Community members from Antakya, İskenderun, and surrounding provinces also attended the liturgy held on the morning of Saturday, March 14. During the service, candles were lit and prayers were offered for the end of wars and for peace.
During the liturgy presided over by Patriarch Maşalyan and led by Very Rev. Fr. Harutyun Damadyan, support and prayers were requested for the reconstruction of the İskenderun Karasun Manuk Armenian Church, which was damaged in the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş.
In his sermon, Patriarch Maşalyan mentioned that their first stop on the annual pilgrimage is always Kayseri, followed by İskenderun and Hatay. He stated, “A difficult period awaits humanity. Our prayer is that the Almighty gives the spirit of wisdom to the leaders. May He show them that starting wars is easy, but ending them is difficult.”
Touching upon the support to be provided for the strengthening of the Karasun Manuk Armenian Church, Patriarch Maşalyan said: “Our churches remind us of sanctity through their scent and architecture. Our Karasun Manuk Armenian Church in İskenderun was also damaged in the earthquake. Its surrounding outbuildings were destroyed, and the horans(altars) inside our church were damaged. To strengthen our church, we went to Ankara and met with our Minister of Tourism and Culture. We requested our state's support for our church. They expressed that they would assist us. However, this support covers only half of our church's needs. The remaining support will be provided through aid we obtain from our foundations in Istanbul, as well as domestic and international sources.”
Following the sermon, Sahak Maşalyan, the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, presented a vestment to Fr. Avedis Tabaşyan, the Overseer of Anatolian Armenian Communities and the Clergyman of the Hatay Church, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of his priesthood. Furthermore, during the service, the ranks of church youths Ohannes Tabaş and Minas Tabaş were elevated, and they were declared church readers.
In addition to Patriarch Maşalyan, the service was attended by Senior Fr. Kirkor Damadyan (Patriarchal Vicar), Msgr. Antuan Ilgıt (Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia), Mor Melki Ürek (Syriac Metropolitan of Adıyaman and Environs), Yusuf Tabaş (President of the İskenderun Karasun Manuk Armenian Church Foundation), Can Teymur and Fadi Hurigil (Presidents of the İskenderun and Antakya Orthodox Church Foundations), Fr. Nicholas Papasoğlu (Priest of the İskenderun Greek Orthodox Churches), Dimitri Doğum, and the church congregation. The liturgy concluded with hymns.
On the morning of March 15, Patriarch Maşalyan led the liturgy at the Vakıfköy Armenian Church in Hatay and met with the residents of Turkey's only Armenian village. Patriarch Maşalyan will return to Istanbul after this visit.
Patriarch Maşalyan is accompanied on his visit by Very Rev. Fr. Hovagim Seropyan, Fr. Şirvan Mürzyan, and Fr. Nathan Arabyan.
(Patriarchate Press Bulletin, agencies, Agos)
