Easter Mass held in Türkiye’s quake-hit Hatay province

HATAY, Türkiye

Christians in Türkiye’s southern Hatay province, despite severe damage from twin earthquakes this February, held Easter Mass this Sunday to mark one of the most important holidays for the Christian faith.

As the Catholic Church in Hatay’s Iskenderun district was destroyed by the quakes, Easter services were held at the historic Saint Peter (Pierre) Church, the world’s first cave church, which remained largely intact following the temblors.

Ft. Antuan Ilgit, vicar general and episcopal chancellor of the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia, who directed the mass, said that they had a different and quite difficult Easter preparation period this year due to the quakes.

Carved into the side of Mount Staurin in the Antakya (Antioch) region of the Apostle Peter's early ministry, around 38-39 A.D., the Saint Peter cave church is recognized as the world’s very first cathedral, according to UNESCO.

Antakya is home to various minority groups such as Syriac Orthodox Christians, Syriac Catholics, and Armenians.

More than 50,000 people were killed on Feb. 6 when magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck numerous southern and southeastern Turkish provinces.

More than 13.5 million people in Türkiye have been affected by the devastating quakes as well as many others in northern Syria.