A delegation from Turkey presented the project for the restoration of the Petropavlovsk Cathedral in Antakya to Antiochian Patriarch John X. The Patriarch received the delegation on March 1 at his residence in Balamand (Syria), as reported by the press service of the Antiochian Patriarchate.

The meeting included Archimandrite Pavel Orduloglu, the representative of the Antiochian Patriarch in Turkey; Fadi Horigil, president of the foundation overseeing the temple's restoration; and architect Bossa Jeyran Gul. The delegation briefed Patriarch John on the overall situation and efforts for reconstruction and relief in Antioch and the surrounding areas following the earthquake on February 6, 2023.

"Patriarch John carefully reviewed the progress of the demolition of the ruins and the reconstruction of the Cathedral of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Antioch, including plans and licenses. His Beatitude confirmed that the Church of the Apostles has been and will remain the historical heart of the Antiochian Church and the wider East, and its reconstruction is a commitment to the Christian presence rooted in the East," stated the press release from the Antiochian Patriarchate.

The Cathedral of Peter and Paul in the Turkish city of Antakya was devastated by the earthquake on February 6, 2023. Built in 1340, the cathedral survived Ottoman conquest and suffered significant damage in 1872 due to another earthquake.

After the earthquake, the Antiochian Patriarchate received permission from Ottoman authorities to rebuild the church, along with a commitment to provide assistance from the province's engineering service. The Russian Emperor also sent funds for the cathedral's revival and provided Russian engineers for the reconstruction. The construction of the cathedral took over twenty years and was completed in 1900. Ultimately, the cathedral was rebuilt in stone, following the typical Levantine syncretism style of the 19th century and stood in line with the mosques of major Ottoman cities of its time.

In 2023, the Cathedral of Peter and Paul was destroyed by an earthquake that affected several regions of Turkey and Syria. The city of Antakya, ancient Antioch, was among the most severely affected. On Easter 2023, Patriarch John visited Antakya, where he conducted the Easter liturgy amid the ruins of the Cathedral of Peter and Paul, expressing hope for the swift restoration of the church.

Image: The Cathedral of Peter and Paul in 2023. Photo: Antiochian Patriarchate