Rosary Catholic Church / Notre Dame de Rosarie
[Religious Monument]
> Under construction ΣΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ
Common name
Rosary Catholic Church / Notre Dame de Rosarie
Local name
Meryem Ana Rosario Kilisesi
Official name
Parrocchia N. S. del Rosario P. P. Domenicani
Type
Ecclesiastical Complex
In use
Yes
Condition
Mediocre
Interest
Interest
Ethnological.
Interest
Pilgrimage Shrine.
Recent visit
12/11/2008
Address
Corner of Küçükyali Sokak 31 and Kartopu Sokak in Sakızağacı Mahalle of Bakırköy Municipality.
Useful information
Squeezed between apartment buildings, narrow streets and parked cars, the church is hard to find and approachable only on foot. Very few people in the neighborhood know about the church, most are immigrants uninterested to learn about the area. It is located quite close to the coastal road and is known by the Turco-Italian name Meryem Ana Rosario Kilisesi, but also by the Turkish name Süryani Kadim Kilisesi (Church of the Syrian Orthodox) since several years have passed since the church has been shared by the Syrian Orthodox / Jacobins (Süryani Kadim) who left their homes in southeastern Turkey to settle in Istanbul and other big cities. To visit the church one should go during the daily liturgy celebrated at 6.30 pm or the Sunday morning liturgy at 11 am.
Other uses
Granted to the Syrian Orthodox
Date
1950 - 2000
Description
In recent years the church has also been used by the Syrian Orthodox (also known as Jacobites) who have only one church in Istanbul, in central Pera. Since the members of the Syrian Orthodox Church are increasing on account of immigration from the Turkish-Syrian frontier region [‘from southeastern Turkey? Or are there members also coming to Istanbul from the Syrian side, perhaps now there are in present conditions], and at the same time the Roman Catholic community is on the wane, the Catholic Archbishop has made available space in some of their parish churches to the Syrian Orthodox clergy so that they could serve the immigrants in the area, or in other cases, to hand over entire churches in neighborhoods where there are no longer any Catholics (for example in Samatya). In Bakırköy / Makrohori, the situation is one of a shared holy space.
Comments
Catholic and Syrian Orthodox liturgies are celebrated at different times. The result of this co-habitation is that French, Latin, Turkish and Syriac are heard in the same holy space. This constructive and interesting accomodation of on-going developments suits all sides.
Key words
Aramaic.
Catholic Church / Latin Church.
Dominican order.
Ecclesiastical buildings.
Istanbul, Catholic churches.
Istanbul, Thracian suburbs.
Makrochori / Bakırköy.
Syrian Orthodox / Jacobites.