President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated the Easter festivities of Turkey’s Christian citizens on Sunday, emphasizing the peaceful coexistence in the country.
“I hereby congratulate our Christian citizens’ Easter,” he said in a statement.
“Our country, in which every individual can freely live according to their cultures, beliefs and traditions; and our nation that is tightly knit to each other in solidarity, continues to set the example for the globe,” Erdoğan added.
“As constituents of a deeply rooted civilization diversified thanks to the contributions of each and every individual, we will continue to march toward the future in peaceful coexistence,” he underlined.
Erdoğan also wished well-being to Turkey’s Christians “with whom we share the joy of Easter.”
Previously, the president also emphasized Turkey’s efforts to preserve the country’s Christian sites.
“Akdamar Church, which dates back over a thousand years, was restored with great care,” Erdoğan said in a previous message in reference to the place of worship in eastern Van province.
“Iron Church in Istanbul’s Balat was reopened for worship in 2018 following restoration works. The possession issue of immovable properties that belong to Syriacs, including churches and monasteries, was resolved and their title deeds were handed over to the Syriac community. Ground was broken in 2019 for the first-ever Syriac church of the Republican era. Mar Petyun Chaldean Church and the Middle East’s largest Armenian church Surp Giragos Church, both damaged in attacks by PKK terrorists in Diyarbakır’s Sur, are currently under restoration,” he also added.
Christians living in Turkey constitute 0.4% of the population, as of 2010, according to research by Pew Research Center.
Easter is one of the most important holidays in the Christian world and was celebrated on April 17 this year.
Easter was established at the First Council of Nicaea, which took place in A.D. 325 in Turkey's Iznik.
