St. Kirakos Church in Diyarbekir reopens after 32 years of inactivity
The St. Kirakos Armenian Church in Diyarbekir, Turkey, has reopened after 32 years of inactivity, Turkish media say.
The church hosted a liturgy conducted by Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the Armenian Patriarchal Vicar of Constantinople. Armenian pilgrims arrived from Armenia, U.S. and Canada to attend the liturgy.
The St. Kirakos Church in Diyarbekir was built in 1376 in the Hanchepek district. The belfry of the largest church in the Near East was destroyed in 1913 by lightning, after which the Armenians built a new belfry with a bell made from gold and copper. However, in 1915, the Turks struck the bell at the spot that lightning had struck it. They destroyed the belfry just because it stood taller than the towers of the mosques nearby.
The church was renovated with the funds of the local Armenian community and with assistance from Diyarbekir Municipality.