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Easter Celebrated at Sourp Giragos in Diyarbakir (Photos)
by Gulisor Akkum
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/03/31/easter-celebrated-at-sourp-giragos-in-diyarbakir-photos/
March 31, 2013
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (A.W.)'Dozens of Armenians and their Muslim
neighbors gathered at the recently renovated Sourp Giragos Church in
Diyarbakir to celebrate Easter today.
Easter celebrations at Sourp Giragos (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The
Armenian Weekly)
Easter celebrations at Sourp Giragos (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The
Armenian Weekly)
Easter celebrations at Sourp Giragos (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The
Armenian Weekly)
As it proved difficult for the Istanbul Patriarchate to send a member
of the clergy to Diyarbakir on Easter Sunday, Kevork Fikri, an
intellectual who offers Armenian language courses in the city, was
asked to help with the celebrations.
Gafur Ohannes Türkay, a member of the Sourp Giragos Church Foundation
board of directors, said, `We requested a clergyman from the Istanbul
Patriarchate. Priests were unavailable on Easter day [as they were
holding Easter ceremonies in their respective parishes], so we were
going to have to celebrate Easter a week later.'
`The community, however, wanted to celebrate on Easter Sunday, which
is why we approached Kevork bey, who is not a clergyman but knows
Armenian liturgy well,' he noted.
Author Ċ?ehmuz Diken was among those taking part at the Easter
celebrations. `As a child, I use to come to this church with my family
on religious holidays,' he said. `We celebrated with the Armenians,
and they celebrated with us.'
`Most of our Armenian neighbors are not among us now,' said Diken.
He added, `In the 60s, on Easter Sunday, my father used to wake us up
early and say, `Bedo [Armenian singer Bedri Ayseli] has prepared eggs
and choregfor us!''
Many Islamized Armenians were among the participants in the Easter
celebrations at Sourp Giragos, the largest Armenian church in the
Middle East.
This report was filed by The Armenian Weekly's Diyarbakir
correspondent Gulisor Akkum. For more photos and coverage, visit our
Facebook page.
by Gulisor Akkum
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/03/31/easter-celebrated-at-sourp-giragos-in-diyarbakir-photos/
March 31, 2013
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (A.W.)'Dozens of Armenians and their Muslim
neighbors gathered at the recently renovated Sourp Giragos Church in
Diyarbakir to celebrate Easter today.
Easter celebrations at Sourp Giragos (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The
Armenian Weekly)
Easter celebrations at Sourp Giragos (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The
Armenian Weekly)
Easter celebrations at Sourp Giragos (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The
Armenian Weekly)
As it proved difficult for the Istanbul Patriarchate to send a member
of the clergy to Diyarbakir on Easter Sunday, Kevork Fikri, an
intellectual who offers Armenian language courses in the city, was
asked to help with the celebrations.
Gafur Ohannes Türkay, a member of the Sourp Giragos Church Foundation
board of directors, said, `We requested a clergyman from the Istanbul
Patriarchate. Priests were unavailable on Easter day [as they were
holding Easter ceremonies in their respective parishes], so we were
going to have to celebrate Easter a week later.'
`The community, however, wanted to celebrate on Easter Sunday, which
is why we approached Kevork bey, who is not a clergyman but knows
Armenian liturgy well,' he noted.
Author Ċ?ehmuz Diken was among those taking part at the Easter
celebrations. `As a child, I use to come to this church with my family
on religious holidays,' he said. `We celebrated with the Armenians,
and they celebrated with us.'
`Most of our Armenian neighbors are not among us now,' said Diken.
He added, `In the 60s, on Easter Sunday, my father used to wake us up
early and say, `Bedo [Armenian singer Bedri Ayseli] has prepared eggs
and choregfor us!''
Many Islamized Armenians were among the participants in the Easter
celebrations at Sourp Giragos, the largest Armenian church in the
Middle East.
This report was filed by The Armenian Weekly's Diyarbakir
correspondent Gulisor Akkum. For more photos and coverage, visit our
Facebook page.