Armenia and Turkey have politicized the issue of erecting the cross on the Surb Khach Church, says the architect and restoration expert Mildanoglu Zakaria, who took part in the reconstruction of the historic church on the island of Akhtamar. Nnevertheless, the authorization of a religious service is a huge breakthrough, stated Mildanoglu in an interview with the Turkish edition of Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

He also noted that the debate about the issue of the cross should not detract from the rare religious service in the church. «I have always said that the cross should not be used in politics. The cross should have been erected on the dome after the reconstruction, but this issue has been so politicized by both sides, it has resulted in disputes», - said the Turk sadly.

It is worth mentioning that a group of Armenians raised wooden crosses during the liturgy in protest to this fact.

The September 19 liturgy in the Surb Khach Church is the first in 100 years, but only the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople is participating in the liturgy. The other three representatives of Armenian Holy Church; The Holy See of Echmiadzin, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Holy See of Cilicia, refused to take part in the liturgy. Many Armenian public figures turned down their personal invitations from theTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as well. 

The Surb Khach (Holy Cross) church of Akhtamar can not be considered to have been fully restored until a cross is erected on the dome stated various public figures.