The church in Tarsus will remain a museum Aug 12, 2009

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The Turkish government decides to keep the only Christian church in Tarsus a national museum. The Church in Tarsus happens to be the place of St. Paul's birth. Despite the personal requests made by Pope Benedict XVI and the many petitions brought forward by the Christian community of Turkey – the decision was invariable.

St. Paul Catholic church was built in the beginning of the 19th Century and confiscated in 1943 by the Turkish government. Christian pilgrims used the church for sermons during the year 2008-2009, which happens to e the year of St. Paul.

After the celebrations dedicated to St. Paul's 2000th birthday were over, the government of Turkey decided that the building cannot be used exclusively for prayer, says catholic portal "Milites Christi Imperatoris".

Bishop Luigi Padovese, the apostolic vicar of Anatolia and the president of the Catholic Conference of Catholic archbishops of Turkey, announced that the government decided to reinstate the practice of letting Christians to pray in the church. The only conditions are that they schedule their visit three days in advance and buy an entry ticket.