Tag: Armenian Church

  • Turkey Renovates Armenian Church

    Turkey Renovates Armenian Church

    080112 hot churchAn opening ceremony was held on December 28 at the recently renovated Vordvots Vorotman Armenian Church in Istanbul, Turkey. The ceremony was conducted by Deputy Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan.

    The renovation work of the Church, which was part of the “Istanbul: European Capital of Culture 2010” Project, roughly cost $1.5 million. 70 percent of the renovation expenses were reportedly covered by the Turkish government and 30 percent by the Armenian Church Foundation in Istanbul.

    The Church is now expected to be open to regular religious services under the direction of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey. It will also serve as a cultural center.

    Built in the early 19th century, the Church of Vorvotz Vorotman is one of many Christian heritage sites that Turkey has renovated in recent years.

    Turkish Coalition of America

  • Pilgrims from the Eastern Diocese take part in Consecration in Dikranakert

    Pilgrims from the Eastern Diocese take part in Consecration in Dikranakert

    October 24, 2011  —  Last week Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), led a group of Diocesan leaders on a pilgrimage to the city of Diarbekir (Dikranakert), in Turkey, where they took part in the October 22 re-consecration of the historic St. Giragos Armenian Church.

    photo4

    The group which included the Diocese’s Ecumenical Director, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, was scheduled to travel to the historic Armenian region of Van as well, but the earthquake in that region on Sunday afternoon caused a cancellation of those plans.

    As reported shortly after news of the disaster broke, the pilgrims from the Eastern Diocese are safe and were unaffected by the earthquake. But in a telephone interview Sunday, Archbishop Barsamian said, “After such a splendid [re-consecration] ceremony, our hearts were heavy when we learned of the earthquake, and our prayers go out to the victims and their families.”

    The restoration and re-consecration of the St. Giragos Armenian Church was a major event in the region, with dignitaries and pilgrims from around the world participating. Constructed in the 16th century, St. Giragos is arguably one of the great sanctuaries of the worldwide Armenian Church. After years of abuse, the recent renovation project—to which a number of diaspora Armenians contributed—has restored it to its former glory.

    The group of pilgrims from the Eastern Diocese arrived in Istanbul on Friday, October 21, and had dinner that evening with Archbishop Aram Ateshian, Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, who warmly welcomed the group. Archbishop Barsamian extended his thanks to Archbishop Ateshian.

    On Saturday morning, the pilgrims travelled to Diarbekir (Dikranakert), and on their arrival at the local airport they were welcomed by members of the St. Giragos Armenian Church parish council. They proceeded to tour the Old City of Dikranakert—including the ancient St. Sarkis Armenian Church, located in the historic district.

    Streets throughout Diarbekir were festooned with flags in Armenian, Turkish, and Kurdish reading “Welcome home.” The sentiment throughout the city was festive, warm, and welcoming.

    The consecration of St. Giragos Armenian Church began at 5 p.m. Archbishop Ateshian, Archbishop Barsamian, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Bishop Shahan Sarkisian (Primate of Aleppo), and Bishop Sahag Mashalian (from Istanbul) consecrated the five altars. Also present was the Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian, formerly of the Eastern Diocese and currently the Pontifical Legate for Central Europe.

    The number of participants in the service exceeded 2,000, with groups of Armenian pilgrims from Istanbul, the U.S., Armenia, Holland, Germany, Aleppo, and Lebanon present.

    Among the dignitaries attending were the United States Consul General of Istanbul, Scott Kilner; the U.S. Consul of Adana, Daria Darnell; the mayor of greater Diarbekir Osman Baydemir; Abdullah Demirbas, mayor of the city’s Sur Ici section (the area “inside the walls” of the old fortified city); and Mayor Scott Avedisian of Warwick, Rhode Island (U.S.A.)—all of whom were very interested in the service and supportive of the historic event.

    At the conclusion of the service, the mayor of greater Diarbekir, Osman Baydemir, offered his warm welcome to the visitors—speaking first in Armenian, then in Kurdish, Turkish, English, and Arabic. To the Armenian pilgrims he said, “Welcome to your home. You are not guests here; this is your home. Anytime you come here, you are coming to your home.”

    “This is a happy and special day not only for you but also for us,” Mayor Baydemir continued. “We all know about past events, and our wish is that our children will celebrate together the coming achievements.” Mayor Baydemir’s remarks were frequently interrupted by applause, as those gathered were gratified to hear acknowledgement that the city is indeed an historic Armenian center.

