Constantinople Archives

At the Patriarchate of Constantinople, anti-Vartanank, by Sahag Sukiasyan

February 11, 2018 by administrator

On 9 February, the Turkish state intervened in the most rude way in the religious affairs of the Armenian community of Turkey and imposed its lige man, Archbishop Aram Atéshian, who had been dismissed from his office in March 2017. of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. The event is unfortunately not a first in our history. It should be remembered that it was Sultan Mehemet II, the conqueror of Constantinople, who founded this seat in 1461.

It is still a little early to analyze the event in detail. A reality remains, Aeshian, is not the legitimate pastor and expected by the majority of Armenians in Turkey. The decision of the ecclesial assembly that had canonically elected Archbishop Karékine Békdjian, then the primate of the Armenians of Germany, was violated on the personal order of Mr. Erdogan. He has not hesitated to intervene directly in the religious affairs of the largest Christian community in Turkey while he tries to impose, the paradox is not the least, as the leader of the Muslim world, all claiming to lead a secular state. A fable that can only be believed by the naive “intellectuals” of the West.

After a meeting between Atéshian and the Turkish Minister of the Interior in Ankara last week, he traveled in person to Istanbul on 9 February to preside over a three-hour meeting at which a number of parish “leaders” and “benefactors”. The leader of this assembly of oligarchs was Bédros Shirinoglu, head of the hospital Saint-Sauveur, another Armenian close to RT Erdogan.

The details of this long session are not yet known – will they ever be? but on the same day, the Ecclesial Council of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople met and, in accordance with the orders of power, restored Aram Ateshian to office. With the exception of the newspaper “Agos” which headlined yesterday “Thank you for the interference of the State”, the two traditional dailies “Marmara” and “Jamanak” we chose a tone “to the Ottoman” to welcome the happy ending of the crisis and the salutary intervention of power. For his part, after a long statement published by the press, Aram Ateshian warmly thanked the Minister of the Interior and the Turkish President in whose name he did not fail to join obediently many qualifiers. And to add: “We must therefore remain faithful to the teachings of the Holy Bible. At this stage of things, we must remember the following quote: Let each one submit to the authorities that govern us, for all authority comes from God, and those that exist have been established by God. That is why the one who opposes the authority resists the order that God has established, and those who resist will attract a condemnation on themselves. Indeed, one does not have to fear the magistrates when one does good, but when one does evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do good and you will have his approval, because the magistrate is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be in fear. Indeed, it is not for nothing that he carries the sword, since he is a servant of God to manifest his anger by punishing the one who does the evil. It is therefore necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of this anger, but also for reasons of conscience. It is also for that reason that you pay taxes, because the magistrates are servants of God who fully apply to this function “ (Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans 13, 1-6).

The symbol is strong, because this “day of the dupes” took place the day when the Armenian people and his Church made remember the battle of Avarair in 451. This battle posed for the first time without doubt in our history the question of the legitimacy of war and resistance to the temporal power.

For the occasion, Ateshian and his followers could have been inspired by the response of the Armenians to the Persian king who wanted to force them to deny Christ by interfering in their spiritual life: “This faith, nobody can make us to change, neither the fire, nor the swords, nor the water, nor any other terrible torture. All our possessions, all our possessions are in your hands. Our bodies belong to you, dispose of us as you wish. If you leave us our faith, we will remain faithful to you, seeking no other Lord on Earth, and in the heavens no other god in the place of Jesus Christ. Because there is no other god than him “. A kind of secularity before the hour. They have loosely opted for this terrible precept inherited from the Ottoman period “Fuck and bring to your forehead the hand that you can not cut . “

Sunday, February 11th, begins the Great Lent – Medz Bahk – may we meditate on these events during the 50 days that separate us from Easter and hope that the Armenians of Constantinople, in spite of all these uncertainties, will one day be able to elect a Primate worthy of that name, a true successor bishop of the Apostles and Patriarchs Zaven Yeghiazarian, Karekin of Trabzon, Mesrop Naroyan, Chnorhk Kaloustian.

In the meantime, honors and recognition to Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian!

Sahag Sukiasyan

Four clergy nominated to replace Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople

November 3, 2016 by administrator

clergy-constantinople Four candidates have been nominated to replace Mesrop II Mutafyan as the new Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.

As Arevelk reports, General Vicar Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, Chairman of the Religious Council Bishop Sahak Mashalian, Primate of the German-Armenian Diocese Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian and leader of the Gugark Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Sepuh Chuljyan are all contenders for the patriarchal throne.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople on October 26 held a meeting to discuss the situation in the Holy See created because of Mutafyan’s illness.

The attendees decided to declare Patriarch Mesrop retired and obtain permission from relevant authorities for holding new patriarchal election.

Constantinople Armenian Patriarch’s mother appointed his custodian

March 12, 2016 by administrator

207942 A Turkish court’s decision to appoint the mother of ailing Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II Mutafyan as his custodian, has revived the long-standing debate over his potential successor, Daily Sabah reports.

