The restoration of the Surp Sarkis Armenian Church in Diyarbakır began with prayers. The prayer was led by Sahak Maşalyan, the Patriarch of the Armenian community in Turkey. Patriarch Maşalyan also delivered messages about the Armenians' history in the region.
Located in the Ali Paşa neighborhood of Sur district in Diyarbakır, the Surp Sarkis Armenian Church, which has a history of 508 years, will undergo restoration. The Turkish Ministry of Culture has provided a grant of 5 million Turkish Lira for the restoration. It is estimated that 2 million dollars will be needed for the restoration.
During the Ottoman Empire era, the Surp Sarkis Church also functioned as a vocational school according to a decree. Since 1915, it has been largely inactive. Despite turning into ruin, the church has managed to stay standing with its historic columns, making it one of the few surviving structures of its kind.
The repairs and restoration of the church have begun. Prior to the restoration, a prayer ceremony was held with the participation of Patriarch Sahak Maşalyan. Alongside Maşalyan, members of the Armenian community in the city, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun, and Sur Municipality Co-Mayor Gulan Fatma Önkol also attended. Maşalyan, who called for assistance for the restoration of Surp Sarkis Church, emphasized its significance among the city's important heritage sites and urged its preservation.
In his statement, Maşalyan said they are taking the first step towards a new beginning. Maşalyan, emphasising that Surp Sarkis Church had been abandoned to its fate over the past century, also noted:
"For over 500 years, there has been a church belonging to Christians. In the past century, the church was abandoned and fell into its current state. It was a heartache for us and not something to be proud of for the people of Diyarbakır. There are historical wrongs that need to be fixed. One of them is revealing the traces of civilizations that once thrived in these lands. Shedding more accurate and realistic light on the history of this country is an important step. In ancient times, the quality of a civilization was measured by the beauty of its temples and tombs. Therefore, starting from the pyramids, every nation tried to build their own temples according to their beliefs. Diyarbakır Armenians somehow achieved this as well. Just like our standing Surp Giragos Church, which continues to be the largest Armenian church in the Middle East, this church has no less significance. However, due to tragic events a century ago and subsequent migrations, it was abandoned, but thankfully it is now under the control of the Surp Giragos Church Foundation."
Maşalyan, thanking the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the restoration of the church, stated, "Every time we come here, we have seen and appreciated the concern and effort from officials towards the restoration and revival of this church. The restoration of this church will be an honor for Diyarbakır. This planning has been ongoing for a long time. After the necessary planning by the Governorship, we can now start this work with the funds allocated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. We would like to express our thanks to our Minister Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the ministry staff."
Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun also stated that the municipality will provide all kinds of support for the restoration of the church, saying:
"As a civil society leader for years, I have dedicated serious effort to this structure; there is almost no stone I have not touched. Together with foundations, we exerted great effort, trying to acquire it. Unfortunately, we couldn't pursue a serious path at that time. However, to prevent further deterioration and damage, we metaphorically acted as its guardians. Now, for its construction... Before you, I also find the Ministry's first step commendable and valuable. The first step has been taken, and as Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality, we promise to collectively support all subsequent steps. Of course, this place is not just a place of worship. It is a memory of history. It is one of the largest monumental structures of this city. Every individual must protect and take ownership of it. This is the memory of our city. Let's preserve our memory and pass down traces of this memory to future generations."
Cemil Koç, the Director of Diyarbakır Survey and Monuments, who explained that the restoration works of Surp Sarkis Church began in 2011, stated, "It has been used for different purposes by various institutions, but now everyone agrees that the time has come to revive and restore this church. In this regard, our Ministry and Governorship have taken the first step. Projects were approved by relevant institutions in 2022. Today, we have laid the foundation stone for the restoration with a grant of 5 million. In the future stages, as the Ministry, we will continue to contribute in every possible way to ensure the completion of the project using various funding sources and to reintegrate it into Diyarbakır's culture and tourism."
