Turks Roast Meat in Armenian Church, Garo Paylan Shares Photos

Garo Paylan, an Armenian MP from Turkey's pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), has shared photos on his Twitter account showing that a roast meat event has taken place in an Armenian church. Paylan accompanied the post with the comment, "They held a barbecue party in my church. What can I say? Good luck!"

The Armenian Church of St. Astvatsatsin, located 10 kilometers from the center of Şanlıurfa, Turkey, is known locally as the Germushi Church and has been used as a site for starting fires to prepare kebabs, according to ermenihaber.am. A restaurant owner chose to stand out by lighting a fire on the church's premises and organizing a feast for kebab consumption.

The video of the event has surfaced online and has faced severe criticism and condemnation from numerous users. Residents of the area have also condemned the organizer of the “kebab banquet” in the ruins of the ancient Armenian church. They expressed dissatisfaction over the presence of treasure hunters who frequently visit the church grounds, further deteriorating the historical site in an effort to find the "gold of the Armenians." One resident indicated that the issue could be remedied through the renovation of the church.

Turkish media have reported on this incident, though without acknowledging that the church is Armenian.