Ankara, Turkey, Jul 3, 2009 / 02:07 am
Turkish authorities may indefinitely extend permission for Christians to pray in the ancient Church of St. Paul in Tarsus, the birthplace of the Apostle. Increasing Christian visits to the city may help change the church from a museum to a center of pilgrimage, a local bishop says.
The Church of St. Paul, built in the sixth century, was seized by the Turkish government in 1943 and turned into a museum. Christian celebrations were only allowed under strict conditions and Mass-goers were required to pay the museum entry fee, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reports.
However, Turkish authorities granted a special license for Mass and other services to be held in the church during the just finished Year of St. Paul. Tarsus received record numbers of Christian pilgrims during the Year, which lasted from June 2008 to 2009.
Bishop Luigi Padovese, Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, told ACN the new developments mean Christians will continue to hold services in the building, although only on a provisional basis.