Turkey restores land to ancient monastery
February 28, 2014
The Turkish government has restored 60 acres of land to Mor Gabriel, a Syrian Orthodox monastery founded in 397, according to a report in Hürriyet Daily News, an Istanbul-based newspaper.
“We are happy to receive back the deed of the land without coming to the European Court of Human Right phase,” said the president of the Mor Gabriel Foundation.
An appeals court in Turkey had ruled in 2012 that the building sits on land not owned by the monks.
An additional 79 acres have yet to be restored to the monastery, though Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in September that the larger parcel would be returned as well.
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Further information:
- Syriac community receives deed for lands of Mor Gabriel (Hürriyet Daily News)
- Ancient monastery in Turkey faces destruction in anti-Christian lawsuit (CWN, 7/12/12)
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