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SURB KHACH CHURCH TO RE-OPEN IN AKHTAMAR ISLAND TODAY, ISSUE OF PLACING CROSS ON ITS CUPOLA IS PROVIDED BY SPECIALISTS' DECISION
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 29 2007
ISTANBUL, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The solemn ceremony
of re-opening of the Surb Khach (Saint Cross) church of the Akhtamars
Island of Van will take place at 14:00 by Yerevan time on March
29. The delegation of Armenia headed by Deputy Minister of Culture
Gagik Gyurjian left for Turkey to participate in the event. Minister
of Culture Atilla Goc will participate in the ceremony from the
Turkish Government.
The two catholicate seats of the Armenian Apostolic Church refused
the invitations to participate in the ceremony. The Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin explained the refusal with the fact that the opening
ceremony will be held just according to the secular ritual and not
according to the canonical ritual of the Armenian Apostolic Surb
Church. Besides, the Surb Kach church will be turned into a museum and
will not continue functioning as a church, under the spiritual power
of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Catholicosate of
the Great House of Cilicia reasoned its refusal with the fact that
"Turkey still continues disproving the fact of the Armenian Genocide."
As Ara Kochunian, the editor-in-chief of the Armenian "Zhamanak"
(Time) daily of Turkey mentioned in the interview to the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, though the church will open as a museum, however,
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian will
participate in the opening ceremony.
According to A. Kochunian's prevision, religious delegations of
a number of contries invited to the ceremony will not arrive as
spiritual primates of the Armenian Church refused the invitation. And
the Armenian community of Turkey will be represented in Akhtamar with
a small group.
As A. Kochunian mentioned, on late previous day Turkish Minister of
Culture stated on TV that they have no prejudice in the issue of
placing the church cross and bell and those will be placed in the
case if specialists of the council on church restoration mention its
necessity in the report being prepared.
Touching upon the boycott concerning re-opening of the Surb Khach
announced by a number of communities of the Armenian Diaspora,
A. Kochunian said that it is not astonishing, taking into consideration
"the abyss existing between the sides, doubt towards sincerity
of initiatives of one another." But, in his words, the Turkish
Armenian community attaches importance to re-opening of Surb Khach
especially in the sense that "it makes a part of our heritage and is
an architectural monument."
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 29 2007
ISTANBUL, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The solemn ceremony
of re-opening of the Surb Khach (Saint Cross) church of the Akhtamars
Island of Van will take place at 14:00 by Yerevan time on March
29. The delegation of Armenia headed by Deputy Minister of Culture
Gagik Gyurjian left for Turkey to participate in the event. Minister
of Culture Atilla Goc will participate in the ceremony from the
Turkish Government.
The two catholicate seats of the Armenian Apostolic Church refused
the invitations to participate in the ceremony. The Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin explained the refusal with the fact that the opening
ceremony will be held just according to the secular ritual and not
according to the canonical ritual of the Armenian Apostolic Surb
Church. Besides, the Surb Kach church will be turned into a museum and
will not continue functioning as a church, under the spiritual power
of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Catholicosate of
the Great House of Cilicia reasoned its refusal with the fact that
"Turkey still continues disproving the fact of the Armenian Genocide."
As Ara Kochunian, the editor-in-chief of the Armenian "Zhamanak"
(Time) daily of Turkey mentioned in the interview to the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, though the church will open as a museum, however,
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian will
participate in the opening ceremony.
According to A. Kochunian's prevision, religious delegations of
a number of contries invited to the ceremony will not arrive as
spiritual primates of the Armenian Church refused the invitation. And
the Armenian community of Turkey will be represented in Akhtamar with
a small group.
As A. Kochunian mentioned, on late previous day Turkish Minister of
Culture stated on TV that they have no prejudice in the issue of
placing the church cross and bell and those will be placed in the
case if specialists of the council on church restoration mention its
necessity in the report being prepared.
Touching upon the boycott concerning re-opening of the Surb Khach
announced by a number of communities of the Armenian Diaspora,
A. Kochunian said that it is not astonishing, taking into consideration
"the abyss existing between the sides, doubt towards sincerity
of initiatives of one another." But, in his words, the Turkish
Armenian community attaches importance to re-opening of Surb Khach
especially in the sense that "it makes a part of our heritage and is
an architectural monument."