    “A day of hope”

    Mayor Baydemir hosted a diner for the clergy and guests, where the U.S. Consul General and the U.S. Consul of Adana were also present.

    Vartkes Ergun Ayik, chairman of the St. Giragos Church parish council, welcomed the visitors, thanked all those who had participated in the restoration project, and invited Archbishop Barsamian to offer some remarks.

    The day’s achievement, said Archbishop Barsamian, “represents many things to all of us. But most of all, perhaps, it is the result of the mutual recognition and respect of everyone involved, which has animated this project from the very beginning. That is a great reason to be hopeful, and it makes today, above all, a day of hope—a day to look to the future with optimism.”

    “As pilgrims from America who have been blessed to be a part of this day, we share in that sense of optimism and hope,” he added. He closed by making presentations of the “St. Vartan Award” to Mayor Osman Baydemir and Mayor Abdullah Demirbas.

    Archbishop Aram Ateshian likewise expressed thanks to everyone, and presented silver awards to both mayors, and to the architect of the restoration project.

    Greater Diarbekir Mayor Baydemir concluded the evening by characterizing the occasion as one not only for celebration, “but a day of expressing our apologies for the tragic events of the past. We want to see you come back here not only as tourists, but also as people coming back home.”

    Sunday morning witnessed the celebration of the Armenian Divine Liturgy in the newly re-consecrated St. Giragos Church. Archbishop Ateshian was the celebrant and homilist, and members of the Sts. Vartanantz Church choir from Ferikoy, Istanbul, sang the Komitas setting of the badarak.

    The service took place before another remarkably large gathering of the faithful, which included guest Armenian clergy, as well as the Syrian Orthodox bishop of Adiaben; the representative of His Holiness Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople; mayors Baydemir and Demirbas, and the two American consuls.

    To conclude the liturgy, the Armenian hokehankisd (requiem) service was performed for the deceased primates, pastors, altar servers, and faithful of Dikranakert.

    With the next day’s planned trip to Van (where the group of pilgrims was scheduled to visit the Holy Cross Church on Aghtamar Island) cancelled due to the earthquake, the Eastern Diocese group drove instead to visit the 17th-century St. Kevork Church in Derek, near Mardin. There they met the caretakers who faithfully care for the 300-year-old Bible and hymnal housed within the church. The pilgrims were welcomed by Eyyup Guven, author of a biography titled “Kohar”—the memoir of an Armenian Genocide survivor from the area. During their visit the pilgrims were trailed by a sizeable group of local residents, eager to say that they were of Armenian origin.

    The group is scheduled to fly to Istanbul on October 25, and will return to the United States later this week.

    PRESS OFFICE

    Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

    630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016

    Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558

    E-mail: publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org

    Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net

  • Armenian Apostolic Church does not want to care for Armenian churches in Turkey

    Armenian Apostolic Church does not want to care for Armenian churches in Turkey

    ISTANBUL. – Constantinople diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church does not comment on the bill adopted by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. The bill calls Turkey to return Christian churches to their rightful owners and stop the repression of its Christian minorities.

    68716The diocese also added that it has no intentions to react the decision, press service of the diocese informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

    The amendment was adopted with 41 for and 1 against. It was presented by American congressmen Howard Berman and David Cicilline, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) informs.

    The two congressmen offered to make amendments in financial bill of the State Department of U.S. Its formulations are in accordance with the resolution 306, which was recently brought to the Congress. This resolution calls Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of Christians, including Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians and other Christian nations.

    “Turkish government destroyed or confiscated majority of churches during 96 years after the Genocide of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians,” said executive director of ANCA Aram Hambaryan. “The House Foreign Affairs Committee sent a strong message to Turkey. Stating it should recognize its heritage as obtained with violence, respect religious freedom of Christian communities that suffered violence and compensate the damage caused by crime.”

    via Armenian Apostolic Church does not want to care for Armenian churches in Turkey | Armenia News – NEWS.am.

  • Armenian Church will become a cultural house in Istanbul

    Armenian Church will become a cultural house in Istanbul

    Armenian Church will become a cultural house in Istanbul

    By Times.am at 20 May, 2011, 3:47 pm

    “This is a project of peace,” Gevorg Ozqaragyoz, head of the reconstruction project of the Armenian St. Vordvots Church in Istanbul said. According to Turkish “Taraf”, Armenian Church St. Vordvots, which is situated near the church St. Astvatsatsin will be restored finally. It will be opened as the cultural center on June 15.

