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ARMENIAN CHURCH DECIDES TO END BLESSING MIXED MARRIAGES
Hurriyet Daily News
Oct 11 2012
Turkey
Armenian Patriarchate restarts regulations which nix the blessing and
the church wedding for the mixed marriages. Decision stirs debate in
the Armenian community
Photo: Murat Kaspar (groom), who married a Muslim Turk last month with
a church wedding, said the church's decision stemmed from a desire to
protect the community and its traditions amid the country's shrinking
Armenian population.
The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has restarted implementing
regulations in regards to mixed marriages, under which Armenians
marrying a person of a different religion will no longer receive a
blessing or be permitted to conduct a church wedding.
The permission for a church wedding for mixed marriages started in
2000 with Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan's approval, but the move sparked
debate within the community.
"We are putting into practice a law that already exists in our church.
I do not want to make any other statement than this," acting Patriarch
Aram AteÅ~_yan told the Hurriyet Daily News regarding the latest move.
The new regulation went into effect Oct. 1.
Armenians in mixed marriages, as well as those from the community
engaged to non-Armenians, gave partial support to the patriarchate
but also expressed criticism on the matter.
Murat Kaspar, a 36-year-old design editor at daily Dunya who married
a Muslim Turk last month, said the church's decision stemmed from a
desire to protect the community and its traditions amid the country's
shrinking Armenian population.
"I do not think this decision is right. To have a church wedding is a
tradition. If those couples who will get married respect each other's
beliefs, then this should not be prevented. I oppose conservatism,"
he said.
Zakarya Mildanoglu, a prominent member of the Armenian community,
married a Muslim Turkish woman 35 years ago. "We had to go through
extreme difficulties. Even though my wife converted to my religion,
our children were not baptized," he said.
Feeling restricted
"Despite all the difficulties, I have not even for one moment thought
about taking a step back. Fortunately, I married my wife. If I had
married an Armenian, I don't know if I would have been this happy. It
was my mother, not us, who experienced sadness. She was very sad that
the church refused to baptize the children," Mildanoglu said.
'I feel restricted'
Kristin, 33, who did not want to disclose her last name, is set to
marry a Muslim Turk. While she said she understood that the measures
were designed to protect the community, she also said she was against
the practice.
"The decision the patriarchate made seems wrong to me; I feel like I
am restricted. I even want to hide my last name while I'm talking to
you because my family and some of my close friends do not know about
my relationship," she said. "I'm afraid of community pressure."
Kristin said the choice of two people and their respect for each
other were more important than anything else, while criticizing the
failure to bless the Muslim spouse in the church.
"Couples cannot get married the way they wish to. Their marriages are
not accepted but their children are baptized. This is a controversy,"
she said.
But Anahid, 28, said she agreed with the patriarchate. "The regulations
of the Armenian Church and the community are definite and they should
be respected. The patriarchate is not inventing a new practice. They
are putting into practice one that already exists.
There is a serious increase in mixed marriages. The population,
traditions and the culture should be protected." k HDN October/11/2012
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-church-decides-to-end-blessing-mixed-marriages.aspx?pageID=238&nID=32147&NewsCatID=339
Hurriyet Daily News
Oct 11 2012
Turkey
Armenian Patriarchate restarts regulations which nix the blessing and
the church wedding for the mixed marriages. Decision stirs debate in
the Armenian community
Photo: Murat Kaspar (groom), who married a Muslim Turk last month with
a church wedding, said the church's decision stemmed from a desire to
protect the community and its traditions amid the country's shrinking
Armenian population.
The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has restarted implementing
regulations in regards to mixed marriages, under which Armenians
marrying a person of a different religion will no longer receive a
blessing or be permitted to conduct a church wedding.
The permission for a church wedding for mixed marriages started in
2000 with Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan's approval, but the move sparked
debate within the community.
"We are putting into practice a law that already exists in our church.
I do not want to make any other statement than this," acting Patriarch
Aram AteÅ~_yan told the Hurriyet Daily News regarding the latest move.
The new regulation went into effect Oct. 1.
Armenians in mixed marriages, as well as those from the community
engaged to non-Armenians, gave partial support to the patriarchate
but also expressed criticism on the matter.
Murat Kaspar, a 36-year-old design editor at daily Dunya who married
a Muslim Turk last month, said the church's decision stemmed from a
desire to protect the community and its traditions amid the country's
shrinking Armenian population.
"I do not think this decision is right. To have a church wedding is a
tradition. If those couples who will get married respect each other's
beliefs, then this should not be prevented. I oppose conservatism,"
he said.
Zakarya Mildanoglu, a prominent member of the Armenian community,
married a Muslim Turkish woman 35 years ago. "We had to go through
extreme difficulties. Even though my wife converted to my religion,
our children were not baptized," he said.
Feeling restricted
"Despite all the difficulties, I have not even for one moment thought
about taking a step back. Fortunately, I married my wife. If I had
married an Armenian, I don't know if I would have been this happy. It
was my mother, not us, who experienced sadness. She was very sad that
the church refused to baptize the children," Mildanoglu said.
'I feel restricted'
Kristin, 33, who did not want to disclose her last name, is set to
marry a Muslim Turk. While she said she understood that the measures
were designed to protect the community, she also said she was against
the practice.
"The decision the patriarchate made seems wrong to me; I feel like I
am restricted. I even want to hide my last name while I'm talking to
you because my family and some of my close friends do not know about
my relationship," she said. "I'm afraid of community pressure."
Kristin said the choice of two people and their respect for each
other were more important than anything else, while criticizing the
failure to bless the Muslim spouse in the church.
"Couples cannot get married the way they wish to. Their marriages are
not accepted but their children are baptized. This is a controversy,"
she said.
But Anahid, 28, said she agreed with the patriarchate. "The regulations
of the Armenian Church and the community are definite and they should
be respected. The patriarchate is not inventing a new practice. They
are putting into practice one that already exists.
There is a serious increase in mixed marriages. The population,
traditions and the culture should be protected." k HDN October/11/2012
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-church-decides-to-end-blessing-mixed-marriages.aspx?pageID=238&nID=32147&NewsCatID=339