The Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference (HCBC) provides support in the amount of 40 000 EUR for the reconstruction of the earthquake-stricken Saint Polycarp Church in Izmir, Turkey.
Martin Kmetec, archbishop of Izmir, approached the president of the HCBC to request help in the rebuilding of the Saint Polycarp Church, which was severely damaged by an earthquake in October 2020. The settlement on the Aegean coast, formerly known as Smyrna, is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Rev 1:11; 2:8-11). Bishop Ignatius of Antioch (~35 – ~107), wrote four of his seven, still extant letters in the city and two were addressed to the local church community. Saint Polycarp (before 69–155) was a bishop who lived and died a martyr's death in the city of Smyrna.
The church is part of the French Capuchin monastery complex built in 1625. Today, the church is not only the centre of the Christian community in Izmir, but also a prominent site for Christian culture and interfaith dialogue in Turkey.
The Archbishop of Izmir reported that the building is currently in very bad conditions: the foundations need to be reinforced due to the large amount of water flowing under the church, the walls must be rebuilt, and the artworks require restoration. The donation of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference supports this purpose.
Budapest, 3th December 2021
Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference