12th annual mass held at Armenian Cathedral of Holy Cross in Akhtamar Island after reopening

Armenians from Turkey and around the world gathered on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van for the 12th annual Divine Liturgy at the island's 10th-century Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Kadir Cesur / Gazete Duvar

The 12th annual Divine Liturgy was held on Sept. 8 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van, which is opened for worship once a year with special permission from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry.

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Many Armenians from Turkey and abroad attended this year's service. Those who wanted to reach the island sailed to the lake early in the morning by boats from the island pier in Gevaş district or by sea buses from the nearby marina.

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Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Sahak II Mashalian, his deputy Father Kaspar Garabetyan and Senior Father Drtad Uzunyan attended the service. Uzunyan conducted the Divine Liturgy at the 1100-year-old cathedral.

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While there was a high turnout for the service on the island, no one from the provincial administration attended the service.

Van Metropolitan Municipality increased the number of sea bus services for the mass.

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