SW News: As Syria and Turkey reel from the aftermath of the devastating tremors which rocked the nation on Feb. 6, reports reveal that among the trail of destruction are several churches belonging to both Catholics and the Orthodox in both countries.
Local media reports state that in the Turkish port city of Iskenderun, the Cathedral of the Annunciation belonging to the Latin Rite was severely damaged. Pictures circulating on social media show only the arches and the walls standing while the rest of the building and its annex came crashing down in the powerful quake in the morning. Built between 1858 and 1871 by the Carmelite friars, the historic church was rebuilt in 1901 after a devastating fire.
In the Hatay province of southern Turkey, a historic church belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch suffered extensive damage. As per the statement issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Turkey’s Istanbul, one of its churches in Altinozu Tokacli was razed to the ground in the powerful tremors. As the ground trembled, its façade came down and so did other parts of the structure.
Speaking to Armenian News, Ara Kocunyan, the Chief Editor of Jamanak daily based in Istanbul, said that in Iskenderun, the Church of the Holy Forty Children belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church suffered serious damage along with a Greek Orthodox place of worship. Luckily, the Armenian churches in Sebastia and Diyarbakir were spared along with the Church of St Gregory the Illuminator in Kayseri. Equally lucky was the Armenian Musa Dagh Church in the village of Vakifli, said Kocunyan. The Saints Peter and Paul Church belonging to the Syrian Orthodox Church was partly damaged in the disaster.
In Syria’s Aleppo, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Elijah was also damaged in the massive quake. It was in 2000 that the cathedral was consecrated and opened for worship. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese issued a statement in which it said, “This unprecedented earthquake caused great destruction of life and body. We ask you to lift prayers for the repose of the souls of the dead, the healing of the wounded and for the relief of the homeless displaced who died without shelter. We also ask your brothers, while waiting to contain the damage and organize relief work, to initiate steps within your diocese to express our love and solidarity with our suffering brothers.”
This archdiocese is one of the 19 that belongs to the Orthodox Church of Antioch. Its origin dates back to the days of the early believers who gathered in Antioch as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. It was there that they were first called 'Christians'.