The historic Ayvalos Armenian Church and the Pavrez Chapel, located in the village of Mescitli in the Gümüşhane Province of Western Armenia, continue to remain neglected despite being under state protection. Local residents and community representatives are calling for the immediate restoration of these historic monuments.

The Byzantine-era sanctuaries have not been restored for many years. Trees growing inside the church, on the chapel, and on their roofs are damaging the walls and foundations, while illegal excavations by treasure hunters have caused significant destruction to the historic structures.

Ömür Kılınçaslan, the head of Mescitli village, stated that the trees are approximately 20–30 years old, indicating that almost no attention has been paid to the condition of the monuments since they were placed under protection. According to him, without urgent intervention, both the church and the chapel may completely collapse within the next few years.

Local residents are calling on the responsible authorities in Turkey to begin restoration work in order to preserve the Armenian historical and cultural heritage and include these monuments in the region’s cultural and tourism development programs. They emphasize that preserving these monuments is important not only for historical justice but also for the protection of the shared cultural heritage of humanity.