ELECTION OF AN ACTIVE PASTOR OF ARMENIANS IN TURKEY TO PREVENT DECEASE OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

ArmInfo
2010-01-29 15:14:00

ArmInfo. Election of an active pastor of Armenians in Turkey will
prevent decease of the Armenian community, a turcologist Ruben
Melkonyan told journalists today.

"Since the holy Armenian patriarch of Constantinopolitan and All Turkey
Mesrop Mutafyan is incurably ill, and, according to the rules of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, a patriarch is elected for the life term,
today, it is necessary to elect a co-holy patriarch to head the
Armenian flock in Turkey", he said.

According to Melkonyan, three candidacies have already been introduced
for this position, however, the turcologist called Sepuh the Holy
as the most right candidate who would reflect the interests of the
Armenian community. He added that election of the Catholicos of Cilicia
Aram the First as a co-holy patriarch proceeds from the interests of
the Turkish authorities.

In view of this, Melkonyan said that the Turkish authorities do their
best to split and weaken the Armenian community of Turkey, so, just a
strong patriarch-patriot will be able to unify the Turkish Armenians
around a common purpose.

"The number of the Armenian schools currently reduced from 32
to 17, that is explained by permanent reduction of the number of
schoolchildren. At present, 55,000 – 60,000 Armenians live in Turkey,
while they numbered 200,000 in 1920s. The Armenians live primarily
in Istanbul", Melkonyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress