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HULIQ.com, SC
Sept 19 2010
Armenia, Turkey Hold 2 Parallel Ceremonies on Different Sides of Barricade
Submitted by Armen Hareyan on 2010-09-20
On September 19, at the Armenian Genocide memorial of Tsitsernakaberd
in Yerevan thousands of Armenians gathered to protest Turkish policy
of historic denial. Turkey permitted a historic Christian worship in a
10th century Armenian church in its Eastern Province of Van, without
rising a cross on top of the dome and operating the house of worship
as a museum. Thousands of Armenians canceled their reservations to
attend the service in protest.
Armenian Apostolic churchmen from Holy See of Echmiadzin held a
liturgy at the memorial as a remembrance to the victims of mass
atrocities of 1915 massacre, which U.S. President Barack Obama and
most Armenians label as "Medz Yeghern". Thousands of Armenians at the
memorial were chanting "shame" on Turkey, claiming that it denies its
international obligations of Lausanne Treaty (1923), as well as
refuses to bring the rapprochement and normalization process with
neighboring Armenia back on track and to its logical end - border
opening.
Armenia mass rally a response to Turkish restrictions on worship
The mass rally went in parallel with the first ever in 95 years
Christian liturgy at 10th century Armenian church of Holy Cross (Surp
Khach - in Arm.) on Akhtamar island in the eastern Turkish province of
Van. The church - a historic monument of Armenian heritage - was
renovated by the Turkish government and opened up as a museum in 2007.
This has lead to severe restrictions of praying in the church, as
domestic rules of Turkey prohibit praying in museums. CNN news report
on Sept. 18 shared that even an Austrian catholic priest was
prohibited by the police to sing a religious song at the Akhtamar
church.
Though Armenians were ready to cheer the democratic move of Turkish
government, a month before the historic liturgy the Governor of Van
argued that they would not be ready to install the cross on the dome
of the church on the eve of the event, yet leaving it as a museum
under the rule of the Ministry of Culture. This spread in the Armenian
communities all over the world and they began massively criticize it.
The wave of criticism and anger united not only fellow citizens, but
also the Church.
The Holy See of Echmiadzin suspended its earlier decision of sending
high level clergymen to Akhtamar. Armenian catholicosates of Jerusalem
and Antelias (Lebanon) joined this decision and refused to send
representatives. As Turkish media outlet - Hurriyet - reported, "only
350-400 foreign guests will attend the ceremony", instead of the
anticipated level of 5000 plus.
Armenian government refrained from official positioning, though
politicians supported the church policy.
Hovhannes Nikoghosyan
Mr. Nikoghosyan is a research fellow at Yerevan-based Public Policy Institute.
From: A. Papazian
Sept 19 2010
Armenia, Turkey Hold 2 Parallel Ceremonies on Different Sides of Barricade
Submitted by Armen Hareyan on 2010-09-20
On September 19, at the Armenian Genocide memorial of Tsitsernakaberd
in Yerevan thousands of Armenians gathered to protest Turkish policy
of historic denial. Turkey permitted a historic Christian worship in a
10th century Armenian church in its Eastern Province of Van, without
rising a cross on top of the dome and operating the house of worship
as a museum. Thousands of Armenians canceled their reservations to
attend the service in protest.
Armenian Apostolic churchmen from Holy See of Echmiadzin held a
liturgy at the memorial as a remembrance to the victims of mass
atrocities of 1915 massacre, which U.S. President Barack Obama and
most Armenians label as "Medz Yeghern". Thousands of Armenians at the
memorial were chanting "shame" on Turkey, claiming that it denies its
international obligations of Lausanne Treaty (1923), as well as
refuses to bring the rapprochement and normalization process with
neighboring Armenia back on track and to its logical end - border
opening.
Armenia mass rally a response to Turkish restrictions on worship
The mass rally went in parallel with the first ever in 95 years
Christian liturgy at 10th century Armenian church of Holy Cross (Surp
Khach - in Arm.) on Akhtamar island in the eastern Turkish province of
Van. The church - a historic monument of Armenian heritage - was
renovated by the Turkish government and opened up as a museum in 2007.
This has lead to severe restrictions of praying in the church, as
domestic rules of Turkey prohibit praying in museums. CNN news report
on Sept. 18 shared that even an Austrian catholic priest was
prohibited by the police to sing a religious song at the Akhtamar
church.
Though Armenians were ready to cheer the democratic move of Turkish
government, a month before the historic liturgy the Governor of Van
argued that they would not be ready to install the cross on the dome
of the church on the eve of the event, yet leaving it as a museum
under the rule of the Ministry of Culture. This spread in the Armenian
communities all over the world and they began massively criticize it.
The wave of criticism and anger united not only fellow citizens, but
also the Church.
The Holy See of Echmiadzin suspended its earlier decision of sending
high level clergymen to Akhtamar. Armenian catholicosates of Jerusalem
and Antelias (Lebanon) joined this decision and refused to send
representatives. As Turkish media outlet - Hurriyet - reported, "only
350-400 foreign guests will attend the ceremony", instead of the
anticipated level of 5000 plus.
Armenian government refrained from official positioning, though
politicians supported the church policy.
Hovhannes Nikoghosyan
Mr. Nikoghosyan is a research fellow at Yerevan-based Public Policy Institute.
From: A. Papazian