Lraper Church Bulletin 11/07/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
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PATRIARCH MESROB’S CONDOLENCES TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
wrote a letter of condolences to His Grace Archbishop Rowan Williams of
Canterbury, expressing his solidarity with the Londoners. Similar
letters were also written to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, His Grace
Metropolitan Seraphim of Glastonbury of the Coptic Orthodox Church in
Britain, the British Ambassador in Ankara, the British Consul General in
Istanbul, and the Revd. Canon Ian Sherwood, the Apokrisarios of the
Archbishop of Canterbury in Istanbul.
***
9 July, 2005

HIS GRACE
DR. ROWAN WILLIAMS
Archbishop of Canterbury
Lambeth Palace, London

Your Grace,

It is with great sadness that I heard the news of the terrorist attacks
in London. I am appalled at the hatred these criminals must be nurturing
in order to undertake an assault of such a scale against innocent
citizens.

We shared the same experience here in Istanbul, Turkey, (on 20 November,
2003) when terrorist attacks against the British Consulate General in
Istanbul were perpetrated. The victims included my personal friend, Her
Majesty’s Consul General, Dr. Roger Short, along with other staff
members at the Consulate as well as pedestrians in the adjacent street.
Altogether thirty-three people lost their lives.

May I express my deep solidarity with the people of the capital city of
London, and with the great British nation, at this time of grief and
shock. I join with my colleagues of all faiths in the condemnation of
this atrocity and crime against humanity.

Our predecessors, Patriarch Shnorhk I of Istanbul and Archbishop Robert
Runcie of Canterbury, now both of blessed memory, signed a joint
communiqué on 19 November, 1984, in which they said: “We note we great
disquiet the growing use of acts of terrorism resulting in death and
injury to the intended victims and innocent bystanders – a phenomenon
with which both our societies are sadly familiar. Our Churches proclaim
the Gospel of Reconciliation of Jesus Christ who speaks of peace and in
which those who make peace are described as blessed. We, therefore,
roundly condemn all who use wanton acts of terrorism to achieve their
political ends and urge all Christians to emulate our Lord’s command to
love their neighbours and to forgive their enemies.” In our meeting with
you in Istanbul, on 18 November, 2003, we had confirmed this statement,
well aware that matters were becoming worse.

With all peoples of good will, I continue to pray for peace amongst men.
I feel particularly close to those who lost their loved ones, to those
who have been injured in these blasts, and to all those public servants
who are doing such an excellent job in binding-up the physical,
psychological and social wounds that have been caused. May the Lord of
life protect them all !

Tomorrow morning, 10 July, following the Sunday Holy Eucharist, a
special Service for the Repose of the Victims will be held in all
Armenian Orthodox Churches in Turkey.

Yours fraternally in Christ’s service,

MESROB II
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul & All Turkey