Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Patriarch Mesrob's Condolences To The Archbishop of Canterbury

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Patriarch Mesrob's Condolences To The Archbishop of Canterbury

    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]
    www.lraper.org <http://www.lraper.org/>

    PATRIARCH MESROB'S CONDOLENCES TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

    His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
    wrote a letter of condolences to His Grace Archbishop Rowan Williams of
    Canterbury, expressing his solidarity with the Londoners. Similar
    letters were also written to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, His Grace
    Metropolitan Seraphim of Glastonbury of the Coptic Orthodox Church in
    Britain, the British Ambassador in Ankara, the British Consul General in
    Istanbul, and the Revd. Canon Ian Sherwood, the Apokrisarios of the
    Archbishop of Canterbury in Istanbul.
    ***
    9 July, 2005

    HIS GRACE
    DR. ROWAN WILLIAMS
    Archbishop of Canterbury
    Lambeth Palace, London


    Your Grace,

    It is with great sadness that I heard the news of the terrorist attacks
    in London. I am appalled at the hatred these criminals must be nurturing
    in order to undertake an assault of such a scale against innocent
    citizens.

    We shared the same experience here in Istanbul, Turkey, (on 20 November,
    2003) when terrorist attacks against the British Consulate General in
    Istanbul were perpetrated. The victims included my personal friend, Her
    Majesty's Consul General, Dr. Roger Short, along with other staff
    members at the Consulate as well as pedestrians in the adjacent street.
    Altogether thirty-three people lost their lives.

    May I express my deep solidarity with the people of the capital city of
    London, and with the great British nation, at this time of grief and
    shock. I join with my colleagues of all faiths in the condemnation of
    this atrocity and crime against humanity.

    Our predecessors, Patriarch Shnorhk I of Istanbul and Archbishop Robert
    Runcie of Canterbury, now both of blessed memory, signed a joint
    communiqué on 19 November, 1984, in which they said: "We note we great
    disquiet the growing use of acts of terrorism resulting in death and
    injury to the intended victims and innocent bystanders - a phenomenon
    with which both our societies are sadly familiar. Our Churches proclaim
    the Gospel of Reconciliation of Jesus Christ who speaks of peace and in
    which those who make peace are described as blessed. We, therefore,
    roundly condemn all who use wanton acts of terrorism to achieve their
    political ends and urge all Christians to emulate our Lord's command to
    love their neighbours and to forgive their enemies." In our meeting with
    you in Istanbul, on 18 November, 2003, we had confirmed this statement,
    well aware that matters were becoming worse.

    With all peoples of good will, I continue to pray for peace amongst men.
    I feel particularly close to those who lost their loved ones, to those
    who have been injured in these blasts, and to all those public servants
    who are doing such an excellent job in binding-up the physical,
    psychological and social wounds that have been caused. May the Lord of
    life protect them all !

    Tomorrow morning, 10 July, following the Sunday Holy Eucharist, a
    special Service for the Repose of the Victims will be held in all
    Armenian Orthodox Churches in Turkey.

    Yours fraternally in Christ's service,

    MESROB II
    Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul & All Turkey
Working...
X