Mass at Akdamar church

Armenians from around the world flocked yesterday to the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on the island of Akdamar in the eastern province of Van. The church was restored between 2005 and 2007 thanks to the contributions of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Mass was celebrated there for the first time in 2010 after a period of 95 years. This year marked the third ritual in a row. Monsignor Aram Atessian, the acting Armenian patriarch, presided over this year's mass, attended by 2,000 faithful, of whom only a few dozen were able to watch inside the church. The rest followed proceedings from outside. A Bishop from the United States, Khajag Barsamyan, led the ritual as prayers were made for those who lost lives in last year's earthquake in Van and those killed in violent incidents in Syria.