Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 23 2007
Controversy over cross grows amid church’s reopening
In advance of the opening of the newly restored Armenian Akhtamar
Church on Lake Van, a new controversy has emerged in Ankara over
whether or not the church’s steeple should have a metal cross placed
on it.
Akhtamar Church has undergone restoration that was undertaken at the
behest of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Culture
and Tourism Atilla Koc. The church will be reopened to the public at
a special ceremony on March 29.
Meanwhile, Patriarch Mesrob II, the spiritual leader of the Armenian
Orthodox community in Turkey, has 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 the
Akhtamar Church. The sentiments in the letter from Partriarch Mesrob
are echoed in a similar letter sent by a group of Armenian
intellectuals and artists to the ministry.
With no answer yet forthcoming regarding what is to be done about the
cross, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has reportedly sent
letters to the Foreign Ministry to obtain further views on the
matter. Whether or not the cross will be placed atop Akhtamar Church
in advance of the March 29 opening appears to depend on the views on
this matter expressed by authorities at the Foreign Ministry.
While the Ministry of Culture and Tourism 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
references past photographs of the historical church as the reason
why the ministry should allow the cross to be placed there.
"A cross can be clearly seen on the steeple of the church in all old
photographs of it." The official name of the church also arises in
the content of Mesrob’s letter, with the patriarch referring to the
church as " Lake Van’s Agtamar Island Surp Hac Armenian Church."
Within this framework, the Armenian patriarch also suggests that
annual September Sacred Cross Festival be called the Agtamar
Festival, noting that this would have the additional advantage of
drawing local and foreign tourists to the area, with choral groups
from Istanbul and folkloric dancers from Van adding to the content of
the festival.
The patriarch’s letter also focuses on the possible religious
services that might take place at Akhtamar Church during the Sacred
Cross Festival, explaining, "There could be a religious service in
the church’s old nave, followed by choral groups and folklore
groups."
Patriarch Mesrob’s letter ends by noting that he is "praying to dear
Allah for the continued success" of the ministry’s restoration
efforts. In a separate letter on the subject, a group of Armenian
intellectuals and artists request that Akhtamar Church, which they
refer to as "Ahdamar Church," be turned over permanently to the
Armenian community in Turkey. They also note that a cross similar to
the one found on the church must be placed there again, and that even
if the church is not to be opened for religious services, the cross
must still be placed there as a part of restoration efforts.
Oskanian defiant
Representing Armenia at the March 29 opening of the restored Van Lake
Akhtamar Church will be Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Culture and
Youth Affairs Gagik Gurijian.
Speaking Thursday at a press conference, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said that Turkey was attempting to influence the
international community by holding a public opening of Akhtamar
Church. Oskanian also reiterated that in order for relations between
the two countries to normalize, Turkey needed to open its borders
with Armenia. Akhtamar Church was built by architect Kesis Manuel on
the orders of Armenian King Gakik I between AD 915-921. The church
has a central dome with four leaf-like wings coming out in a cross
shape. It is made of red "tufa" brick.
23.03.2007
BAHTÝYAR KÜÇÜK