وارطان داوتیان

17:09 • 16.09.10

When Turkey demonstrated the first part of the show in 2007, it refused to restore the cross on the dome of Sourb Khach Church (Saint Cross) on Akhtamar Island, Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan told a news conference today as he referred to the mass to be served in Sourb Khach on September 19.
According to him, the reason is that Turkey has declared itself a secular state and therefore granted Sourb Khach a status of museum not that of a church.
Further he said that in 2007 the cross of Sourb Khach was luxuriously decorated with Turkey’s flags, while Ataturk’s portrait would welcome the visitors from the wall of the entrance.
“It is a ridiculous ceremony at least for me, because all those aware of cultural and propaganda elements must not have allowed that happen,” said he.
Mr Demoyan thinks that Armenia gave a worthy response to the second part of the show, i.e. the September 19 mass to be served in Sourb Khach. In this context he welcomed the decision of the Mother See of Holly Etchmiadzin not to send its representatives to that liturgy service.
However, Mr Demoyan thinks that Etchmiadzin could send clergymen to Van to serve a dirge for the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
“Yes, they could go and take part in the Sourb Khach ceremony, let me say, even without the cross [installed on the dome]. For the first time after 1915 there would be an opportunity to serve a dirge to together with the mass in Sourb Khach, and no one has the right to ban it. A dirge dedicated to the victims of Meds Yeghern [meaning the Armenian Genocide]; that would really be courageous of us,” said he.

Tert.am