23:45, 18 September 2010

Turkey: liturgy to take place in Armenian Church of Surb Khach

On September 19, liturgy will be held in the Armenian Church of "Sacred Cross" (Surb Khach), located on Lake Van. Armenian organizations refused take part in the event because there is no Christian cross crowning the church dome.

In March this year, Ertugrul Gunay, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, signed an application of Munir Karaoglu, Governor of Van Province, to allow Armenians to hold their religious practices once a year, in the second half of September, in the "Sacred Cross" Church.

However, in early September, the Governor said that for technical reasons they would not be able to install the 200-kilogram iron cross by the Varaga Surb Khach holiday (that is, before September 19). This news caused negative reaction of Armenian public organizations.

At the same time, according to Boris Navasardyan, President of the Yerevan Press Club, the "Constantinople (Istanbul) Patriarchy of the Armenian Apostolic Church is ready to hold divine services there with the cross, non-installed but placed nearby."