Meets with Erdogan
Bishop Sahak Mashalian was installed as the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople on Saturday January 11, in a ceremony held at St. Mary’s Patriarchal Church in Istanbul. On Monday, he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey
Bishop Mashalian led a procession to the St. Mary’s Church, following which a special ceremony of his installment was held during which he was handed the patriarchal scepter. During the ceremony, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians awarded the rank of Archbishop to Mashalian.
Attending the event were representatives of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, the Great House of Cilicia and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Also in attendance were Ecumenical Patriarch of Orthodox Church Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, representatives of other Christian denominations in Turkey and foreign diplomatic missions in Istanbul.
Turkish Deputy Interior Minister Muhterem Ince and Chief Rabbi of Turkey Rav Isak Haleva also took part in the ceremony.
The first liturgy of newly elected Patriarch Sahak II took place on Sunday. In his first message, the patriarch expressed gratitude to those gathered to share this memorable day with him, with hundreds of parishioners welcoming the patriarch, receiving his paternal blessing.
Every Armenian should be happy that we finally have Patriarck Sahag II as the new legitimate Patriarch of Turky. We all wish him health and God’s guidance to bring peace within the Curch. Unfortunately, judging from his recent public comments about the Armenian Genocide one wonders if he is not another agent in Erdogan’s camp. It is truly surprising that his given birth name was aTurkish name. Was that just a denial of his Armenianism or a cleaver act of protectionalism by his parents. We will never know. Perhaps time will show.