Police on alert for a piece of true cross
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Doğan News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 19, 2008 00:00
DİYARBAKIR - Police in the southeastern town of Diyarbakır are on alert after a local member of the Meyrem Ana Süryani Kilisesi, or Virgin Mary Assyriac Church Foundation, said the church was in possession of a piece of the cross that Jesus was crucified on.
Patrols around the church by the local police have been increased and a street camera system was installed nearby to keep a tab on visitors.
Speaking Monday during a visit by deputy governor and acting Sur Mayor, Ahmet Aydın, foundation member Can Şakarer said a small piece of the cross was in the church and was open to the public only on special days.
"The piece was given to our church 300 years ago. We only show it to the congregation during the fasting festival, on the Sept. 15 Cross Festival and at Easter. It is a sin to show it on any other day," said Şakarer.
"The queen of France one day found the three-piece cross in a yard with garbage. Religious officials say the only way to prove it is the true cross is to hold it over the bodies of dead people. If they do this and the dead come to life, then the cross is the real one. The queen took the cross to Istanbul and during a public showing a person from the Southeast secretly took a piece of it. When he was searched, he stabbed the piece into his leg, thus it escaped the attention of the guards.
He also said a new church established across the street was printing invitations and meant people would think his church was involved in missionary activities. The deputy governor made a YTL 500 donation to the church before leaving.
Speaking Monday during a visit by deputy governor and acting Sur Mayor, Ahmet Aydın, foundation member Can Şakarer said a small piece of the cross was in the church and was open to the public only on special days.
"The piece was given to our church 300 years ago. We only show it to the congregation during the fasting festival, on the Sept. 15 Cross Festival and at Easter. It is a sin to show it on any other day," said Şakarer.
"The queen of France one day found the three-piece cross in a yard with garbage. Religious officials say the only way to prove it is the true cross is to hold it over the bodies of dead people. If they do this and the dead come to life, then the cross is the real one. The queen took the cross to Istanbul and during a public showing a person from the Southeast secretly took a piece of it. When he was searched, he stabbed the piece into his leg, thus it escaped the attention of the guards.
He also said a new church established across the street was printing invitations and meant people would think his church was involved in missionary activities. The deputy governor made a YTL 500 donation to the church before leaving.