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Garo Paylan: Istanbul-Armenians unable to elect patriarch for 10 years

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Garo Paylan

It is about ten years now that the Armenian community of Istanbul has been barred from any chances of electing its own patriarch, Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly, said Tuesday, commenting on the re-appointment of Archbishob Aram Ateshyan as Vicar General.

“Unfortunately, it was the Turkish authorities’ decision several years ago to install Aram Ateshyan as Vicar General . We then said we wanted to elect our patriarch,” he told Tert.am, adding that many community members sought to even stop the process by trying to contact the Turkish Government.

Paylan said he believes that the community could have taken a strong action at least this time to prevent Ateshyan’s return to his former post despite the government’s decision.

“By seizing power from the Government, you become a kind of hostage. All we need now is to derive power from the Armenian community. And the Patriarch too, must be elected by the Armenian community and derive power from it,” he added.

The politician said he treats Ateshyan as a kind of puppet in the hands of not only the Turkish Government but also defense, police and security forces. “They will use him to realize their desires,” he said.

Asked to comment on the recent developments’ possible impact on the community, Paylan noted that the local Armenians are in an atmosphere of constant fear, and very often – in the dark about the situation in the Patriarchate. “But the Armenian community needs empowerment by the Patriarchate. We need to be better organized, as this situation may potentially split the community apart,” he added.

Istanbul: Application pending, waiting for the referendum

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(Agos) General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan said, “The President knows about the problem concerning the patriarchal election. Thus, we won’t apply to the governor’s office.”

Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital Foundation Chair Bedros Şirinoğlu, after he came together with President Erdoğan, stated that “Erdoğan will deal with the patriarchal election after the referendum.” This statement caused an uncertainty concerning the election. Recently, General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan said, “The President knows about the problem concerning the patriarchal election. Thus, we won’t apply to the governor’s office.”

On October 26, 2016, the Clerical Assembly decided to hold an election, and after that, General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan and Head of the Clerical Assembly Bishop Sahak Maşalyan wrote a letter to send to the governor’s office. In order to deliver it to Governor Vasip Şahin directly, the governor’s office was expected to set a meeting. For about 2 months, the governor’s office hadn’t taken any step and on January 6, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan said that they will deliver the letter to the governor’s office, if they don’t set a meeting. After these developments, Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital Foundation Chair Bedros Şirinoğlu came together with Erdoğan on January 18. Erdoğan stated that he will deal with the election after the referendum, causing an uncertainty concerning the application that will be made to the governor’s office. General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan stated that they won’t make an application to the governor’s office. Speaking to Agos, Archbishop Ateşyan said: “Bedros Şirinoğlu talked about this problem during his meeting with President Erdoğan. Since the President knows about the problem concerning the patriarchal election, we won’t apply to the governor’s office.” Thus, the process of election is interrupted and postponed to be dealt with after the referendum.  

Turkey Parishioners of Istanbul: “We want to choose our patriarch”

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Istanbul paroshionersA group of Armenians of Istanbul parishioners gathered outside the Armenian Patriarchate in Kumkapi to require a new patriarch is elected representative of the apostolic community.

For a statement to the press, Jaklin Çelik, demanded that the holding of elections to be enacted. Mesrob Mutafyan, who have not resigned, still in intensive care after being hit by Alzheimer’s disease in 2008, the Patriarch Aram Atesyan who supervises function.

The group filed a black wreath in front of the Patriarchate of Istanbul on which is inscribed the phrase “We want to choose our patriarch.”

Wednesday, June 22, 2016,
Jean Eckian © armenews.com

Acting Armenian Patriarch of Turkey: Shameful Tool of Turkish Propaganda

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Armenian patriach turkeyBy ,

Archbishop Aram Atesyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, sent a highly controversial letter last week to President Recep Erdogan, criticizing the German Parliament’s decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The Acting Patriarch’s letter created a major controversy among Armenians worldwide, including the Armenian community of Turkey. Some called for his resignation; others, including a member of the Armenian Parliament, demanded that he be defrocked!

While successive Turkish governments have attempted to pressure Abp. Atesyan’s predecessors to serve as propaganda tool for Ankara, no previous Patriarch has written such an offensive letter regarding the Armenian Genocide.

It is not clear whether the Acting Patriarch wrote last week’s letter on his own initiative or it was drafted for him by Turkish officials. Those who personally know Abp. Atesyan insist that the letter could not have been written by him because he is not too proficient in the Turkish language. Whatever the case, he did sign and disseminate the letter to the media, which was published by several Turkish newspapers.

 

Regrettably, this is not the first time that the Acting Patriarch has displayed such a boot-licking attitude vis-à-vis the Turkish authorities, intending to secure the support of the government for his hoped for election as Patriarch. During a public meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Istanbul last year, Abp. Atesyan dared to insult her for criticizing Pres. Erdogan’s violations of human rights!

Describing the Armenian Genocide merely as “events that happened during the tragic times of World War I,” Abp. Atesyan stated in his letter that the Armenian community of Turkey shared the Turkish nation’s regret for the German Bundestag’s decision. The Acting Patriarch, speaking on behalf of the Armenian community of Turkey, claimed that the German Parliament “has no right” to pronounce judgment “on behalf of the entire German nation.” He further added: “it is also questionable to what extent this decision expresses the feelings of German citizens.” It is nonsensical for Abp. Atesyan to insist that the Parliament does not speak for the German people, since it adopted the resolution on the Armenian Genocide with a near unanimous vote!

