The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I arrived in Trabzon on Sunday (October 14th) at the Sümela Monastery to check out the restoration works which endure since 3 years.
His Holiness who visited the Sumela Monastery for the first time on 22 September 2015 which was closed because of the risk of rock fall, was accompanied by Ali Ayvazoğlu, the Director of Culture and Tourism. After the Sümela Monastery, the Ecumenical Patriarch visited the Saint Barbara Church on the lower side of the monastery and gave gifts to the children on his way. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said “We are happy to have the opportunity to come back to Trabzon, the Black Sea Region after 3 years. The restoration of this very important historical place of worship and its transfer to future generations is a pleasing event. Such places of worship are parts of humanity’s cultural heritage, not only of our country. We must protect them. We have to transmit them to the future generations. Mr. President and our government shows great interest in faith tourism. We, as the Patriarchate and the clergy, are interested in the protection of the worship places and the promotion of the faith tourism. We rejoice when such restorations are made. Congratulations to the relevant authorities. I hope that, with the help of all of you and especially with the permissions of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of the Interior, on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, we will be able to celebrate a Holy Mass in this monastery again as in the past years. I believe everything will be better.”
