Restoration work has begun on the 500-year-old Surp Sarkis Armenian Church in the central Sur district of Diyarbakır, southeastern Turkey, Daily Sabah reports.

In the Alipaşa neighborhood, where the church, owned by the Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, had been gradually deteriorating due to the lack of a congregation and sustained damage during the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on Feb. 6, 2023, a program was organized to mark the start of restoration efforts.

During the program, Sahak Maşalyan, the Patriarch of Türkiye's Armenians, inspected the historic church and offered prayers. Maşalyan noted that the church has been part of the area for over 500 years and had become derelict due to abandonment. "It was heartbreaking for us to see the church in this state. It was not something to be proud of for the people of Diyarbakır. In ancient times, the quality and greatness of a civilization were measured by the beauty of their temples or tombs. Therefore, every nation has tried to build the greatest temples according to their faith, starting from the pyramids. Just as our Surp Giragos Church stands tall as the largest Armenian church in the Middle East, this church has no less significance," he said. Ergün Ayık, president of the Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, mentioned that after restoration, the church area will include eight guesthouses, a conference hall, a priest's house and three workshops.

A number of churches, monasteries and cemeteries have been destroyed in Turkey or converted to mosques and barns over the past decades.