A dispute has arisen over St. George Church in Derik.

Disagreements have arisen over the preservation and ownership of the historic Armenian St. George Church, located in the Derik district of Mardin. The dispute between Zekerya Sabuncu, who has voluntarily taken care of the church for many years, and the Keçecioğlu family concerns the changing of the church locks, its condition, and the relocation of its historic frescoes.

The Keçecioğlu family stated that Sabuncu had changed the church lock without their knowledge and that the church was in a neglected condition. The family also raised questions regarding the whereabouts of the church’s historic frescoes and the circumstances surrounding their relocation.

In response, Sabuncu’s son, Ghazar Sabuncu, stated that the frescoes, which date back to the 18th century, had been transferred to Istanbul for restoration with the knowledge of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople and are currently being kept at St. George Church in Samatya. According to him, part of the restoration work has already been completed.

St. George Church, built in 1650, came under the administration of the Treasury after 1915 and was used as a stable and an arsenal until 1957. In 1957, it was repurchased by the Armenian community of Derik. Due to the decline in the community’s population, religious services have not been held at the church for many years.

To discuss the issue, the parties met on September 9 with Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Sahak Mashalian. The parties emphasize the importance of preserving the church’s historical heritage and clarifying the situation that has arisen.