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Mosque foundation funds restoration of Armenian church
29 October 2009, Thursday
ELİF KAYA İSTANBUL
A Malatya foundation that was established to build mosques has assumed the financial costs of the restoration of a historic Armenian church located in the neighborhood where assassinated Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was born.
The head of the Çarmuzu Tepebaşı Mosque Building and Preservation Foundation, Latif Yıldırım, said they started planning the project to help restore the Armenian Taşhoron Church in 2008 and wrote letters to the Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as Armenian businessmen to win their support. They also spoke with the Armenian Patriarchate in March, he said.
Money had been allocated for the restoration by the Culture and Tourism Ministry in 2009; however, due to budgetary problems, the foundation decided to take on the costs of the restoration. While noting that their project, which they call a “project of peace,” is a model of good relations between different faiths, Yıldırım said, “We do not think we will experience financial problems.”
Armenian Archbishop Aram Ateşyan said the church is a cultural treasure and added, “We will be very happy if such a project is carried out.” He also noted that there are some other churches in need of restoration and highlighted that this must also be done. The muhtar (local official) of the neighborhood in which the church is situated, Mustafa Şahin, said such a project would contribute to peace and stressed, “Whether used as a place of worship or as a museum, the historic church will contribute to unity and solidarity in the area as well as to tourism.”
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29 October 2009, Thursday
ELİF KAYA İSTANBUL
A Malatya foundation that was established to build mosques has assumed the financial costs of the restoration of a historic Armenian church located in the neighborhood where assassinated Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was born.
The head of the Çarmuzu Tepebaşı Mosque Building and Preservation Foundation, Latif Yıldırım, said they started planning the project to help restore the Armenian Taşhoron Church in 2008 and wrote letters to the Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as Armenian businessmen to win their support. They also spoke with the Armenian Patriarchate in March, he said.
Money had been allocated for the restoration by the Culture and Tourism Ministry in 2009; however, due to budgetary problems, the foundation decided to take on the costs of the restoration. While noting that their project, which they call a “project of peace,” is a model of good relations between different faiths, Yıldırım said, “We do not think we will experience financial problems.”
Armenian Archbishop Aram Ateşyan said the church is a cultural treasure and added, “We will be very happy if such a project is carried out.” He also noted that there are some other churches in need of restoration and highlighted that this must also be done. The muhtar (local official) of the neighborhood in which the church is situated, Mustafa Şahin, said such a project would contribute to peace and stressed, “Whether used as a place of worship or as a museum, the historic church will contribute to unity and solidarity in the area as well as to tourism.”
Link