The 13th mass was held at Van Akdamar Church

With the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the 13th mass was held at the 1,100-year-old Akdamar Church on Akdamar Island, where the first mass was held in 2010.

The service, held annually on the first Sunday of September, was attended by numerous people from Turkey and abroad. Participants began arriving at Akdamar Pier in the Gevaş district, 45 kilometers from Van city center, in the early morning hours. Security measures were taken before the service, and those wishing to visit the island had to pass through checkpoints on the pier and then reach the island by boat.

The service was presided over by Sahak Mashalyan, the Patriarch of the Armenians of Türkiye. The service was also officiated by Father Kaspar Garabetyan and Bishop Hovagim Manukyan, the religious leader of England.

Armenian Patriarch of Türkiye, Sahak Mashalyan, spoke as follows:

We held our annual service. God willing, we will return to our places of origin in peace and tranquility. Participants from various parts of Europe, England, America, Anatolia, Istanbul, and especially Armenia celebrated this day. We commemorated our past at the 1,100-year-old Akdamar Holy Cross Church. We thanked God for this day. Now we are returning home.

We extend our gratitude to the state authorities and museum officials who provided us with this opportunity. With our prayers, God willing, peace will descend from heaven to earth upon humanity. The people of this region, who have suffered so much, will move forward from the tragic lessons of the past and achieve the peace, brotherhood, and unity of today.