearts were heavy when we learned
of the earthquake, and our prayers go out to the victims and their
families," Archbishop Barsamian said.
Log onto the website of the Eastern Diocese,
www.armenianchurch-ed.net, throughout the coming week for further
updates and photos of the pilgrimage.
Source: Released by the Diocese of Armenian Church of America
http://www.huliq.com/1/american-armenian-christian-pilgrims-safe-eastern-turkey-after-earthquake-1023
Oct 23 2011
American Armenian Christian Pilgrims Safe in Eastern Turkey After Earthquake
Submitted by Armen Hareyan on 2011-10-23
A delegation of Armenian American pilgrims who had departed to Eastern
Turkey to renovate the largest Christian church in the Middle East,
St. Giragos Armenian Church, are reportedly safe and not effected by
the powerful earthquake hitting the Eastern province of Van this
morning.
The Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America expresses its
sorrow over the lives lost in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that rocked
eastern Turkey this morning.
We are greatly relieved to report that the delegation of Armenian
pilgrims, who had departed from the Eastern Diocese earlier this week
to take part in the re-consecration of the historic Armenian Church in
the city of Diarbekir (Dikranagert), are safe and were not affected in
any way by the earthquake. The group of Diocesan leaders led by
Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian were far from the strike
zone and did not experience any of the tremors or aftershocks,
Archbishop Barsamian reported in a telephone interview on Sunday
morning.
Plans for later this week which would have taken the pilgrims to
Van - the historic Armenian region which was seriously affected by this
morning's disaster - were cancelled; instead, the pilgrims visited the
St. Kevork Church in Derek, near Mardin. They will travel to Istanbul
as scheduled on Tuesday.
The sacred festivities at the St. Giragos Church in Dikranakert took
place before the earthquake, and went forward as planned. Archbishop
Barsamian described the service as deeply moving, both in terms of the
event itself and in terms of the extremely warm welcome accorded the
Armenian visitors to the city. More than 2,000 people took part in the
service, including dignitaries from the Armenian Church, officials
from various levels of Turkey's government, and diplomats from a
number of countries, including the U.S.
"After such a splendid ceremony, our hearts were heavy when we learned
of the earthquake, and our prayers go out to the victims and their
families," Archbishop Barsamian said.
Log onto the website of the Eastern Diocese,
www.armenianchurch-ed.net, throughout the coming week for further
updates and photos of the pilgrimage.
Source: Released by the Diocese of Armenian Church of America
http://www.huliq.com/1/american-armenian-christian-pilgrims-safe-eastern-turkey-after-earthquake-1023