Turkey: Trebizond demands return of relics of Panagia Sumela that were taken to Ankara in 1925translated

A century after the transfer of historical relics from Panagia Sumela to Ankara, the issue of their return to Trebizond is back in the foreground, this time on the initiative of a Turkish councilor. The issue was raised at a meeting of the Municipal Council of Trabzon by the municipal councilor of the New Party, Turhan Egiuboglou, requesting the return of the relics to the area from which they come and their presentation in a new museum of Trabzon, bringing back to the public debate the fate of objects connected to the historical and religious heritage of Panagia Sumela.

However, as the mayor of Trabzon, Ahmet Metin Gents, revealed, Ankara is negative about such a possibility. "You have previously raised the issue as a proposal. We did an oral intervention. They are not willing to hand over these heirlooms. However, let's make a more dynamic intervention towards Ankara on this issue", said the mayor of Trabzon.

According to the APE-MPE, the relics were allegedly found in 1925 in the Monastery of Panagia Soumela, a historical religious center of Pontic Hellenism, and then transferred to Ankara for...