    The reconstructions cost 1.5 million dollars and have been started six months ago. The agreement was signed between the fond of St. Mariam Astvatsatsin and the agency “Istanbul 2010”.

    Note, the church St. Vordvots was built on 1828 by architect Grigor Balyan.

    /Times.am/

    via Armenian Church will become a cultural house in Istanbul | Times.am.

  • Toronto Raising Funds for Dikranagerd Church Reconstruction Project

    Toronto Raising Funds for Dikranagerd Church Reconstruction Project

    The Surp Dikranagerd Church before the restoration efforts
    The Surp Dikranagerd Church before the restoration efforts

    TORONTO — The Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir/Dikranagerd, Turkey, is the largest Armenian Church in the Middle East and one of the most important examples of Armenian architecture. Since 1915, it has been subjected to both willful destruction and neglect, as a result of which it was in ruins and in danger of complete collapse. However, in 2009, a reconstruction project was launched by the Surp Giragos Foundation Board in Istanbul, under the auspices of the Istanbul Patriarchate. The board was successful in legalizing the deed and title for the Surp Giragos Church property, then obtaining authorization and all required permits for the reconstruction, followed by worldwide fundraising activities.

    The Surp Giragos Church, originally dating from 1515, with seven altars and a huge footprint of 15,000 square feet, had a 100-foot-high bell tower, with a bell molded by the famed Zildjian family and a large golden cross at the top. The bell toward was bombarded and destroyed by German/Ottoman cannon fire in 1915, as it was deemed unacceptable to have a church tower higher than the mosque minarets. Unlike the other Armenian architectural masterpiece, the Holy Cross Armenian Church at Akhtamar Island near Van, which was renovated by the Turkish government but converted to a state museum, the Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir, is officially recognized as an Armenian church under the control of the Armenian Patriarchate. When reconstruction is completed, it will be not only an outstanding Armenian architectural masterpiece, but also a historic evidence to past Armenian presence in the region, as well as a future pilgrimage destination for all Armenians.

    The total reconstruction budget is $2.5 million. The project is well underway, the first phase of the project already completed, on time and within budget. The worldwide fundraising efforts have successfully raised the funds needed for the first phase from the Armenian communities within Turkey, the Middle East and Europe, with the focus now shifting to North American Armenian communities in New York and Toronto.

    After the church restoration is completed, the legal claims phase will be launched to pursue the transfer of deeds for all the properties to purse the transfer of deeds for all the properties originally owned by the church prior to 1915. The Foundation Board has already successfully reclaimed a few of these properties, which will secure a steady income toward maintenance of the church building, but there are almost 200 other properties which will go through the legal channels for reclaim.

    This is a project of interest not only for Dikranagerdtsi Armenians, but for all Armenians everywhere, with historic and future implications. It is the first Armenian church being reconstructed as an Armenian church in Turkey after its destruction in 1915. It is the first Armenian church to reclaim its land and properties, after losing them in 1915.

    All Canadian Armenians are invited to attend the benefit banquet on May 21 at the Magaros Artinian Hall, Holy Trinity Armenian Church, at 7:30 p.m. The program will feature Udi Yervant (on oud), who originally hails from Dikranagerd, soprano Lynn Anoush Isnar and pianist Raffi Bedrosyan. There will be a traditional Armenian and Dikranagerd-style entertainment and food.

    Those unable to attend are urged to support this project through tax deductible donations to the Toronto Holy Trinity Armenian Church (Surp Giragos account), which will arrange transfer of the funds to the Istanbul Armenian patriarchate toward the reconstruction budget.

    For more information regarding this project, contact Raffi Bedrosyan at jbedrosyan@rogers.com.

    via Toronto Raising Funds for Dikranagerd Church Reconstruction Project | Welcome to the Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

  • RA Diaspora Minister visits Armenian churches of Istanbul

    RA Diaspora Minister visits Armenian churches of Istanbul

    armenianministerPanARMENIAN.Net – The Global Summit of Women with participation of around 1,000 representatives from 82 countries is under way in Istanbul.

    As part of the event, Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan participated in the forum for first ladies, as well as Global Women’s Leadership awards ceremony.

    On May 7, the closing ceremony of the Global Summit of Women will take place with participation of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

    Hakobyan met with representatives of the Armenian community and visited Armenian churches and cemeteries of Istanbul, the Ministry’s press service reported.

    She also visited Armenian gymnasium to brief on programs implemented by the Ministry of Diaspora.

    via RA Diaspora Minister visits Armenian churches of Istanbul – PanARMENIAN.Net.