An 1,100-year-old Armenian church in Turkey’s jap Van province hosted its tenth particular Mass because it opened in 2010 after a 95-year hiatus, reported Mesut Varol and Emre Ilikan from Anadolu Company.
Sahak Mashalyan, head of the Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey, and Father Harutyun Damatian got here to the island with their clergy to carry out the ceremony at Akdamar Church.
The liturgy was presided over by Damatian and attended by 46 clerics from the patriarchate and a few guests from Istanbul, Armenia and different elements of the world.
After the liturgy, Mashalyan expressed his gratitude to the authorities who gave permission for the ceremony to happen.
He additionally made remarks concerning the ongoing dialogue between Turkey and Armenia.
Stressing that the Turkish and Armenian nations share a thousand-year coexistence, Mashalyan stated the 2 nations can develop promising and brighter relations, Anadolu Company reported.
“Immediately we prayed that the 2 pleasant peoples would stay in peace in order that the Caucasus would turn out to be a land of peace. Could God shield our nation and humanity,” Mashalyan stated.
A whole lot of pilgrims flocked to the island the place the distinctive temple is situated.
Akdamar Church, a medieval Armenian place of worship, was constructed between 915-921 by architect Bishop Manuel below the route of King Gagik I Artsruni.
The church, which has a particular place in East-West Christian artwork, bears an important decorations and essentially the most elaborate wall reliefs of its time and was accepted into the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative Record on April 13, 2015.
On September 19, 2010, Akdamar Church hosted its first service after a 95-year hiatus. Since then, a service is held within the church annually, solely on at the present time.
Picture: Akdamar Church, on the island of the identical identify in Lake Van, Turkey | AA
