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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Aug 24 2012
100-kg bronze bell made for Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakır
A 100-kilogram bronze bell will ring at what was once one of the
largest churches in the Middle East, the Surp Giragos Church in
Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır, which was reopened for
religious ceremonies on Oct. 23, 2011.
Restoration of the church commenced at the end of 2009 under the
Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation and is ongoing,
although the majority of the work has now been completed. As part of
the restoration project, a new bell tower will be constructed, some 97
years after the original bell tower collapsed when it was struck by an
artillery shell in 1915. The tower has waited some time for
reconstruction due to arguments that it would overshadow mosques in
the area.
The new bronze bell for the tower was made in Moscow, thanks to
contributions from the foundation undertaking the restoration project.
The new bell has been delivered to Diyarbakır and awaits the
completion of the tower. After 97 years, a bell will ring from the
church again at an inauguration ceremony scheduled to be held on Nov.
4.
The church was seized by the German army during World War I, and in
1918 was converted into a textiles warehouse for Sümerbank. The
Armenian population in the area applied for its return in 1952, and
the church was returned to the community. However, due to the lack of
a congregation, it had been neglected since 1980.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-290278-100-kg-bronze-bell-made-for-surp-giragos-church-in-diyarbakir.html
Aug 24 2012
100-kg bronze bell made for Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakır
A 100-kilogram bronze bell will ring at what was once one of the
largest churches in the Middle East, the Surp Giragos Church in
Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır, which was reopened for
religious ceremonies on Oct. 23, 2011.
Restoration of the church commenced at the end of 2009 under the
Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation and is ongoing,
although the majority of the work has now been completed. As part of
the restoration project, a new bell tower will be constructed, some 97
years after the original bell tower collapsed when it was struck by an
artillery shell in 1915. The tower has waited some time for
reconstruction due to arguments that it would overshadow mosques in
the area.
The new bronze bell for the tower was made in Moscow, thanks to
contributions from the foundation undertaking the restoration project.
The new bell has been delivered to Diyarbakır and awaits the
completion of the tower. After 97 years, a bell will ring from the
church again at an inauguration ceremony scheduled to be held on Nov.
4.
The church was seized by the German army during World War I, and in
1918 was converted into a textiles warehouse for Sümerbank. The
Armenian population in the area applied for its return in 1952, and
the church was returned to the community. However, due to the lack of
a congregation, it had been neglected since 1980.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-290278-100-kg-bronze-bell-made-for-surp-giragos-church-in-diyarbakir.html