Christmas celebration took place at the Mardin Protestant Church in the Artuklu district of the city.
In the ritual organized in the historical church, pastor Ender Peker spoke about the life of Jesus. In his speech after the celebration, Peker emphasized the importance of celebrating Christmas in a city were many traditions are living together.
Peker stated that they wished that the feast would bring peace to the whole world, especially to the Middle East. He said “We hope that this feast will bring light and peace to all the people who live in the shadow of the danger of death. We wish to be instruments of the peace in our city, in our country and in the Middle East, and we pray for it.”
Peker emphasized that Mardin’s colorful structure could be a role model for the whole world and added:
“Mardin is a really beautiful city and it can be an example both for Turkey and for the world. It is a cosmopolitan city with an ethnically and religiously mixed structure.” (Timetürk.com)