Christians mark Easter across Turkey
Orthodox Christians in İstanbul gathered on the night of Apr 20 to celebrate Easter at the Aya Yorgi Church, located within the Fener Greek Patriarchate.
The midnight service was led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and featured traditional prayers, hymns, and religious rituals marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As part of the ritual, Patriarch Bartholomew walked through the church with incense, blessing the congregation.
Attendees lit candles at the entrance, and the lights inside the church were dimmed before midnight, when the bells rang out and worshippers lit candles to symbolize Christ's resurrection. Traditional Easter cakes and dyed eggs were also part of the celebration.
The service drew not only Orthodox Christians residing in Turkey but also visitors and expatriates from Greece, Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia.
Among those in attendance were Greek Ambassador to Ankara Theodoros Bizakis, Greek Consul General in İstanbul Konstantinos Koutras, and Ukrainian Consul General Roman Nedilskyi.
Meanwhile, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel marked Easter by calling several Christian community leaders in Turkey to convey his holiday greetings.
Özel spoke individually with Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew, Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Vicar Yusuf Çetin, Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Vicar Orhan Çanlı, Armenian Catholic Spiritual Leader Kirakos Kazancıyan, and Armenian Patriarch of Turkey Sahak Maşalyan, according to the party.
Özel extended his best wishes to the Christian communities in Turkey and offered congratulations to all Christians celebrating the holiday through their religious leaders.
Syriac community celebrates in Mardin
The Syriac Orthodox community in Mardin celebrated Easter on Apr 20 with a ceremony held at the historic Kırklar Church, drawing participation from both local worshippers and visitors, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
The service was led by Metropolitan of Mardin-Diyarbakır Saliba Özmen and Kırklar Church’s head priest Gabriel Akyüz. Worshippers gathered at the church entrance with their children to light candles and offer prayers before the ceremony.
The Easter liturgy featured hymns sung in Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac. Excerpts from the Bible were read aloud, and Metropolitan Özmen delivered his messages in Turkish, Arabic, and Syriac.
Following the service, congregants gathered in the church courtyard to exchange holiday greetings. The event was also attended by members of the local Muslim community.
Speaking at the celebration, Syriac Orthodox Foundation Chair Murat Özberk highlighted the importance of the occasion. “We hope this holiday brings peace and tranquility to the entire world,” he said. “We are praying for an end to the suffering in Gaza, and for peace in Ukraine and everywhere war persists.”
Özberk also emphasized the spirit of interfaith harmony in Mardin. “We recently celebrated Ramadan together. Today we celebrate Easter. Syriacs and Muslims mark all four major holidays together in a spirit of mutual respect and fraternity. We hope this serves as an example to the world,” he said.
Züheyr Özberk, another attendee, echoed the sentiment: “For thousands of years we have celebrated our holidays together in this region. We are glad to continue doing so with joy and unity. We hope Easter brings peace to our country, the Middle East, and the world.”
Olga Bugrimova, a visitor from Russia, shared her experience attending the Easter celebration in Mardin for the first time. “I felt so good being here. It was my first time witnessing this, and it was very emotional and beautiful. I was truly happy to see it,” she said. (VK)