The meeting took place in a particularly warm and friendly atmosphere. Monsignor Julian BARRIO mentioned that this was the very first time they had received such a donation, due to the unique beauty of the artwork “The Virgin and Child”.

The painting will be displayed at events, either in the cathedral or in the museum. Directly presented to the pilgrims, it was received with deep emotion. An article and a photograph of the donation ceremony were even published on the website dedicated to the pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela.

As a general rule, the pilgrims’ center does not accept or display donated paintings.

Monsignor BARRIO, appreciating Mahir AKKAYA’s commitment, also blessed his ring – featuring the face of Jesus surrounded by a crown of diamonds and two Armenian crosses (Armenia being the first nation to make Christianity the state religion in 315 AD).

Admiring the beauty of these works, the authorities requested, for the first time, other donations of the same kind, due to the exceptional artistic quality and the provenance of the mosaics from the Holy Land.

Mahir AKKAYA presented his approach to patronage, which was seen as both touching and legitimate, and it received their full support.

Additionally, he received a letter of thanks confirming their future acceptance of other works through patronage, along with a benefactor pilgrim medal. The donation was formalized through an official agreement.

Local, national, and international media (print, television, radio, internet) widely covered this initiative (see the “Press” section on the site).

The letter of thanks from Monsignor BARRIO is available on the site. If you wish to consult it, please send your request to Mahir AKKAYA using the contact form.