Athens News Agency, Greece
June 23 2006
Protest demonstrations in Halki against the Armenian Patriarch
ISTANBUL 6/23/2006 (ANA-MPA/A.Kourkoulas)
The protest demonstrations held upon the arrival of Catholicos and
Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians Karekin II in Istanbul, Turkey on
June 20 were repeated in Halki at the Prince’s Islands, off the coasts
of Istanbul, where he visited the closed Halki Seminary on Thursday
as the guest of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The Ecumenical
Patriarch is the host of Patriarch Karekin II and Constantinople
Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Mesrop who are
also scheduled to visit the Armenian summer camps at the Prince’s
Islands on board the patriarchal yacht "Halki".
Increased security measures went into effect around the yacht which
was escorted by two Turkish Coastguard speedboats after information
that nationalists had gathered to protest against the visit.
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II is on a formal pastoral
visit to Istanbul at the joint invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew and Constantinople Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic
Church Archbishop Mesrop.