A Miracle! Kebap Grill "Appears" in Abandoned Church in Şanlıurfa

türkçe  links to original English article

(duvaR.english website, 15 January 2021)

 Just "blessed take-out" available right now. COVID, you know.

A kebab chef was criticized for hosting a barbecue in an abandoned 

ancient church in southeastern Turkey on 14 January. The 19th-century 

structure had been abandoned after treasure hunters ransacked it, locals 

reported.

Dating back to the 19th century and located about 10 kilometers from 

the nearest settlement, the Germuş Armenian Church has become a spot 

for squatters since its abandonment, one local noted.

"Treasure hunters destroyed this place. Now, people come here to 

drink, or grill kebabs," Dağyanı Neighborhood resident Übeyit İnci said, 

urging the state to swiftly restore the ancient structure.

           Tourism Ministry to update poster with a menu.

Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Garo Paylan also

slammed the chef's abuse of the ruins in a tweet. One local responded to 

Paylan's tweet with more photos of the structure, adding that they've 

been trying to rally public support to save the church to no avail, and 

that it has essentially been left to rot. "I don't know what to say, shame!" 

Paylan said.