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 Syumela Church of Trapizon, Holy Cross of Akhtamar and Saint Kirakos of Diarbeqir…These are the Armenian churches open in Turkey, “Ermenihaber.am” news website reported. Yesterday a service was held in the church.

It was in 1978 that church was last open. The church used to be a reserve house, its roof was completely destroyed, the walls were ripped. The reconstruction activities took 2 years; they were supported by St. Kirakos foundation and Municipality of Diarbeqir.

After 32 long years of break, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan the vicar patriarch of Polis said: “We haven’t got any penny from the government, since the church doesn’t help the church belonging to the community.”

The President of St. Kirakos fund Teqin Papuchyan said: “I was 13 when we came here. I remember they called me disbeliever, my parents could not live here and we left it. Now I want to christen my grandchild here.”