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TURKISH MAYOR PLEDGES TO REBUILD ARMENIAN CHURCH
12:27 * 11.11.14
The mayor of the Turkish town of Balu has expressed a desire to
undertake the reconstruction of an Armenian church.
According to Agos, Mehmed Sayit Dagoglu has expressed regret that the
church, left to the mercy of fate since the 1970s, has long been the
target of treasure hunters.
"When I was small, there was kind of tradition to throw stones there.
That's how I remember my childhood. They said the more stones you
throw the closer you will be to paradise. And it was ravaged. Later
it appeared under the target of treasure hunters who had no inkling
of respect for history and culture. We happened in the past was not
committed by us. So shame on those people who did it," he told the
publication.
The mayor said he no longer wishes to see the church's dome bent,
adding that he has requested aid from the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constanople and natives of Balu residing in Europe.
"The Patriarchate, our townspeople in Europe and we will help a little
bit each to return the church to its former image," he added.
The publication says that the town once had an Armenian population
of 5,250, as well as five churches and four schools (which later too,
turned into churches).
The mayor said he hopes that they will start rebuilding the historical
in 2015 (after settling the ownership issue).
Dagoglu stressed the church's importance for the pious.
"Our ancestors lived together for centuries. Whoever wanted to go
to mosque went to mosque and whoever wanted to visit a church did so
without any problem. We speak of a church whose history traces back
eight centuries. Perhaps it hasn't functioned for a century now,
but it served the pious for 700 years ... God willing, we will live
with our neighbors in Balu," he added.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/11/11/balu-church/
12:27 * 11.11.14
The mayor of the Turkish town of Balu has expressed a desire to
undertake the reconstruction of an Armenian church.
According to Agos, Mehmed Sayit Dagoglu has expressed regret that the
church, left to the mercy of fate since the 1970s, has long been the
target of treasure hunters.
"When I was small, there was kind of tradition to throw stones there.
That's how I remember my childhood. They said the more stones you
throw the closer you will be to paradise. And it was ravaged. Later
it appeared under the target of treasure hunters who had no inkling
of respect for history and culture. We happened in the past was not
committed by us. So shame on those people who did it," he told the
publication.
The mayor said he no longer wishes to see the church's dome bent,
adding that he has requested aid from the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constanople and natives of Balu residing in Europe.
"The Patriarchate, our townspeople in Europe and we will help a little
bit each to return the church to its former image," he added.
The publication says that the town once had an Armenian population
of 5,250, as well as five churches and four schools (which later too,
turned into churches).
The mayor said he hopes that they will start rebuilding the historical
in 2015 (after settling the ownership issue).
Dagoglu stressed the church's importance for the pious.
"Our ancestors lived together for centuries. Whoever wanted to go
to mosque went to mosque and whoever wanted to visit a church did so
without any problem. We speak of a church whose history traces back
eight centuries. Perhaps it hasn't functioned for a century now,
but it served the pious for 700 years ... God willing, we will live
with our neighbors in Balu," he added.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/11/11/balu-church/