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SOURP GIRAGOS IN DIYARBAKIR GETS BELL BACK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 98 YEARS TO CELEBRATE THE EASTER HOLIDAY
14:15, 1 April, 2013
YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian community has rung the
bells of Diyarbakır's Surp Giragos Armenian Church for the first
time in 98 years to celebrate the Easter holiday, reports Armenpress
referring to Dogan news ageny. Though, no masses were held at the
church, the community prayed to celebrate the religious holiday
before distributing colored eggs and pastries. According to Dogan,
the community failed to conduct a mass for Easter, since the Istanbul
Patriarchate previously responded to a request to send priests to
the church by telling the community that it would take a week for
the religious official to arrive in Diyarbakır.
The Armenian Weekly reports that, as it proved difficult for the
Istanbul Patriarchate to send a member of the clergy to Diyarbakir
on Easter Sunday, Kevork Fikri, an intellectual who offers Armenian
language courses in the city, was asked to help with the celebrations.
Many Islamized Armenians and Author Å~^ehmuz Diken were among the
participants in the Easter celebrations. "As a child, I use to come
to this church with my family on religious holidays. We celebrated
with the Armenians, and they celebrated with us. Most of our Armenian
neighbors are not among us now," said Diken.
Diyarbakır's Surp Giragos Armenian Church is the largest Armenian
church in the Middle East. It had been out of service for almost
a century now, and was recently restored with a $3.200.000 budget
before it was re-opened.
14:15, 1 April, 2013
YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian community has rung the
bells of Diyarbakır's Surp Giragos Armenian Church for the first
time in 98 years to celebrate the Easter holiday, reports Armenpress
referring to Dogan news ageny. Though, no masses were held at the
church, the community prayed to celebrate the religious holiday
before distributing colored eggs and pastries. According to Dogan,
the community failed to conduct a mass for Easter, since the Istanbul
Patriarchate previously responded to a request to send priests to
the church by telling the community that it would take a week for
the religious official to arrive in Diyarbakır.
The Armenian Weekly reports that, as it proved difficult for the
Istanbul Patriarchate to send a member of the clergy to Diyarbakir
on Easter Sunday, Kevork Fikri, an intellectual who offers Armenian
language courses in the city, was asked to help with the celebrations.
Many Islamized Armenians and Author Å~^ehmuz Diken were among the
participants in the Easter celebrations. "As a child, I use to come
to this church with my family on religious holidays. We celebrated
with the Armenians, and they celebrated with us. Most of our Armenian
neighbors are not among us now," said Diken.
Diyarbakır's Surp Giragos Armenian Church is the largest Armenian
church in the Middle East. It had been out of service for almost
a century now, and was recently restored with a $3.200.000 budget
before it was re-opened.