AACh may offer 5 services a year in Surb Khach Church on Akhtamar island

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish authorities increased the number of Liturgies in the Surb Khach Church on Akhtamar island to 5 services a year, according to Abdullah Tuncdemir, head of the delegation from Van, director of Van branch of TURSAB, Van Trade and Industry Chamber board member.

“Liturgies will be celebrated on those days of religious feasts as chosen by the Armenian Apostolic Church Turkish Eparchy,” said Tuncdemir.

Van Trade and Industry Chamber board member noted that the mosque near Varaga Church will be displaced to another place and the Church itself will be restored. Works are in progress for maintaining historical-cultural heritage on the historical territory of Armenia, according to him.

On July 21, with a vote of 43 to 1, the House Foreign Affairs Committee today overwhelmingly adopted the Berman-Cicilline Amendment, pressing Turkey to return stolen Christian churches and to end its repression of its Christian minority. House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-Calif.) was joined by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) in offering the amendment to the State Department Authorization bill, based upon language from H.Res.306, the “Return of Churches” resolution spearheaded by Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.), both senior members of the Foreign Affairs Committee. The resolution is supported by 31 congressmen. Howard Berman supports H.Res. 304 on acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide as well.

A bipartisan group of U.S. legislators are set to introduce two resolutions in support of a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide, including a new measure specifically pressing Turkey to fully respect the rights of Christians to practice their faith in freedom, including through the rightful return of confiscated churches to Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Pontians, Arameans (Syriacs) and other Christians communities.

The first liturgy in 95 years was celebrated Spt. 19, 2010 in Surb Khach Church on Akhtamar island, however Turkish authorities did not fulfill their promise to install a cross on the top. The cross was installed two weeks after the liturgy.