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ANKARA: The Armenian Church Says It Won't Take Part In Akdamar Servi

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  • ANKARA: The Armenian Church Says It Won't Take Part In Akdamar Servi

    THE ARMENIAN CHURCH SAYS IT WON'T TAKE PART IN AKDAMAR SERVICE

    Today's Zaman
    Sept 7 2010
    Turkey

    The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has reneged on its previous decision
    to send at least two of its senior clerics to an upcoming service at
    a renovated Armenian church in eastern Turkey on Sept. 19 in protest
    of a decision to postpone the placing of a cross atop the church.

    The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, which is considered to be the
    headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church, said on Saturday that
    it would not take part in the service, Armenian news outlets reported.

    Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, in August agreed to send
    two senior clerics to the church for the service.

    The Turkish government agreed to open the 1,100-year-old Cathedral
    of the Holy Cross on Akdamar, an island in Lake Van, for a one-day
    religious service on Sept. 19 -- an event that could become an annual
    occurrence.

    "The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin learned with regret and
    disappointment that the placing of the cross on top of the dome of
    the Church of the Holy Cross at Akdamar is being postponed by the
    Turkish authorities without cause," the statement released by the
    Etchmiadzin said.

    Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan's ruling Republican Party of
    Armenia's spokesman, Eduard Sharmazanov, denounced in early August
    the Turkish government's decision to reopen the church for a one-day
    religious ceremony as a publicity stunt and "provocation" aimed at
    misleading the international community.

    But a spokesman for Karekin II rejected the boycott calls. "We
    believe that if we are given an opportunity to cherish a shrine that
    has functioned for centuries but is devoid of prayer today for some
    reason, we must use that single day in order to assert our rights
    and ownership to the shrine through our participation," Father Vahram
    Melikian told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

    The Etchmiadzin said in a statement that it was suspending its
    representatives participation in the celebration of the service at
    the Akdamar Church.

    The service is to be officiated by Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, who
    currently leads the Armenian Patriarchate of İstanbul. The church
    was opened in 2007 following a restoration project by the Turkish
    government which cost $1.7 million.

    Ateshyan announced last week that he had met with the governor of Van,
    Munir Karaloglu, who said the cross weighs 200 kilograms and it would
    probably be impossible to have it in place in time for the service.

    However, the cross would be exhibited for visitors on the same day,
    Karaloglu said.




    From: A. Papazian
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