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Today's Zaman , Turkey
Sept 11 2011
Armenians hold second religious ceremony at Akdamar church
11 September 2011, Sunday / TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
A second religious ceremony has been held since the historic Sept. 19,
2010 service at the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on the island of
Akdamar in the eastern province of Van on Sunday.
Hymns and prayers resonated on Akdamar Island in 2010, 95 years after
religious services ended in the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross,
which occupies a special place in medieval Armenian art and
architecture and is a jewel for Turkey, as indicated by Turkish and
foreign observers.
Known in English as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross, the church
was in ruins and on the verge of collapse. However, by order of Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
started a restoration project in 2005 to preserve the historical
identity of the church. The church has since become a hotspot for
domestic and international tourists since being opened as a museum by
the ministry after its restoration work was completed in 2007.
Armenian Orthodox Archbishop Aram AteÅ?yan, together with other
religious representatives and almost 2,000 Armenians travelled to the
island by ferry in the early hours of Sunday. The ceremony was led by
Archbishop AteÅ?yan. Income received from the sale of candles at the
church will be sent to famine stricken Somalia.
The church, which had attracted nearly 30,000 tourists until the end
of 2010, has received even more number of visitors during the first
seven months of the year, tourism officials told the Anatolia news
agency.
Officials said the number of tourists visiting the church was expected
to reach 60,000 by the end of 2011.
The Armenian Church of the Holy Cross was a monastic complex until
1920s, but deteriorated in condition after being abandoned during
World War I. Upon a proposal by the Governor's Office of Van and
approval of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the church is
expected to now host annual religious services.
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. Armenians say 1.5 million Armenians were killed during a
systematic campaign in eastern Anatolia, while Turkey strongly rejects
the claims of genocide, saying the killings came as the Ottoman Empire
was trying to quell civil strife and that Muslim Turks were also
killed in the conflict. There are only around 60,000 Armenians left
living in Turkey, mostly in Ä°stanbul.
Sept 11 2011
Armenians hold second religious ceremony at Akdamar church
11 September 2011, Sunday / TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
A second religious ceremony has been held since the historic Sept. 19,
2010 service at the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on the island of
Akdamar in the eastern province of Van on Sunday.
Hymns and prayers resonated on Akdamar Island in 2010, 95 years after
religious services ended in the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross,
which occupies a special place in medieval Armenian art and
architecture and is a jewel for Turkey, as indicated by Turkish and
foreign observers.
Known in English as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross, the church
was in ruins and on the verge of collapse. However, by order of Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
started a restoration project in 2005 to preserve the historical
identity of the church. The church has since become a hotspot for
domestic and international tourists since being opened as a museum by
the ministry after its restoration work was completed in 2007.
Armenian Orthodox Archbishop Aram AteÅ?yan, together with other
religious representatives and almost 2,000 Armenians travelled to the
island by ferry in the early hours of Sunday. The ceremony was led by
Archbishop AteÅ?yan. Income received from the sale of candles at the
church will be sent to famine stricken Somalia.
The church, which had attracted nearly 30,000 tourists until the end
of 2010, has received even more number of visitors during the first
seven months of the year, tourism officials told the Anatolia news
agency.
Officials said the number of tourists visiting the church was expected
to reach 60,000 by the end of 2011.
The Armenian Church of the Holy Cross was a monastic complex until
1920s, but deteriorated in condition after being abandoned during
World War I. Upon a proposal by the Governor's Office of Van and
approval of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the church is
expected to now host annual religious services.
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. Armenians say 1.5 million Armenians were killed during a
systematic campaign in eastern Anatolia, while Turkey strongly rejects
the claims of genocide, saying the killings came as the Ottoman Empire
was trying to quell civil strife and that Muslim Turks were also
killed in the conflict. There are only around 60,000 Armenians left
living in Turkey, mostly in Ä°stanbul.