Turkey considers placing cross on Akhtamar Church

29.03.2007
Today's Zaman Ankara

While the Culture and Tourism Ministry intends for the 1,100-year-old church on Lake Van's Akhtamar Island to be opened to the public as a "museum," the Armenian community is pressing for the church to be available for religious services.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman yesterday confirmed earlier news reports that the Culture and Tourism Ministry has solicited the views of the Foreign Ministry on the appropriateness of installing a cross on the steeple of Akhtamar Church, which will be reopened today as a museum in a ceremony with the attendance of a delegation from Armenia as well as representatives of the Armenian diaspora from around the world.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman yesterday confirmed earlier news reports that the Culture and Tourism Ministry has solicited the views of the Foreign Ministry on the appropriateness of installing a cross on the steeple of Akhtamar Church, which will be reopened today as a museum in a ceremony with the attendance of a delegation from Armenia as well as representatives of the Armenian diaspora from around the world.

Earlier this month, Patriarch Mesrob II, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Orthodox community in Turkey, sent a written request to the Culture and Tourism Ministry asking that a cross, prepared by the Armenian Patriarchate itself, be placed on the steeple of Akhtamar Church. The sentiments in the letter from Patriarch Mesrob were echoed in a similar letter sent by a group of Armenian intellectuals and artists to the ministry.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry asked for the Foreign Ministry's input on the issue a few days ago, Bilman said in response to a question at a weekly press briefing. Nevertheless, he noted that the request was not particularly related to today's ceremony. "Our ministry is still studying the issue before offering our viewpoint. As you know, the restoration of historical buildings is a long-term process," Bilman said. "By its very nature, the issue will be evaluated in detail and then the Culture and Tourism Ministry will be notified of our opinion."

Akhtamar Church has undergone a restoration that was undertaken at the behest of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Culture and Tourism Minister Atilla Koç. While the Culture and Tourism Ministry intends for the 1,100-year-old church on Lake Van's Akhtamar Island to be opened to the public as a "museum," the Armenian community is pressing for the church to be available for religious services. On the subject of the placement of the metal cross atop the church, Patriarch Mesrob referenced past photographs of the historic church as the reason why the ministry should allow the cross to be placed there.

Earlier this week, the head of the Armenian Orthodox Church, Karekin II, refused to attend the reopening ceremony because the church will operate as a museum, not as a church. Also yesterday, both Mesrob and a delegation from Armenia -- with whom Turkey has no diplomatic relations -- traveled to the eastern Anatolian city of Van for today's ceremony. The Armenian delegation was led by Deputy Acting Minister of Culture Gagik Gyurjian. Meanwhile, Bilman also said that representatives of the Armenian diaspora from Australia, France, Germany, Lebanon, Slovakia and the United States would participate in the ceremony.

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