Archbishop Aram Ateşyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, has thanked Turkey’s minister of culture of tourism, provincial governor of Van, and mayor of Van town after the Divine Liturgy that was served at the Holy Cross Armenian Church on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van.

Ateşyan’s words of gratitude after the church service were followed by the Turkish minister’s releasing of doves in the air as a sign of peace, according to Haberler news portal of Turkey.

On September 9, a Divine Liturgy was offered again at this house of Christian worship after a three-year interruption, and a Turkish minister attended it for the first time.

By the means of the Turkish government, the Holy Cross Armenian Church on Akhtamar Island was renovated in 2007 and opened as a museum for visits.

Subsequently, the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople petitioned to the Turkish government to grant permission for a Divine Liturgy to be served once a year at this church.

In March 2010, the Turkish minister of culture and tourism announced that the permission was granted to offer church service at this house of Christian worship and to install a cross on its dome.

In 2015, however, the patriarchate decided to cancel that year’s Divine Liturgy at this church, and due to the terrorist attacks in the area.

And afterward, the Turkish authorities suspended the holding of religious rituals at this church.

The Holy Cross Armenian Church on Akhtamar Island was built between 915 and 921.