Syriac Orthodox Diocese of Tur Abdin reopens restored Mor Stephanos Church, urges Syriac community to return to historic homeland

KFARBE, Turkey — Over the weekend, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Tur Abdin Mor Timotheus Shmuel Aktaş officially reopened the Mor Stephanos Church in the village of Kfarbe following its restoration.

The reopening ceremony was attended by a large gathering of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community from Tur Abdin and the diaspora in European. Archbishop Aktaş led the Mass, accompanied by a number of priests and deacons.

In his sermon, Archbishop Aktaş expressed his deep joy at the successful restoration of the historic church, emphasizing its crucial role in fostering unity among the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people. He called upon the community to return to their ancestral homes in Tur Abdin, urging believers to care for and maintain the church as a symbol of their enduring heritage and faith.