Renovation work will quickly begin on the 500-year-old Surp Sarkis Armenian Orthodox Church in Türkiye’s southeastern Diyarbakır province.
One of the historic Armenian church buildings in Diyarbakir, it’s situated within the Sur district and owned by the Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation.
Located within the historic Sur district, the church had fallen into disrepair attributable to an absence of congregation and sustained harm in the course of the twin earthquakes on Feb. 6, 2023.
The renovation mission, permitted and funded by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, goals to revive the church and can formally start subsequent week.
Enhance tourism
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Cemil Koç, the top of the Culture Ministry’s Directorate of Surveying and Monuments in Diyarbakır, stated the church is classed as a first-class monumental construction.
It is the second-largest Armenian church in Diyarbakır, after the Surp Giragos Armenian Church, Koç added.
“The construction consists of 5 naves parallel to the apse, that includes large arches and a wooden-beam, earth-covered roof. The girls’s gallery, referred to as the final congregation space, has sustained harm to its columns and arches attributable to latest earthquakes and human elements.”
“Our renovation work goals to revive the church and contribute to the tourism of our area and nation,” Koç stated.
He added that the renovation mission started in 2021, with complete surveys, renovation, structural, mechanical, and electrical plans permitted by the conservation board in 2022.
However, after the earthquakes, the church was discovered to have sustained extreme harm, Koc stated.
“In response, the ministry provided a grant of TL 5 million ($154,000) for this year. This will initiate the renovation process. Subsequent renovation will be supported by the Armenian community’s resources and additional contributions. This initial phase marks the first step toward the church’s revival,” he added.
Turkish Armenian patriarch to go to
Koç stated the renovation work will start subsequent week with the Turkish Armenian patriarch set to pay a go to.
“On June 27, Turkish Armenian Patriarch Sahak Mashalian will visit Diyarbakır. During the visit, they will also make a community appeal for financial support,” he stated.
Ergün Ayık, head of the Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, described the church as a big architectural landmark of town.
Previous renovation initiatives had been ready with assist from the Diyarbakır Governorate and the Culture and Tourism Ministry allotted a fund following the earthquake harm, Ayık informed AA.
“The contribution from the ministry is crucial for taking the first step. Once renovation begins, we believe significant contributions will come from both the local and international Armenian communities. The church site will also include eight guesthouses, a conference hall, a priest’s house, and three workshops,” Ayık stated.
He added that the restored church may also serve Diyarbakır’s tourism sector.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
