At the event organized by Şişli Sports Club, Türkiye’s Armenians Patriarch Sahak II. participated in the “healthy life walk” with members of the Armenian community of Kınalıada.
On the morning of Saturday, August 19, an interesting event took place in Kınalıada. In line with the proposal of Patriarch Sahak II, there was a great interest in the “healthy life walk” organized by Şişli Sports Club.
In addition to Patriarch Sahak II, Archpriest Zakeos Ohanyan, Archpriest Harutyun Damadyan, Deputy Patriarch Senior Father Krikor Damadyan, Şişli Sports Club president Alen Tekbıçak, Kınalıada headman Erdal Aydın and community members participated in the walk.
At 08:30 in the morning, they gathered in front of Surp Krikor Illuminator Church and the walk started after taking a group photo. Muhtar Erdal Aydın shaped the route, and during the walk, which continued at a moderate pace and in groups, the community members also chatted with Patriarch Sahak II. Levon Şadyan, the head of the Kınalıada Surp Krikor Lusavorich Church foundation, who participated in the event with his electric vehicle, served water to the participants during the walk.
The first stop was Kınalıada Greek Monastery. A memory photo was also taken here. As the journey continued, the walk downwards began and we stopped in front of holy spring on the way. Later, as the walk continued towards the pier, His Beatitude the Patriarch, who was warmly welcomed by the people on the way, had short conversations with them and invited them to join the walk.
MKYK member, Istanbul Deputy Dr. Sevan Sıvacıoğlu who saw the event group at the pier square greeted Patriarch Sahak II and accompanied him by joining the walk.
The walk, which lasted approximately 75-80 minutes, ended in the garden of Surp Krikor Lusavorich Church, which was the starting point. Here, first Şişli Sports Club president Alen Tekbıçak and then Istanbul Deputy Sevan Sıvacıyan made short speeches. Finally, Patriarch Sahak II said that beyond success in sports, it is important to finish what you started.
He thanked the Şişli Sports Club, which organized this event, in the presence of President Alen Tekbıçak, and wished for an event to cover other islands in the next year, also thanked God for enabling us to live such an event in good health, and said let’s end with prayer. After the Lord’s Prayer was said together and the blessing of Patriarch Sahak II, all participants returned to their homes.
