The perpetratrors reportedly chose the 29th of June for their act as it is a day of celebration dedicated to the liturgical memory of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, to whom the cemetery chapel was dedicated upon its construction in 1967.

Syriac, Assyrian, and Chaldean communities gather in the cemetery chapel every year to celebrate liturgies dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. They also gather to perform traditional acts of reverence and devotion at the tombs of their own ancestors who are buried at the site.

The act of vandalism was immediately reported to local Turkish police. They hope that authorities will act effectively to pursue justice against the criminals, especially considering the importance of historical sites in this area not only to local Christians but to the larger Christian community as well.

Source: persecution.org