Annual liturgy held in Aghtamar’s Surb Khach Church

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. On September 7, the pilgrims participated in Surb Khach (Holly Cross) Church’s liturgy in Van’s Aghtamar Island. As “Armenpress” reports citing Turkish Haberler.com website, although the number of people in the church reached 70, the number of the island visitors was more than 200. During the fifth annual liturgy the vicar of Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Aram Ateshyan addressed a speech towards believers.

Pointing out the bloodshed in Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Gaza during his speech, Aram Ateshyan urged everyone to pray for “the peace of the country and world”. He reminded that murders and crimes implemented on behalf of religion can’t be accepted and are against the Holy Writ. He also attached importance to the presence of Greek Ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew in the first liturgy of Surb Khach church.

Van’s Surb Khach church is the only one in the territory of Western Armenia, where after the reconstruction, the cross arose on the cupola of the church. According to the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry's decision, once a year a religious ritual is allowed to perform in the church.