The historic Surp (Saint) Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of Diyarbakir, Turkey is on the verge of destruction, Ermenihaber reports, citing Turkish sources.
The church located in Sur District has repeatedly been targeted by treasure hunters. They steal and sell the stones of the church and dig holes within and beneath the building, due to which the already half-dilapidated church is on the verge of total collapse.
Little is known about the church due to lack of historical records and inscriptions, but the building reportedly dates back to the 16th century.
According to Amida (Diyarbakir), a book by Max Van Berchem, the church was built in 1515 by the Ottoman-Armenians of Diyarbakir and was called St. Sarkis. Meantime, historian Gabriel Akyuz, a representative of the Turkish Assyrian community, uses Mor Dumyana name for the church.
After the church was confiscated during the 1915 Armenian Genocide, it has been used as a warehouse, barn or granary.
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