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ARMENIAN CHURCH IN EASTERN TURKEY GETS BELL BACK, STILL LACKS PRIEST ON EASTER DAY
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 2 2013
photo: Members of the Armenian community in Diyarbakır knock their
eggs together, a local tradition on the Easter day. DHA photo
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, but failed to hold a proper mass due to a lack
of priests to take part, Dogan news ageny reported yesterday.
The church 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.
The community visited the grounds yesterday, Easter Sunday. The bronze
bell, which was built in Russia, was rung for the first time in almost
a century.
The community failed to conduct a mass for Easter, however, 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. As a
result, no masses were held at the church, but the community prayed
to celebrate the religious holiday nevertheless, before distributing
colored eggs and pastries.
"This is our first Easter celebration since the bell was put in,"
CalıÅ~_ said. "This year we had the bell and the celebration was
more beautiful."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan released an official
statement yesterday to celebrate the Easter holiday. "We, members of a
deep-rooted tradition of respecting religious faiths and differences,
believe that our culture of living together in peace and safety will
prevail, just as it has done so in the past," Erdogan said.
President Abdullah Gul also released a statement, stating that he
shared "the excitement with all my heart."
Meanwhile, Pope Francis delivered a plea for peace in his first Easter
Sunday message to the world, decrying the seemingly endless conflicts
in the Middle East and on the Korean peninsula after celebrating Mass
at an outdoor altar before more than 250,000 people St. Peter's Square.
April/01/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-church-in-eastern-turkey-gets-bell-back-still-lacks-priest-on-easter-day.aspx?pageID=238&nID=44017&NewsCatID=341
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 2 2013
photo: Members of the Armenian community in Diyarbakır knock their
eggs together, a local tradition on the Easter day. DHA photo
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, but failed to hold a proper mass due to a lack
of priests to take part, Dogan news ageny reported yesterday.
The church 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.
The community visited the grounds yesterday, Easter Sunday. The bronze
bell, which was built in Russia, was rung for the first time in almost
a century.
The community failed to conduct a mass for Easter, however, 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. As a
result, no masses were held at the church, but the community prayed
to celebrate the religious holiday nevertheless, before distributing
colored eggs and pastries.
"This is our first Easter celebration since the bell was put in,"
CalıÅ~_ said. "This year we had the bell and the celebration was
more beautiful."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan released an official
statement yesterday to celebrate the Easter holiday. "We, members of a
deep-rooted tradition of respecting religious faiths and differences,
believe that our culture of living together in peace and safety will
prevail, just as it has done so in the past," Erdogan said.
President Abdullah Gul also released a statement, stating that he
shared "the excitement with all my heart."
Meanwhile, Pope Francis delivered a plea for peace in his first Easter
Sunday message to the world, decrying the seemingly endless conflicts
in the Middle East and on the Korean peninsula after celebrating Mass
at an outdoor altar before more than 250,000 people St. Peter's Square.
April/01/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-church-in-eastern-turkey-gets-bell-back-still-lacks-priest-on-easter-day.aspx?pageID=238&nID=44017&NewsCatID=341
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress