TURKISH MEDIA TOUCH UPON ARMENIAN CHURCH IN MALATIA

Noyan Tapan
July 23, 2009

MALATIA, JULY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Malatia Haber Turkish
website wrote about the derelict Armenian church in Malatia central
region’s Chamurlu village, the grave near which has now become
a holy place and its walls are covered with the notes of wishes
of pilgrims. According to the Marmara daily, it is not known whose
grave that is, it is only known that the church was built in the 13th
century and belongs to prophet Jerjis who, according to the newspaper,
must be Saint Sargis.

In his turn a correspondent of the Birgun newspaper wrote that the
church of the village is called Vank and at first it belonged to
Assyrians and then to Armenians. Only the church has remained from
the large monastery built on the little hill. The story goes that the
church was dedicated to Saint Sargis who was killed by the Romans for
adopting Christianity. At this church the pilgrims ask the God for
a child and in case of having a child they promise to call him Jerjis.