‘HOUSE OF GOD’ WELCOMES ALL WHO WANT TO PRAY

Hurriyet
php?n=-2009-11-03
Nov 3 2009
Turkey

The 2,000-year-old Surp Krikor Lusavoric Church in Kayseri,
historically known as the birthplace of the Gregorian order of the
Armenians, has been renovated in just one year through donations from
20 Kayseri-origin Armenians.

The renovation work was completed by the same team that did the
Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. The church will open for prayers after a
ceremony this Sunday. Zadik Toker, head of the Surp Krikor Lusavoric
Church Foundation, said the church is "the home of God" and open to
followers of all religions who want to pray. The ceremony at the church
in the Caferbey neighborhood of the Melikgazi district will consist
of the blessing ceremony (the opening) and the first badarak (Sunday
ceremony). Gov. Mevlut Bilici, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet
Ozhaseki and Police Chief Arif Akkale have been invited to the opening.

Toker said the church’s roof was leaking before the renovation and
that the last maintenance work for the building was done back in 1990.

He said the paintings on the walls have been renewed, too. "We are
treading very carefully on the matter of the Armenian initiative. We
are Turkish citizens. This place is a house of God and people from
any religion may pray here anytime they want to," said Toker.

Garabet Ä°stepamyan, the watchman of the church for eight years,
said the church would be cleaned during the week in preparation for
the ceremony.