The original cross of the Holy Cross church in Akhtamar island was destroyed during the massacre of Armenians plotted by sultan Abdul Hamid II.

“There has been no cross atop the church since the end of the 19th century,” head of the Research on Armenian Architecture NGO Samvel Karapetyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Currently, a cross made through financial assistance of the Armenian community of Istanbul is set atop the church.

Last week, Hurriyet daily quoted Ex-chairman of the Turkish Historical Society Yusuf Halacoglu as saying that in 1907 a French couple visited the church and accepted the cross as a gift from the priests.