Photos of Holy Cross Armenian Church on display in Istanbul

An exhibition of photos of the Akhtamar Island in Van and the Holy Cross Armenian Church has been organized in Istanbul. The expo is part of a cultural program implemented under the auspices of the Turkish President’s Office with a view of presenting the country to the world, Ermenihaber.am reports.

A special event at Saint Irene Church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapi Palace marked the opening of the exhibition.  Attending the ceremony were representatives of the President’s Office, Armenian Patriarch’s Locum Tenens Bishop Sahak Mashalian, Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez, as well as author of the photos Izzet Keribar.

“The Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island has left behind a history of 1100 years and continues its path towards new millennia. This expo is more than a common photo exhibition. This is part of a large project aimed at securing recognition on the international arena,” Bishop Sahak Marashlian said.

“The world should get a better understanding of our country’s culture and civilizational wealth. History has started in this area, and the roots of our people are buried in this soil,” he added.

A book introducing the history and architecture of the Armenian church was presented during the event.

A website has been launched at www.akdamarkilisesi.gov.tr, which presents the history of the island and the church in three languages – Armenian, Turkish and English.