Istanbul-born Canadian Raffi Bedrosian will perform a piano recital at the newly restored Saint Giragos Armenian Apostolic Church in Diyarbekir on September 10.

Bedrosian, who was involved in the restoration of the church, told Hurriyet Daily News, “With this concert I want to show that this restored church is not only a silent monument, but an active, living center bringing people together for a peaceful future.”

St. Giragos, one of the largest and most important Armenian churches in the Middle East, had been closed during the 1915 Genocide and left to deteriorate.

It was returned to the Armenian community in the early 1960s. Reconstruction work was begun in 2009 and the church was officially reopened in October 2011.

“It will be the first concert by an Armenian since 1915. The Turkish word calmak has two meanings, ‘to steal,’ or ‘to play a musical instrument,” he added. “The first meaning of the word took place in this church in 1915, when Diyarbekir Governor Reşit, after massacring the entire Armenian population, brought all the stolen valuable Armenian possessions to Surp Giragos Church, including several pianos. Now 97 years later, I wish to implement the second meaning of the word, by giving this concert in the same church.”

Hurriyet reports that prior to the concert, visiting dignataries will attend a Divine Liturgy at the Holy Cross Armenian Church at Aghtamar.

While Holy Cross has also been recently renovated, the church remains the property of the Turkish state.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is also expected to attend the concert.