Restoration has ended at St. Giragos Armenian church in Diyarbakir, Turkey, which is one of the largest churches in the Middle East. The official reopening and consecration of the church will take place on October 22 while the first Holy Mass will be celebrated on the next day.

The church was left to its fate after 1980, but Diyarbakir-Armenians who now live in Istanbul established the St. Giragos Fund in order to restore the church. This Armenian fund paid 70 percent of the renovation costs, worth $2.5 million dollars, and the Diyarbakir City Hall paid the remaining 30 percent.             

Diyarbakir’s mayor Osman Baydemir earlier told Armenian News-NEWS.am that they are preparing pleasant surprises for the Armenians, but wished to keep them a secret for the time being. He also underscored that they wanted for people from Turkey, Armenia, and other countries to be on hand at the official opening of the church.