Turkey’s Armenian community again mulls electing new patriarchOctober 22, 2014 - 12:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The lengthy absence of Mesrob Mutafyan, the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch in Turkey, due to his illness, has fueled a debate in the country's Armenian religious community regarding whether the patriarch should be replaced with a successor, Daily Sabah reports. Since Mutafyan, officially known as Mesrob II, began suffering from dementia in 2008, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan has been serving as the head of the church in his capacity as Patriarchal Vicar. A group of Armenian dignitaries have urged for an election of a new patriarch though Turkish laws prohibit 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 regulations blocking the election. The legal process is still underway. Speaking to Daily Sabah, Bedros Şirinoğlu, president of the Yedikule Surp Pırgiç Hospital Foundation, which represents the Armenian community, said the community needed a new patriarch, "either a successor or a co-patriarch." He claimed that the majority of community members agreed with the election of a successor. Patriarchal Vicar Aram Ateşyan told Turkish daily Milliyet that the election was "up for debate" but the synod would have the final say on the matter. Şirinoğlu says that Armenians have no intention of removing Ateşyan from his post. "He can be a candidate. What matters here is holding an election," Şirinoğlu stated. "Ateşyan has been serving as an acting patriarch for seven years. You can't be an acting patriarch for seven years," he said. Şirinoğlu said that his call for the election of a new patriarch has found broad support in the community including from the family of Mesrob II. Since he was diagnosed with dementia, Mesrob II remains confined to a Turkish-Armenian hospital in Istanbul where he has been receiving treatment. Related links: Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |