Turkish Armenian Patriarchate Virgin Mary Church, which was under renovation, was reopened to worship by His Beatitude Patriarch Sahak II on August 12, 2020.
Archbishop Aram Ateşyan, Patriarchate Chief of Staff High Priest Tatul Anuşyan, Church Religious Officer Father Şınorhk Donikyan, Father Harutyun Damadyan, Patriarchate Religious Officials and deacons were present at the ceremony. Only church foundation board members and HAYCAR representatives attended the ceremony due to the coronavirus.
Patriarch Sahak II was met at the church door by the clergy and the rulers. Afterwards, the reopening ceremony of the church began. Accompanied by the sounds of the bells, the chant “Zoğormutyan koızturın pats mez der” (O Lord! Open the doors of grace to us) was sung and the clergy entered the church. The altars of the church and the baptismal pool were blessed with prayers recited and the Holy Oil. At the same time, the Main Altar Table, renewed by Erol Sarafyan, was blessed.
At the end of the ceremony, Patriarch Sahak II gave a sermon and expressed his satisfaction on the occasion of the reopening of the church. Reminding that there are many churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Istanbul, he reminded that the Patriarchate Cathedral is also dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Patriarch Sahak II congratulated the HAYCAR representatives and Architect Kevork Özkaragöz and added that the church gained its original clear color after their work. On this occasion, Patriarch Sahak II, who also congratulated the church foundation board and the church clergy, wished that the renovated church would turn into a source of abundance for believers.
After the sermon of His Beatitude Patriarch Sahak II, the ceremony of reopening the church ended with the Lord’s Prayer and afterwards, a love table was set in the church hall.
