First funeral after 70 years in St. Giragos Armenian Cathedral in Diyarbakir

First funeral after 70 years in St. Giragos Armenian Cathedral in Diyarbakir
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Update: 09 August 2022 18:06
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A funeral was held in St. Giragos, largest Armenian church in the Middle East, after 70 years for the older sister of Archbishop Aram Atesyan.

A newly renovated Armenian Church in Turkey’s southeast region witnessed a rare funeral on Monday the Archbishop Aram Atesyan arranged a ceremony for his departed older sister, Susli Bakir. 

The six hundred year old Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir suffered heavy damage during the clashes between the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) militants and police in 2015 but after years of work, it opened its doors again in May.

After the ceremony, Atesyan said that the church will continue to host baptisms, weddings and funerals for the Armenians living in the region. 

“We are all children of this land. …The muslims, people from other faith were all here today. They showed us their love and respect,” he said.

The church, considered the largest of the Armenian community in the region, was built in the sixteenth century. 

After the Armenian genocide in 1915, the church was used as a military warehouse, and a fabric depot but eventually it was returned to the Armenian community.