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Republic’s First Church Preparing for Its Opening [Turkey]
Hurriyet Daily News ^ | 1/8/23

Posted on 01/09/2023 6:34:59 PM PST by marshmallow

Final preparations are almost complete for the opening of Mor Efrem (St. Ephrem) Syriac Ancient Orthodox Church in Istanbul, the first church built in the history of modern Türkiye.

While the church in the Bakırköy district is planned to be opened in two months, comprehensible work is being carried out to eliminate the last deficiencies.

Following the allocation of a place at the request of the Syriac community in the country, the foundation of the church was laid in 2019 with a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The church was designed as a five-story building in the empty 700 square meter section of the area where the Latin Catholic Cemetery is located in the Yeşilköy neighborhood.

One floor of the church will be used as a cultural hall, where the congregation will gather after the masses, ceremonies such as baptisms, condolences and weddings, as well as meetings and conferences will be held.

While the chandeliers and sound systems in the culture hall are being installed, it is planned to hang the chandeliers on the floor where the rituals will be held in the coming days.

On the ground floor of the church, there is a living area, guest rooms and parking.

(Excerpt) Read more at hurriyetdailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Islam; Orthodox Christian; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 01/09/2023 6:34:59 PM PST by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

Interesting...perhaps it shows Turkey’s new alignment with Russia. Can’t say that I blame them, given their other choice (being a US slave state).


2 posted on 01/09/2023 7:07:56 PM PST by BobL
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To: BobL

Not really - the Syriac Ancient Orthodox Church is not an Eastern Orthodox church but part of the Oriental Orthodox churches that include the Coptic, Armenian and Ethiopian churches.

They are called Miaphysite namely that holds Jesus, the “Incarnate Word, is fully divine and fully human, in one ‘nature’ (physis).” as opposed to the Eastern Orthodox/Catholic/”Protestant” Monophysite that holds that holds Jesus, the “Incarnate Word, is fully divine and fully human, one person in two ‘nature’ (physis).”

Yeah, yeah, to me it also sounds like arguing over words. The real split, to me, was due to ethnic tensions and politics.

Turkey’s recent moves to convert the Hagia Sophia back to a mosque (from a museum) is more important to the Russian (and the wider Orthodox World) than this act.


3 posted on 01/10/2023 4:53:11 AM PST by Cronos (.)
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To: BobL

This may be related to https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2022-10/syriac-monastery-mor-efrem-reopening-assyrian-liturgy.html

Syriac monastery in Turkey reopens after 100 years

from October last year.

Granted, it is for the Syriac Catholic Church (which is a branch of the Oriental Syriac Church that came back in communion with the Catholic church.

I wonder what Erdogan is playing at.


4 posted on 01/10/2023 5:54:43 AM PST by Cronos (.)
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To: Cronos

“I wonder what Erdogan is playing at.”

Considering that the West is pretty much ‘post-Christian’ and much of it in Western Europe is in the process of converting to Islam, though not Poland and Hungary yet (but you guys will be hearing from the EU soon enough regarding your outdated position that Poland should stay Polish), it seems that the only Christianity that will be left in that part of the world will be run by Moscow, so why not take a few small steps to get on good terms with them?

Good point on Hagia Sophia, I had forgotten about that. If Turkey does close that now-mosque, that will be a major move, and likely infuriate Turks (which is why it would be a major move). We’ll see if anything happens there.


5 posted on 01/10/2023 6:21:51 AM PST by BobL
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