The liturgy in Holy Cross church served as a perfect advertisement devised by the Turkish government to attract tourists.

“With reconstructing Armenian churches, Turkey just tries to please Europe and recover economy in its eastern provinces,” Christine Melkonyan, research fellow of the Department of Turkey at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, told a news conference in Yerevan.

For his part, historian Ashot Hayruni said that the Armenian community of Turkey offered authorities to reconstruct St. Kirakos church in Diarbekir.

“If Turkey reconstructs Armenian churches in compliance with Armenian architecture norms, it will be welcome. Opening of St. Kirakos will help islamized Armenians return to Christianity,” he said.