Sahak Maşalyan, patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Türkiye, held a service in Van and called for the restoration of ties between the two nations.

Sahak Maşalyan, the patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Türkiye, led a religious service at the historic Akdamar Church in Van province on Sunday. During the event, Maşalyan stated that he offered a special prayer for the restoration of diplomatic ties between Türkiye and Armenia, emphasizing that people in the region deserve peace.

Religious service and international attendance

The service was attended by Armenian faithful who traveled from across Türkiye, the United States, Europe, Armenia, and Iran. Bishop Mesrob Parsamyan, the primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, presided over the religious ceremony held on the island in Lake Van.

Diplomatic efforts toward normalization

Türkiye and Armenia have engaged in recent efforts to normalize relations, including a visit to Yerevan by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and ongoing meetings between delegations. The two countries have reached agreements to work on a direct railway connection and the restoration of a historic border bridge. Under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia has shifted its policy toward the 'Real Armenia' doctrine, which focuses on promoting peace with neighboring nations.