Historic Armenian church demolished in Turkey's Kütaya

PanARMENIAN.Net - Historical Armenian Surp Toros in Turkey's western province of Kütaya has been destroyed after it came into the possession of a person, Biyanet reports.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan has submitted a Parliamentary question regarding the demolition of the building despite being designated an "Immovable Requiring Protection" by the Kütahya Regional Board of Cultural Heritage Protection, Bianet reports.

"Dating back to 1603, the church had an important place in the city's memory. The church was considered to be an important site of memory as it was the church where musicologist Gomidas was baptized," Paylan said in his inquiry.

Paylan has also referred to the remarks of Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who said, "We did not, do not and will not interfere with the worship of anyone." He has noted that "this demolition, despite Erdoğan's remarks, has deeply saddened and hurt all Christians, especially the Armenian citizens."

Before the Genocide of Armenians in 1915, around 4 thousand Armenians used to live in Turkey's western province of Kütahya. There were three Armenian churches and three Armenian schools under their umbrella. Two of the churches (Surp Asdvadzadzin and Surp Toros) were Armenian Orthodox and one was Armenian Catholic (Surp Asdvadzadzin). According to the census in 1931 in the Republican era, there remained only 65 Armenians and one Armenian church open to worship. This number dropped further amid migration to İstanbul and abroad until 1970; then, there remained no Armenians or Armenian churches in the province.