Also, the Acting Patriarch blamed the German Parliament for “sidestepping the negative role of the Third Reich in a few sentences and pointing to the Ottoman Empire as the sole perpetrator.” It is shocking that Abp. Atesyan is covering up Turkish denials of the Armenian Genocide and belittling Germany’s honest admission of complicity!

Those who try to justify the Acting Patriarch’s anti-Armenian statements, by claiming that one has to live in Turkey to fully appreciate the oppressive nature of Erdogan’s regime, should know that many Armenians in Turkey are outraged by Abp. Atesyan’s letter. They wrote dozens of messages on his Facebook page, expressing their disagreement.

The harshest criticism of the Acting Patriarch came from the editor of Agos, an Armenian newspaper published in Istanbul: “We read your letter … with sorrow, anger and shame…. Your presentation of the systematic annihilation, by state decision, of its own citizens living on its own lands, using the government’s description as ‘events that happened during the tragic times of World War I,’ is an affront to the ancestors, victims, and survivors in the eyes of the society to which you also belong.”

Contrary to the Acting Patriarch’s claim that Armenians are treated as equals with Turks, Agos asserted that “Armenians have been subjected to discrimination, fascism and public threats.” The newspaper also countered Abp. Atesyan’s statement that the German Parliament’s decision had caused “sorrow and pain,” by affirming: “The pressure that forced you to pen this letter is a source of pain and sorrow for us…. The Armenian community’s identity is harmed by your words, not as you say, by the Bundestag’s decision.”

Agos also told the Acting Patriarch that his letter represented “a specific statement of denialism against your own people. We will shortly see who will ‘enthusiastically welcome’ your words…. We pray that God bestows upon you good sense, sound judgment and thoughtfulness.”

In order not to cause further damage to his people and their sacred cause, I humbly advise Abp. Atesyan to refrain from any future political and propagandistic statements. Otherwise, he should seriously consider resigning from his post, since Armenians of Turkey will never accept him as their chosen Patriarch, even if Erdogan supports his election!

The Coward Istanbul Patriarch slams Germany’s ‘Armenian genocide’ bill as ‘unacceptable’

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CawordThe head of the Armenian church in Turkey has condemned the Bundestag’s approval of a resolution recognizing the World War I-era killings of Anatolian Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as “genocide,” claiming the vote politicized a sensitive issue.

“As we have expressed on a number of occasions, the use of this pain, which traumatized the Armenian nation, in the international political arena is a real source of sorrow and pain,” acting Patriarch Aram Ateşyan said in a letter addressed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Ateşyan added that the painful history of the Armenian people was being utilized as a tool to “blame and punish the Turkish nation and Turkey in the international political arena,” calling all to understand the “use of the Armenian nation by imperialist powers.”

The  acting Patriarch also said it was “unacceptable” for Germany to express its opinion and pass laws on the killings – an issue on which it has no right to comment on, according to Ateşyan.

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Israeli President visits Jerusalem Armenian Patriarch

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211973Israeli President Reuven Rivlin visited the Apostolic Armenian Church in Jerusalem‘s Old City on Monday, May 9 morning and met with leaders of the Christian community in Israel. He was welcomed by Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Israel National News reports.

President Rivlin thanked Patriarch Manougian for his and his community’s hospitality.

“A meeting with leaders of your community is always important to me, but during these days, is perhaps even more important,” he said.

“These are difficult times for our city. Terror and death have returned to our streets. The violent attacks all over the city cause growing fear, intolerance and hatred.”

President Rivlin reiterated Israel’s commitment to the values of freedom of worship, and to the well-being of the Christian community which was facing persecution across the Middle East.

Related links:

Israel National News. President Rivlin visits Jerusalem Armenian Patriarch

Pope celebrates Santa Marta Mass with Armenian Patriarch

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2015-09-07 Vatican Radio

OSSROM62839_LancioGrande(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ morning Mass in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence on Monday was an extraordinary occasion: it saw the recently-elected Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, His Beatitude Gregory Peter XX Ghabroyan, concelebrate the liturgy with the Holy Father, and exchange with the Pope the concrete sign of ecclesial communion par excellence.

A statement from the Armenian Patriarchate describes the scene during the Liturgy: “[At the Rite of Communion], the Holy Father … elevates the paten with the Body of Christ and offers it to the Patriarch. The two hold the Host high with their four hands. The Holy Father then raises the chalice with the Blood of Christ, offers it to the Patriarch, and they with their four hands keep it elevated. After a moment of silence, the Holy Father offers the Body of Christ, and together they communicate. The Holy Father takes the Blood of Christ from the chalice, then offers it to the Patriarch.”

“‘Communion’ is a concept held in great honor in the early Church and also today,” the statement explains. “[I]t does not mean some vague sentiment, but an organic reality, which requires a legal form and that is at the same time animated by charity.

The statement goes on to say, “The Ecclesiastica communio, which the Holy Father Francis granted to His Beatitude Gregory Peter XX with Letter of July 25, now finds expression in the exchange of the Sacred Species, which confirms the Eucharistic communion between the Bishop and the Church of Rome, who presides in charity, and the Patriarchal Church of Cilicia of the Armenians, through its Pater et Caput.

Source: news.va