Epress.am News from Armenia
The dome of the Holy Cross Armenian Church on Lake Van’s Akhtamar Island has cracked as a result of the Oct. 23 earthquake that struck Turkey’s eastern region, Epress.am’s Turkey correspondent reports from Van. Also broken in the church were some glass and ceramic items.
A group of Turkey’s tourism ministry officials left for Akhtamar to survey the situation with the church.
The experts are preparing to carry out restoration and repair work very quickly.
Recall, the church, after being closed for 95 years, was opened for a Divine Liturgy in Sept. 2010, attended by thousands of Armenians from around the world, after which the number of tourists and pilgrims to Akhtamar increased.