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Cihan News Agency (CNA) - Turkey
December 25, 2012 Tuesday
Turkey's Christians celebrate Christmas, ceremonies held across country
ISTANBUL (CIHAN)- Thousands of Christians in Turkey began their
Christmas celebrations on Dec. 24, with religious ceremonies being
held in different churches across the country.
In Istanbul, many Catholics gathered at St. Anthony of Padua Church on
Istiklal Street on the night of Dec. 24 to celebrate Christmas with a
religious service. Worshippers recited prayers in Turkish, English and
Italian. The service, which lasted two hours, ended with a reading of
passages from the Bible.
Another ceremony was held at the Fener Greek Patriarchate on Tuesday
morning, Christmas Day.
Along with local Orthodox Christians, hundreds of Orthodox Christians
from different provinces of Turkey and abroad attended the service,
led by Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The service
began at 9 a.m. in the Aya Yorgi church, located in the garden of the
Fener Greek Patriarchate.
Christmas was also celebrated in Mardin's Midyat district, which has a
large population of Arameans, Syrian Orthodox (Süryani) people.
Worshippers gathered in Mort Ismuni Church and held a religious
service on Christmas Day.
Last week, President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan issued messages to mark Christmas, an annual commemoration of
the birth of Jesus Christ observed in Turkey by the country's
Christian minority.
A total of 65,000 Armenian Orthodox, 15,000 Syriac Orthodox, 8,000
Chaldean Catholic and 2,500 Greek Orthodox believers reside in Turkey.
There are also members of other denominations, such as Bulgarian
Orthodox and Georgian Orthodox along with Protestants.
In his message marking the Christian holiday, President Gül said:
"Today in Turkey, all citizens, no matter what religious beliefs they
hold, are sharing the same fate as they have throughout history.
Inspired by a common culture of Anatolia, they are looking forward to
a hopeful future."
Emphasizing that traditions and customs that have evolved over the
centuries tie citizens together, Gül said that "our values, such as
solidarity, good faith and compassion, which also reflect the spirit
of Christmas, form the most valuable part of our common heritage. In
this sense, I wish our citizens of all Christian traditions and the
entire Christian world a Merry Christmas, lots of happiness and much
success."
In another celebration in the Greek Antakya Orthodox Church in the
southern province of Hatay, where many Christians reside alongside
Muslims, Hatay Governor Mehmet Celalettin Lekesiz sent his well wishes
to Christian residents. Lekesiz visited the church with a delegation
including Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Mehmet Ali Ediboglu,
Antakya Mayor Lütfü Savas, head of the Antakya Orthodox Church
Foundation Fadi Hurigil, a Jewish community leader in Hatay, Saul
Cenudioglu, and an Alevi opinion leader, Nasrettin Eskiocak, on
Tuesday. Lekesiz described Christmas as "a special day when hearts are
softened and positive emotions overflow." "I believe that all of the
1.5 million residents [in Hatay] feel our Christian citizens' holiday
wholeheartedly," he added.
One of the centers of Christmas celebrations in Izmir was the shrine
of Meryem Ana (The House of Mary) in the Selçuk district. Many
Christians visited the house on Tuesday and lit candles for their
wishes.
In a ceremony held at the Virgin Mary Syriac Church in Diyarbakir,
Christians prayed for peace in Syria and in other Arab countries.
Syriac Orthodox priest Yusuf Akbulut, who led the ceremony, said
following the ceremony that they prayed for world peace and primarily
for peace in the region.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
December 25, 2012 Tuesday
Turkey's Christians celebrate Christmas, ceremonies held across country
ISTANBUL (CIHAN)- Thousands of Christians in Turkey began their
Christmas celebrations on Dec. 24, with religious ceremonies being
held in different churches across the country.
In Istanbul, many Catholics gathered at St. Anthony of Padua Church on
Istiklal Street on the night of Dec. 24 to celebrate Christmas with a
religious service. Worshippers recited prayers in Turkish, English and
Italian. The service, which lasted two hours, ended with a reading of
passages from the Bible.
Another ceremony was held at the Fener Greek Patriarchate on Tuesday
morning, Christmas Day.
Along with local Orthodox Christians, hundreds of Orthodox Christians
from different provinces of Turkey and abroad attended the service,
led by Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The service
began at 9 a.m. in the Aya Yorgi church, located in the garden of the
Fener Greek Patriarchate.
Christmas was also celebrated in Mardin's Midyat district, which has a
large population of Arameans, Syrian Orthodox (Süryani) people.
Worshippers gathered in Mort Ismuni Church and held a religious
service on Christmas Day.
Last week, President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan issued messages to mark Christmas, an annual commemoration of
the birth of Jesus Christ observed in Turkey by the country's
Christian minority.
A total of 65,000 Armenian Orthodox, 15,000 Syriac Orthodox, 8,000
Chaldean Catholic and 2,500 Greek Orthodox believers reside in Turkey.
There are also members of other denominations, such as Bulgarian
Orthodox and Georgian Orthodox along with Protestants.
In his message marking the Christian holiday, President Gül said:
"Today in Turkey, all citizens, no matter what religious beliefs they
hold, are sharing the same fate as they have throughout history.
Inspired by a common culture of Anatolia, they are looking forward to
a hopeful future."
Emphasizing that traditions and customs that have evolved over the
centuries tie citizens together, Gül said that "our values, such as
solidarity, good faith and compassion, which also reflect the spirit
of Christmas, form the most valuable part of our common heritage. In
this sense, I wish our citizens of all Christian traditions and the
entire Christian world a Merry Christmas, lots of happiness and much
success."
In another celebration in the Greek Antakya Orthodox Church in the
southern province of Hatay, where many Christians reside alongside
Muslims, Hatay Governor Mehmet Celalettin Lekesiz sent his well wishes
to Christian residents. Lekesiz visited the church with a delegation
including Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Mehmet Ali Ediboglu,
Antakya Mayor Lütfü Savas, head of the Antakya Orthodox Church
Foundation Fadi Hurigil, a Jewish community leader in Hatay, Saul
Cenudioglu, and an Alevi opinion leader, Nasrettin Eskiocak, on
Tuesday. Lekesiz described Christmas as "a special day when hearts are
softened and positive emotions overflow." "I believe that all of the
1.5 million residents [in Hatay] feel our Christian citizens' holiday
wholeheartedly," he added.
One of the centers of Christmas celebrations in Izmir was the shrine
of Meryem Ana (The House of Mary) in the Selçuk district. Many
Christians visited the house on Tuesday and lit candles for their
wishes.
In a ceremony held at the Virgin Mary Syriac Church in Diyarbakir,
Christians prayed for peace in Syria and in other Arab countries.
Syriac Orthodox priest Yusuf Akbulut, who led the ceremony, said
following the ceremony that they prayed for world peace and primarily
for peace in the region.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress