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Istanbul Christian church hosts first mass in 41 years
17:15 ¢ 03.08.13
The Hagia Elia Church, which belongs to Turkey's White Russians, was
reopened to mass after 41 years on August 2, with a ceremony led by
spiritual leaders from the Fener Greek OrthodoxPatriarchate, Hurriyet
Daily News reported.
A mass in Istanbul's Karaköy neighborhood was held on the church's
name day for the first time since 1972. However, Sunday masses will
not be held regularly due to the lack of a permanent priest. The
church, which belongs to the Russian émigrés who had fled from the
Bolshevik regime in 1921, is situated on the roof of a structure where
monks used to reside, a style of architecture rarely seen in Anatolia.
Kazmir Pamir, the deputy head of the White Russians' PAE Fukaraperver
Association, told the Hürriyet Daily News that even though it was an
important step to reopen the church to mass, it was not enough.
`We are grateful to the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Bartholomew
for the mass but a cleric needs to be appointed for us to hold our
Sunday masses regularly,' Pamir said. Pamir said the demolition of the
church was still at issue and that an action to avoid this should be
taken. `Something has to be done urgently,' said Pamir. The Hagia Elia
Church faces the risk of being demolished as part of the privatization
of the Istanbul Salıpazarı Port, also known as the Galataport project,
located in Karaköy. The church will be demolished if the demolition
resolution, which is being suspended currently, is to be implemented.
Stressing that the church was in a dilapidated state, Pamir said it
needed restoration. `The association's budget is not enough for the
restoration of the church, we need a sponsor,' said Pamir, adding that
they would have to put away the antique icons that they took out from
the chests for the mass. `We need even the smallest support. This
church will stand with your help.'
Though most of the White Russians that came to Turkey in the 1920s
migrated to other countries in the course of time, a remarkable amount
of the community stayed in Istanbul.
While around 100,000 Russians reside in Turkey, including the Russians
that came to the country lately, according to the PAE
Fukaraperver Association, they own three churches and a monk's house,
which is currently used as a commercial building in Istanbul. The
properties belong to the Russian Monastery at the Mt. Athos Monastery
Complex in Greece and the Fener Greek Patriarchate is in charge of the
churches.
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
17:15 ¢ 03.08.13
The Hagia Elia Church, which belongs to Turkey's White Russians, was
reopened to mass after 41 years on August 2, with a ceremony led by
spiritual leaders from the Fener Greek OrthodoxPatriarchate, Hurriyet
Daily News reported.
A mass in Istanbul's Karaköy neighborhood was held on the church's
name day for the first time since 1972. However, Sunday masses will
not be held regularly due to the lack of a permanent priest. The
church, which belongs to the Russian émigrés who had fled from the
Bolshevik regime in 1921, is situated on the roof of a structure where
monks used to reside, a style of architecture rarely seen in Anatolia.
Kazmir Pamir, the deputy head of the White Russians' PAE Fukaraperver
Association, told the Hürriyet Daily News that even though it was an
important step to reopen the church to mass, it was not enough.
`We are grateful to the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Bartholomew
for the mass but a cleric needs to be appointed for us to hold our
Sunday masses regularly,' Pamir said. Pamir said the demolition of the
church was still at issue and that an action to avoid this should be
taken. `Something has to be done urgently,' said Pamir. The Hagia Elia
Church faces the risk of being demolished as part of the privatization
of the Istanbul Salıpazarı Port, also known as the Galataport project,
located in Karaköy. The church will be demolished if the demolition
resolution, which is being suspended currently, is to be implemented.
Stressing that the church was in a dilapidated state, Pamir said it
needed restoration. `The association's budget is not enough for the
restoration of the church, we need a sponsor,' said Pamir, adding that
they would have to put away the antique icons that they took out from
the chests for the mass. `We need even the smallest support. This
church will stand with your help.'
Though most of the White Russians that came to Turkey in the 1920s
migrated to other countries in the course of time, a remarkable amount
of the community stayed in Istanbul.
While around 100,000 Russians reside in Turkey, including the Russians
that came to the country lately, according to the PAE
Fukaraperver Association, they own three churches and a monk's house,
which is currently used as a commercial building in Istanbul. The
properties belong to the Russian Monastery at the Mt. Athos Monastery
Complex in Greece and the Fener Greek Patriarchate is in charge of the
churches.
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress