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Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II Emphatically Refuted Invitation
to Participate In Ceremony of Opening of Surb Khach Church on Akhtamar
Island in Turkey
Arminfo
2007-03-27 11:09:00
The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the Second will not
participate in a ceremony of opening of a restored Surb Khach Armenian
church on Akhtamar island in Turkey to be held on March 29.
As the press-service of Holly Echmiadzin told ArmInfo today, an
invitation was received from the Governor of Van region addressed to
the Supreme Patriarch via RA Foreign Ministry to take part in a
ceremony. In view of the fact that the church of Surb Khach, restored
by the Turkish authorities, will be turned to museum and will not
function as a church under patronage of the Armenian Patriarchy in
Constantinople, and the ceremony of opening will not be held in the
spirit of traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church but by secular
canons, the Holly Echmiadzin will not take part in the ceremony, the
message says.
The event, scheduled for March 29 and aimed against the Christian
feelings of the Armenian people, cannot be perceived as a positive
step on the way of rapprochement of the Armenian and Turkish peoples,
especially in the context of a universal strive for cooperation
between the peoples and a dialogue between the religions and cultures,
the message says.
to Participate In Ceremony of Opening of Surb Khach Church on Akhtamar
Island in Turkey
Arminfo
2007-03-27 11:09:00
The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the Second will not
participate in a ceremony of opening of a restored Surb Khach Armenian
church on Akhtamar island in Turkey to be held on March 29.
As the press-service of Holly Echmiadzin told ArmInfo today, an
invitation was received from the Governor of Van region addressed to
the Supreme Patriarch via RA Foreign Ministry to take part in a
ceremony. In view of the fact that the church of Surb Khach, restored
by the Turkish authorities, will be turned to museum and will not
function as a church under patronage of the Armenian Patriarchy in
Constantinople, and the ceremony of opening will not be held in the
spirit of traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church but by secular
canons, the Holly Echmiadzin will not take part in the ceremony, the
message says.
The event, scheduled for March 29 and aimed against the Christian
feelings of the Armenian people, cannot be perceived as a positive
step on the way of rapprochement of the Armenian and Turkish peoples,
especially in the context of a universal strive for cooperation
between the peoples and a dialogue between the religions and cultures,
the message says.