Turkish Government Initially Denies, then Grants Permission for Divine Liturgy Celebration at Sumela Monastery on August 15

OCP News Service – 26/07/2023

Turkey: Turkish Government first Denied and then granted permission for celebrating the Divine Liturgy on August 15 at the Sumela Monastery on the occasion of the feast of the Assumption of St. Mary. Both the updates were informed by the patriarchate through a statement.

The updated statement from the patriarchate reads as:

“We are happy to announce that following a recent decision by the Turkish authorities, permission was granted to hold a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy on the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15) in the Church. Monastery of Panagia Soumela”.

“Interested pious Christians are hereby informed that this year the Divine Liturgy will not be celebrated on the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15) in the historic Monastery of Panagia Sumela, as the required permission was not granted despite the competent governmental authorities”. (21 July 2023)

Sümela is a Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary established in AD 386.

According to Orthochristia.com:

For centuries, the cliff-side Panagia Sumela Monastery in the Black Sea city served as the cradle of Pontian Hellenism. After 88 years of banning access to the site, Turkey reopened it on August 15, 2010, and a new tradition of Patriarch Bartholomew celebrating the monastery’s patronal feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos began.

However, the monastery was closed for restoration in September 2015, and the Patriarch was not permitted to serve throughout the restoration process, which mostly addressed the stability of the cliff.

A series of mini-inaugurations successively opened more sections of the monastery. It was opened up through the first courtyard in May 2019, and in July 2020, 65% of the monastery was opened to the public and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated again on Dormition that year.

The monastery fully reopened to the public in May 2022, and Pat. Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the feast of Dormition there that August.

Source:
OCP News Service