9th Mass in Akdamar Church in Van City, Turkey
This year, the 9th Mass was held in the church on Akdamar Island in the Gevas district of VAN City. A limited number of people were taken to the ceremony, which is held once a year, due to the pandemic. The Mass was led by the Head Priest Tatul Anousyan, the Secretary-General of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, and the Speaker of the Spiritual Assembly. Akdamar Island was closed to visitors during the ritual hours. The ceremony could be watched live on the internet.
AKDAMAR CHURCH
Akdamar Church was built between 915 and 921. The church, which was later converted into a monastery, was restored in 2005. After the completion of the renovation, it was opened as a 'Memorial Museum' with an international ceremony in 2007. After that, one day of service per year was allowed in the church, and the first service was held on September 19, 2010, after a 95-year hiatus. The church, which was built by the Priest Manuel by the Vaspurakan King Gagik the 1st, is of great importance for the Armenian people. After the Russian invasion in 1915, the church was closed for mass but was protected. The ritual, which could not be held after 2015 for security reasons, started to be performed again in 2018 after a 3-year hiatus.