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
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
[email protected]
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A RECEPTION TO HONOUR DR. PAPKEN ARARKTSYAN
Prof. Dr. Papken Ararktsyan, the first President of the parliament of
the Third Republic of Armenia, was honoured at a reception on Friday
evening, 1 July 2005. The event was presided over by His Beatitude
Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, and was held
in the courtyard of the chapel of Surp Pirgic (Holy Saviour) Armenian
Hospital.
Joining the reception were Archbishop Dirayr Mardikyan, Primate of the
Armenians of Romania and Bulgaria; Garen Mirzoyan, permanent Armenian
representative to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization;
Father Tatul Anusyan; Father John Whooley; Yegyazar Uzunyan, Deputy
Chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Armenian Church in Bulgaria; and
representatives and benefactors of Armenian foundations.
Bedros Sirinoglu, Chairman of the Hospital Board of Administration,
former chairman Setrak Tokat, and members of the Board met the guests,
who were briefed about the hospital and who visited the Surp Pirgic
Chapel. Immediately thereafter a reception was held in courtyard of the
chapel. Bedros Sirinioglu opened the ceremony with a speech in which he
stated the happiness he felt from this visit.
The floor was taken next by Jamanak newspaper editor in chief, Ara
Kocunyan, who spoke about Dr. Ararktsyan’s political personality. This
newspaper was coordinating the visit of Dr. Papken Ararktsyan to
Istanbul.
Dr. Ararktsyan’s speech
In his speech, Dr. Ararktsyan said that his family was from Van and that
he had always wanted to see the city of his forefathers. It was for this
reason that he and members of his family, together with the Cirbasyan
couple from Paris, had come to visit the historical city of Van and its
environs.
Dr. Ararktsyan noted that while history is important, it was also
important that the painful moments of history prod us to life, progress
and creativity, rather than to crying and complaining. He said that
everyone can see this is possible by looking at the Armenian community
in Istanbul.
The honoured guest continued by saying that there should be good
relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey,
and that the borders between the two should be opened. Ararktsyan drew
attention to developments that could not even be conceived thirty or
forty, or even ten years ago as forming a political signal, saying that
“we can hope to be witnesses to new developments in this area in the
near future.”
The Patriarch’s speech
His Beatitude the Patriarch spoke last and greeted the Ararktsyan and
Cirbasyan families. He said that the Armenian community of Istanbul is
closely following events in Armenia.
“It is clear to all of us how much you and your supporters have given
yourselves to the establishment of government authority in Armenia in
the highly sensitive days following the declaration of freedom,” said
the Patriarch. “Today there is an independent Republic of Armenia and
this, of course, is the cause of many changes in the region. It is
somehow gratifying to see that there are four flights today per week
between Turkey and Armenia, and that each one is full. This means that
passenger traffic has increased. On the other hand, Armenians in
Istanbul are following developments in Armenia in the media. If the
stated numbers are true, then today there are as many as 30,000 citizens
of the Republic of Armenian who have come to Turkey for work.”
His Beatitude the Patriarch added that everyone was impatiently waiting
for the borders between Armenia and Turkey to open, and that this would
be beneficial in various ways to the two sides.
His Beatitude the Patriarch presented the gift of a silver plate to Dr.
Ararktsyan in the name of the Hospital’s foundation and the community.
Ararktsyan in turn gave the Surp Pirgic Hospital council a carved fruit
bowl.
Afterwards the guests gathered around the reception tables for
conversation.