Ecclesiastical ceremony in Surb Khach Armenian church is another show of TurkeyJuly 21, 2010 - 17:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, historian Hayk Demoyan said that the ecclesiastical ceremony due September 19 in Surb Khach Armenian Church on Akhtamar island is another show of Turkey. The Turkish authorities, who have not set a cross on the church yet, continue violating provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne signed in 1923, Demoyan told a press conference in Yerevan. “Surb Arakelots Armenian temple of the 10th century has been transferred into a mosque. I would prefer the Turkish authorities to restore this temple instead of organizing an ecclesiastical ceremony in Surb Khach church,” said Demoyan. He added that it would be right if Armenia refrains from sending an official delegation for participation in the ceremony in Surb Khach church. Holy Cross Church The 300-seat Holy Cross Church, located on a small island in the middle of Lake Van in eastern Turkey, is in many ways a symbol of the country's Armenian community. The church was built between 915 and 921 during the reign of Armenian King Gagik I of Vaspurakan and was one of the most important religious buildings in the region. The church, whose sandstone walls and dome are adorned with carvings of Jesus Christ and David and Goliath, is considered one of the greatest examples of Armenian architecture of the period, and an inspiration for the Gothic style that later developed in Europe, according to the New York-based Landmarks Foundation, which has advised on the church's restoration. By the end of last century, the church was falling apart due to the heavy rains and winds that swept across the lake. Top stories Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Yerevan City Council has elected Tigran Avniyan from the ruling Civil Contract as the mayor of the Armenian capital. Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. |