Lraper Church Bulletin 19/07/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
lraper@lraper.org
THE PATRIARCH PRESIDES OVER THE SPIRITUAL COUNCIL
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On Wednesday morning, 13 July 2005, His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian
Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, presided over a meeting of the
Spiritual Council of the Armenian Patriarchate. His Grace Bishop Aram
Atesyan chaired the meeting.
The Fathers of the Holy Council examined a letter written on 23 June
2005 and received from the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences
of the Republic of Armenia, asking that “all assistance be given”
to Dr. Ara Sargsyan, “for the purpose of the completion of his
scholarly work.” The Fathers determined that Dr. Ara Sargsyan had
already come to Istanbul twice, and that it had already been decided
that his studies had no connection with the 1600th anniversary of
the discovery of the Armenian Alphabet and the translation of the
Holy Scriptures into Armenian. They decided to decline the request
of the Academy, stating that bilateral economic relations between
Turkey and Armenia were not the obligation of religious institutions,
and that in regard to this and similar matters, contacts should be
opened with civil organizations that deal with commerce and politics.
The Spiritual Council once again took up the matter of Father Varujan
Derderyan, former pastor of Saint John the Baptist Armenian Church
on the Island of Crete, Greece, who was freed of his duties at the
meeting on 24 June. Since Father Varujan was a citizen of the Republic
of Armenia and ordained by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, it
was understood that the final decision regarding his status should
be made by His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians. The
Catholicos has thus been informed. In a letter dated 12 July 2005,
Catholicos Karekin requested Father Varujan Derderyan to return
to Holy Etchmiadzin. The Spiritual Council decided to write Father
Varujan a second letter, instructing him to return to Holy Etchmiadzin
without delay.
His Beatitude the Patriarch informed the Fathers of the Holy Council
that the Very Revd. Fr. Sahag Masalyan, the pastor of the Armenian
Church of Saint John the Evangelist in Gedikpasa, had requested
permission to go to Holy Etchmiadzin in order to complete his thesis
for the degree of Vartabed (Magisterium Divinitas). This request
had been granted by the Patriarch. Father Sahag will leave for Holy
Etchmiadzin this week and use the facilities of the libraries in
Armenia to complete his work.
His Beatitude the Patriarch, reporting to the Spiritual Council on the
results from the 13 July 2005 final examinations given to candidates
for the holy order of priesthood, Sahag Bicakciyan, Sevan Civanyan,
Harutyun Babikyan, and Hayk Koparyan, noted that the results are very
good. The Fathers of the Holy Council approved the ordination of the
four candidates as priests and expressed how pleased they were with
the addition of four new priests to the Armenian community, which is
suffering from a shortage of clergymen. His Beatitude the Patriarch
will decide on the date and place of the ordination.
His Beatitude mentioned with pleasure the continuing restoration work
on the Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar. He said that architect Zakarya
Mildanoglu goes twice per week to Van to make architectural checks
on the restoration work.
His Beatitude said that it has come to the attention of the Chancellery
that some Armenian community foundations and associations in recent
times have stepped outside of their responsibilities. The fact is
that the Armenian community elects administrators of foundations to
administer churches, schools, and other institutions and to be in
contact with the relevant government offices to follow up issues
regarding these institutions. These institutions are entrusted to
the elected officers for four years. The ecumenical, interfaith,
intercultural and international relations between these community
units and other Armenian, Turkish and foreign religious or secular
institutions in Turkey or abroad, must pass through the channels of
the Patriarchal See which coordinates these relations. The Fathers of
the Holy Council decided to remind the church and community foundations
once more of this requirement.