Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes caused the destruction of a part of the Virgin Mary Church, located in the Cemal Gürsel District of Hatay's Samandağ district.
Hatay
The church belonging to the Greek Orthodox community, which is one of the important cultural assets of the city, was closed due to the damage it received in the earthquakes.
It is stated that the church, whose construction date is not known exactly, was damaged in the Amik Earthquake in 1872 and was repaired afterwards.
Samandağ Greek Orthodox Church Foundation President Dr. Dimyan Emektaş told Anadolu Agency (AA) that there was a great disaster and that 8 members of his congregation lost their lives in the earthquakes.
Stating that there are St. İlyas and Virgin Mary churches belonging to the Greek Orthodox community in Samandağ, Emektaş said that both churches registered in the registered cultural property inventory of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism were damaged during the earthquakes.
Emektaş stated that both the front of the Virgin Mary Church was damaged and there were spills on all the columns inside. I hope it will be restored as soon as possible after we prepare the project and take out the survey."
Emektaş added that 10 graves in the adjacent cemetery were damaged as a result of the collapse of the front wall of the church, and that these graves will also be repaired.