The first baptism ceremony was held in renovated Surb Khach Armenian church on Akhtamar Island in Turkey on Sunday (photo).

Three members of one family living in Istanbul and two boys, natives of Armenia, were baptized after a liturgy in Surb Khach church, the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reports.

Ruben Ghazaryan, the father of 8-year-old Van, said he had a dream to have a son named Van and baptize him in Van Lake.

“The new generation must see and understand that Van is our lost motherland, and one must be a patriot to return here,” he said.