The Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni, paid an official visit to the historic Armenian church of Sourp Kevork (St. George) in Didymoteicho.
On the morning of Friday, October 24, the minister and her entourage were received at the entrance of the church by the Bishop of the Armenians of Greece, Sahak Yemisian, the member of the Central Council of Orthodox Armenians, Arsen Kalfayan, the spiritual pastor of Thrace, Father Daniel Kaloglian, as well as by members of the Community Parish Councils of Didymoteicho and Orestiada, representatives of the Armenian Community and numerous believers.
Mrs. Mendoni was informed about the history and architectural value of the church, as well as about the needs of its maintenance and renovation. In cooperation with His Eminence and the representatives of the National Administration, he assured that the Ministry of Culture will actively support the restoration works of the historic church.
As mentioned, the preparatory and research procedures will soon begin, with the aim of starting the first phase of the restoration works.
At the end of the visit, press statements were made. His Eminence expressed his gratitude for the presence of the minister in the church, underlining the deep historical value of the monument, the long-standing contribution of the Armenian community to the local community, and the timeless friendship between Greeks and Armenians.
From her part, Mrs. Mendoni thanked for the warm welcome and noted that the Greek state has already undertaken the restoration project of the historic castle of the area, which includes the old Armenian church of Agios Georgios. She also added that the restoration studies are already underway and that specialized technical teams will soon take the next steps for the complete renovation and enhancement of the monument.
Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni visits the Armenian church of Didymoteicho in Northeastern Greece