While the Patriarchate in Turkey, headed by acting patriarch Aram Ateşyan, insists on keeping Mutafyan as its leader, some prominent members of the Armenian community have repeatedly called for the election of a new patriarch.

Incumbent Patriarch Mesrob II has been in a vegetative state since 2008, after being diagnosed with dementia. Several plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit for appointment of a custodian for the patriarch in his absence, while Tatyos Bebek, a prominent figure in the Armenian community who was one of the co-plaintiffs, has sought a court order to that extent so that a new patriarch can be elected when the court officially recognizes the patriarch cannot fulfill his duties anymore. An Istanbul court on Wednesday, March 9 appointed the patriarch’s 78-year-old mother, Mari Mutafyan, as his custodian. She will be eligible for representation of her son by the court order.

Ateşyan, who had reportedly pledged that an election would be held in 2014, though the council of bishops failed to reach a consensus on an election, was seeking a rejection of the lawsuit by the court. He still has the option of appeal to the court’s ruling.

The patriarch acts both as a religious leader and a leader of Turkey’s ethnic Armenian community concentrated in Istanbul, as the patriarchate also runs several non-profit organizations.

Mesrob II, 59, is the 84th patriarch of Turkey’s Armenian Orthodox community who succeeded Karekin II in 1998. The Armenian patriarchate was established in Istanbul after the city’s conquest by the Ottoman Empire, and oversees Armenian churches throughout the country.

Turkish law bans the election of a new patriarch while his predecessor is alive. A patriarchal election is required to be held by the synod, and the synod has to apply to the Interior Ministry after approving the election. The government ruled out an election of a new patriarch, but a group of Armenians filed a lawsuit for the removal of the regulations blocking the election. The legal process is still underway.

Constantinople: Thousands came together to commemorate the genocide victims

April 24, 2015 by administrator

Armenian Genocide adopted by the beginning of April 24 was commemorated by thousands of people in Istanbul in the 100th. In remembrance of that intense participation in the genocide, as well as diaspora banner red candles in memory of those who lost their lives and red carnations moved.

The walk started in front of Galatasaray High School “face genocide 100th year” moved placard. Some of the Assyrian genocide, which is also known as Seyfo of respondents rated the walk, put unutmabeni flower badge symbolizing the 100th anniversary of the genocide all over the world.

France Konsolosllug ribbon that represents the wish to put in front of the tree and Armenian texts were hanged.

Hrant Dink’s wife Rakel Dink with Sevag Sahin at the memorial ceremony attended by close to Fisherman, 1915 The event was spread on the photographs of those killed. Then throwing carnations üzaer the photo was released around the candle.

‘I have here, 100 years ago, I owe my great-grandmother to come to the mountain’

Time 19.15’t France Consulate beginning of the genocide memorial in front of the first family of the victim Heghnar Watenpaugh said. Watenpaugh, Hıdırbey living in villages and fled with her three children from deportation Moses Mountain refuge Vartan great grandmother told the Kocanyan the story:

“I have my presence here today, a hundred years ago, I owe to my mother’s grandmother came to be a mountain. Her husband was taken to the military force by the Ottoman state, and never came back. Shortly after the government had commanded the evacuation of the village. Inhabitants of the village were collected Hıdırbey to decide how to respond to it. Some villagers have set out in obedience to the order, but short after a while it was realized that a death march out of them, few will survive. Then the mother of 3 children, a young mother and my grandmother came to the mountain stubborn than a few villagers refusing obedience command and surrounding mountains have resisted the Ottoman army. 40 days after resisting a warship belonging to miraculously rescued by allied states. This and Armenians can survive like this anywhere in the refugee camps they go GbR my ancestors, starting from zero back to life in all the cities have established their village always install the craving. Duda, they commemorate their past lives lived in the shadow of their lost stare pomegranate trees. Here I killed today, I’m here to offer my respects to all Armenians resisted and survived. Today we proudly with you here, my grandmother and my grandfather’s name standing tall, I remember our beautiful Armenian language can survive in spite of everything: Sarkis Kit and Vartur kocany that.

Speaking after the AGBU Europe Representative Nicolas Tavyti also the story of the grandmother calls genocide telling confrontation did.

“Do not mention the mutual pain, I expect”

Armenian Genocide Commemoration is the press statement on behalf of members of the Platform Platform Nurcan Kaya studied. Rock that the emphasis face in his speech, genocide 100th anniversary of the hundreds of thousands who were massacred in 1915, the struggle for the realization of the confrontation that conscientious responsibility to the people and said, “This confrontation to endeavor to realize, as a responsibility to perpetuate the memory of the peoples who are torn off our heads. Ensure that the confrontation realization of Hrant Dink ‘E, Sevag fisherman to, Maritsa our debt to Small. owe to our own consciences, “he said. The Rock, “Now for the state; that’s not to mention the pain of mutual condolences, I expect. The sorry. It is an opportunity to confront the 100th anniversary, confront!” urged.