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
patriarchate@post.com <mailto:haybad@superonline.com>
lraper@lraper.org
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THE PATRIARCH RECEIVES DR. PAPKEN ARARKTSYAN

The first President of the parliament of the Armenian Republic, Prof.
Dr. Ararktsyan, arrived in Istanbul on Friday morning, 1 July 2005. He
was accompanied by his wife, Garine Ararktsyan, his daughter and son,
and the Garbis Cirbasyan family from Paris.

Visiting the Armenian Patriarchate in the late afternoon of the same
day, the guests were received by His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian
Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, in his study.

In the era of the late departed Patriarch Karekin II, Prof. Dr.
Ararktsyan visited the Patriarchate when he came to Istanbul on official
business in 1995. Prof. Dr. Ararktsyan said that this time he came to
see Van and its environs, the birthplace of his grandfathers.

His Beatitude the Patriarch welcomed the visitors and wished them a
satisfying time in Turkey.

His Beatitude the Patriarch answered questions from his guests. He
provided brief information about the Armenian Church in Turkey, schools
for minorities, associations, and other organizations of the community.
He then exchanged views with his guests on topics such as
Turkish-Armenian relations and the process for Turkey’s accession to the
European Union.

The visited lasted for an hour and a half, at the end of which the
visitors signed the Patriarchate’s Guest Book and then left for the Surp
Pirgic Armenian Hospital.