Turkish Sumela Monastery Hosts Religious Service
Turkish Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Turkey’s northern province of Trabzon on Sunday to lead a religious service at Sumela Monastery.
Service took place at the garden of the monastery between 10:00a.m. and noon on Monday with participation of 500 people.
Bartholomew said that he was happy to be able to attend this year’s service, and thanked the Turkish government. “They had been hosted very well in Trabzon during last year’s service,” he added.
After 88 years, for the first time in 2010, Turkish government allowed religious ceremonies to be held in the monastery. Last year’s service was also conducted by Bartholomew.
The monastery will be open to visitors before and after the religious service hours on August 15.
Sumela, a Greek Orthodox monastery, built on the steep cliffs facing Altindere valley in Macka town of Trabzon, founded in the year 386 AD during the reign of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I. Lying at an altitude of approximately 1,200 meters, monastery is a major tourist attraction.
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