Turkey began a restoration project at the Akdamar Church, located in an island on Van Lake, in 2005.
The historic church re-opened in 2007 as a “monumental museum”.
On Sept. 19, 2010, the Akdamar Church hosted its first service after a 95-year break. The church opened its service every year for one day and the last service was conducted in 2015, which saw a gathering of thousands of local and international tourists in Van.
Archbishop Aram Ateşyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, held the mass that lasted two hours.