Akhtamar Island is getting ready for the first religious service to be conducted at the Surb Khach church on September 19, 2010, Hurriyet Daily News reports. According to the daily, a cross will be put on the dome before the service starts.

“The fact that it is open to a religious service once a year will not change its quality as a memorial-museum. No museum is allowed to be open for religious service for a whole year, and nobody could expect us to do that. The Ministry of Culture made a great gesture,” the Governor of Van Munir Karaoglu told Hurriyet Daily News.

Van Governor hopes that the reopening of the church for services will be a turning point between two countries. According to him, Turkish-Armenian Culture Day celebrations will also be held in Van and would continue for 10 days after the service.