Surp Giragos Ermeni Kilisesi ( Surp Giragos Armenian Church )

Surp Giragos Armenian Church, also known as the Church of St. Kyriakos, is a historic Armenian Apostolic Church located in the Sur district of Diyarbakır in southeastern Turkey. The church, built in the 16th century, is considered the largest Armenian church in the Middle East.

It is mentioned that the church is located within the cemetery where Surp Giragos Church was built after the conversion of the St. Theodoros Church into a mosque in 1518. In 1722, the church underwent extensive restoration under Metropolitan Bedros Vartabed. However, in 1881, a fire destroyed the church, and with the permission of the congregation, permission was obtained from the Ottoman government for the restoration of the church. Rebuilt in 1883, the church, according to Polish Simeon's account, had seven altars and was quite large.

During World War I, Surp Giragos Church was used as headquarters by German officers but was abandoned after the war. The church's bell tower collapsed due to lightning in 1913, and the tower, demolished by the state in 1916 due to its height, remained unused until 1960. The church was transferred to the Armenian community in 1960 but remained abandoned for a long time.

Subsequently, restoration work began, and a part of the church was opened for worship in 2011. In 2012, the church was equipped with a replica of its original bell. Today, the church hosts worship services once a year and is visited by Diyarbakır Armenians as well as visitors from various parts of the world.






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