After 30 years of inactivity, the Saint Kirakos Armenian church in Diarbekir, Turkey offered prayers led by Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the Armenian Patriarchal Vicar of Constantinople to hundreds of Armenians who arrived from Turkey, Syria and Europe on Sunday.
Mayor of Diarbekir Osman Baydemir, greeting guests arriving in Diarbekir, stated, "Welcome to your town! Diarbekir is yours as much as it is mine."
From 1915 to1960, St. Kirakos Church was used as an arms store, and later it became a bank office. It was later returned to the Armenian community, but poor condition, having been pillaged. Reconstruction of the 16th century church started last year and will be finished next year, totaling about $2.5 million with 70 percent of the money raised by the Armenian community in Istanbul, Turkey, and the remaining 30 percent coming from Diarbekir Municipality.
Armenian News
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