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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Sept 8 2013
First baptism in 100 years takes place in Turkey's Akdamar Church
8 September 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, ?Ä?°STANBUL
For the first time in 100 years, a baptism ceremony has taken place at
the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on the island of Akdamar in
Turkey's eastern province of Van.
This is the fourth year that Armenians from Turkey and around the
world have flocked to Akdamar for an annual religious service in the
island's 10th-century church. However, this year, for the first time,
a baptism ceremony was performed during the service in the historic
church. Six people, from both Turkey and Armenia, were baptized in
Lake Van. Following the baptism ceremony, hymns and prayers resounded
in the Armenian church, which occupies a special place in Armenian art
and architecture from the medieval era.
Some 800 security officers stood on guard during the ceremony. Police
took tight security measures in and around the island, including bomb
searches on vehicles with sniffer dogs and police divers.
The Armenian Church of the Holy Cross was a monastic complex until the
1920s, but fell into disrepair after being abandoned during World War
I. Upon a suggestion from the Van Governor's Office, approved by the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the church started to host annual
religious services in 2010.
The church was in ruins and on the verge of collapse. However, by
order of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?Ä?an, the Ministry of Culture
and Tourism started a restoration project in 2005 to preserve the
church's historical legacy. The church has since become a focus for
domestic and international tourists after it was converted into a
museum by the ministry upon completion of its restoration in 2007.
The Armenians resident in this province, located to the east of Lake
Van in eastern Anatolia, were deported by Ottoman forces in 1915.
Armenian organizations claim that 1.5 million Armenians were killed as
part of a systematic campaign in eastern Anatolia, while Turkey
strongly rejects the claims of genocide, saying that the killings
occurred because the Ottoman Empire was trying to quell civil
disturbances, and that Muslim Turks were also killed in the conflict.
There are a mere 60,000 Armenians left in Turkey, mostly in ?Ä?°stanbul.
Neighboring Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations, and a
move for reconciliation launched in 2009 has not borne fruit. This
historic reconciliation process was launched between Turkey and
Armenia in 2009, when the two sides signed twin protocols to normalize
diplomatic relations, but the move was not well received in
Azerbaijan. The protocols, signed in Zurich, disrupted
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations because the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has yet to be resolved.
Ratification of the protocols stalled after Turkey insisted that
Armenia first agree to resolve the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. The issue of Armenia's withdrawal from the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and seven adjacent territories is important to Ankara, which
has frequently signaled that this step would pave the way for the
opening of its border with Armenia. Turkey closed its border with
Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with Azerbaijan after Armenian armed
forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region, in 1992.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-325817-first-baptism-in-100-years-takes-place-in-turkeys-akdamar-church.html
Sept 8 2013
First baptism in 100 years takes place in Turkey's Akdamar Church
8 September 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, ?Ä?°STANBUL
For the first time in 100 years, a baptism ceremony has taken place at
the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on the island of Akdamar in
Turkey's eastern province of Van.
This is the fourth year that Armenians from Turkey and around the
world have flocked to Akdamar for an annual religious service in the
island's 10th-century church. However, this year, for the first time,
a baptism ceremony was performed during the service in the historic
church. Six people, from both Turkey and Armenia, were baptized in
Lake Van. Following the baptism ceremony, hymns and prayers resounded
in the Armenian church, which occupies a special place in Armenian art
and architecture from the medieval era.
Some 800 security officers stood on guard during the ceremony. Police
took tight security measures in and around the island, including bomb
searches on vehicles with sniffer dogs and police divers.
The Armenian Church of the Holy Cross was a monastic complex until the
1920s, but fell into disrepair after being abandoned during World War
I. Upon a suggestion from the Van Governor's Office, approved by the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the church started to host annual
religious services in 2010.
The church was in ruins and on the verge of collapse. However, by
order of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?Ä?an, the Ministry of Culture
and Tourism started a restoration project in 2005 to preserve the
church's historical legacy. The church has since become a focus for
domestic and international tourists after it was converted into a
museum by the ministry upon completion of its restoration in 2007.
The Armenians resident in this province, located to the east of Lake
Van in eastern Anatolia, were deported by Ottoman forces in 1915.
Armenian organizations claim that 1.5 million Armenians were killed as
part of a systematic campaign in eastern Anatolia, while Turkey
strongly rejects the claims of genocide, saying that the killings
occurred because the Ottoman Empire was trying to quell civil
disturbances, and that Muslim Turks were also killed in the conflict.
There are a mere 60,000 Armenians left in Turkey, mostly in ?Ä?°stanbul.
Neighboring Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations, and a
move for reconciliation launched in 2009 has not borne fruit. This
historic reconciliation process was launched between Turkey and
Armenia in 2009, when the two sides signed twin protocols to normalize
diplomatic relations, but the move was not well received in
Azerbaijan. The protocols, signed in Zurich, disrupted
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations because the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has yet to be resolved.
Ratification of the protocols stalled after Turkey insisted that
Armenia first agree to resolve the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. The issue of Armenia's withdrawal from the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and seven adjacent territories is important to Ankara, which
has frequently signaled that this step would pave the way for the
opening of its border with Armenia. Turkey closed its border with
Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with Azerbaijan after Armenian armed
forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region, in 1992.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-325817-first-baptism-in-100-years-takes-place-in-turkeys-akdamar-church.html