Ancient Armenian church in Turkey target of treasure hunters

ANKARA — The 13th-century Armenian Surp Minas Church (Սուրբ Մինաս) in the Zara district of Sivas Province has been the target of repeated diggings and associated destructions by illegal treasure hunters. According to a report published by the Armenian Agos newspaper, published in Turkey, the church’s cemetery was recently damaged during excavation work. Human bones lay scattered across the cemetery grounds. 

The Church, listed as part of Turkey’s cultural heritage, is located on the slopes of the Kızılırmak (Alis) River in the village of Alakilise (Müslimabad), a former Armenian settlement. According to “Sivas Field Research” conducted by the Hrant Dink Foundation, the church survived because villagers had repurposed it as a mosque, preventing its complete demolition. 

Churches can still be found in many parts of Sivas, although several were destroyed by villagers claiming that Armenians and former residents buried gold before “leaving.” The Surp Minas Church would likely have met the same fate had it not been converted into a mosque. Alakilise has now built new mosque. 

Today, all that remains of the building are rubble, some stone fragments, a cross symbol at the entrance to the church, and an Armenian inscription stating the date of the church’s foundation.