The first church, built during the Turkish Republic, will open its doors for believers on Sunday, October 8th.
The ceremony of laying the foundation of the Assyrian Orthodox Church of St. Ephraim in the Istanbul district of Eshilkey took place in 2019. The event was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The correspondent of Anadolu talked with the head of the Istanbul Assyrian Foundation Kadim Saita Susin. He said that the whole process of building a church took a total of 10 years.
According to him, the opening of the church was postponed due to destructive February earthquakes in Turkey. “We planned to hold the opening ceremony on February 19, but the earthquake that occurred on February 6 prevented this. It was a great tragedy for the country. Under such circumstances, there was no question of any ceremony,” he explained.
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The head of the Fund noted that the Assyrian communities around the world closely tracked the process of erecting the Church. He added that many of them expressed a desire to direct their representatives to the opening ceremony.
“Our phones are not silent. The discovery of such a church increases the prestige of our country. This event is an excellent answer to prejudice, voiced to our country abroad. I hope that the prayers offered in this church will contribute to the strengthening of our unity and unity of our countries, ”Susin said.
On the ground floor there are bishop chambers, guests and fleeting rooms.