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ARMENIAN CHURCH TO CANONIZE MARTYRS OF GENOCIDE. ANKARA UNHAPPY
AsiaNews, Italy
Oct 7 2013
by NAT da Polis
The ceremony should take place in 2015 , the centenary of the genocide
of 1.5 million Armenians. Armenian bishops from around the world
at the synod which decided the canonization. The tensions between
Armenia and Turkey take on "religious" character.
Istanbul (AsiaNews) - In a move that has surprised Turkey , the
Armenian Church is going to proceed with the canonization of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish State in
1915, using Kurdish laborers for the massacres. The scientifically
perpetrated genocide by, is described by the Turkish historian Taner
Akcam as "A shameful act " (the title of his book ) . But the Ankara
government has never recognized it and rejects the definition of
" genocide."
Sources quoted by Turkish newspapers say the canonization will take
place in 2015, the centenary of the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians
killed in Asia Minor.
The main source of this news is ASAM, The research center of Turkey's
Eurasian strategy , according to which the great synod of the Armenian
Church was summoned to Yerevan the capital of ' Armenia. There is one
important fact: for the first time after 400 years - that is, after
1651 - bishops who came from all over the world attended this synod:
a real novelty in the history of the Armenian Church.
The synod - held at the end of September - was attended by the
Archbishop of Etsmiatzin , (considered the most sacred city for
Armenians ), the Armenian Archbishop of Lebanon, where there is also
a large community, which escaped the genocide ; the bishops of the
United States, Jerusalem , South America, France and the places where
there are Armenian communities of the Diaspora.
During the gathering the decision was made to canonize all the victims
of ' horrific genocide perpetrated by the Ottomans first and then the
Turks of Kemal Ataturk . The canonization will follow the formula of
the tradition of the Eastern Churches, which is the proclaiming of
the saints , stating the name of the place of martyrdom and not the
names of the individuals.
The decision of the Armenian synod has shaken Turkey. The President of
ASAM , Omer Ozkaya , says the decision has political motivations and he
points out that all the bishops of the Armenian Church gathered for the
first time after 400 years in order to give maximum visibility to the
"alleged" (according to the Turkish ) Armenian Genocide , proceeding to
the canonization of victims of genocide. Omer Ozkaya noted, however,
that in this way , the Armenians , give another religious , dimension
to the dispute between Diaspora communities and Turkey.
Another fact that has not escaped notice is that the synod was
convened in religious heart of Armenia, Etsimiatzin , which is the
great religious reference point for Armenians .
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Armenian-Church-to-canonize-martyrs-of-genocide.-Ankara-unhappy-29208.html
AsiaNews, Italy
Oct 7 2013
by NAT da Polis
The ceremony should take place in 2015 , the centenary of the genocide
of 1.5 million Armenians. Armenian bishops from around the world
at the synod which decided the canonization. The tensions between
Armenia and Turkey take on "religious" character.
Istanbul (AsiaNews) - In a move that has surprised Turkey , the
Armenian Church is going to proceed with the canonization of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish State in
1915, using Kurdish laborers for the massacres. The scientifically
perpetrated genocide by, is described by the Turkish historian Taner
Akcam as "A shameful act " (the title of his book ) . But the Ankara
government has never recognized it and rejects the definition of
" genocide."
Sources quoted by Turkish newspapers say the canonization will take
place in 2015, the centenary of the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians
killed in Asia Minor.
The main source of this news is ASAM, The research center of Turkey's
Eurasian strategy , according to which the great synod of the Armenian
Church was summoned to Yerevan the capital of ' Armenia. There is one
important fact: for the first time after 400 years - that is, after
1651 - bishops who came from all over the world attended this synod:
a real novelty in the history of the Armenian Church.
The synod - held at the end of September - was attended by the
Archbishop of Etsmiatzin , (considered the most sacred city for
Armenians ), the Armenian Archbishop of Lebanon, where there is also
a large community, which escaped the genocide ; the bishops of the
United States, Jerusalem , South America, France and the places where
there are Armenian communities of the Diaspora.
During the gathering the decision was made to canonize all the victims
of ' horrific genocide perpetrated by the Ottomans first and then the
Turks of Kemal Ataturk . The canonization will follow the formula of
the tradition of the Eastern Churches, which is the proclaiming of
the saints , stating the name of the place of martyrdom and not the
names of the individuals.
The decision of the Armenian synod has shaken Turkey. The President of
ASAM , Omer Ozkaya , says the decision has political motivations and he
points out that all the bishops of the Armenian Church gathered for the
first time after 400 years in order to give maximum visibility to the
"alleged" (according to the Turkish ) Armenian Genocide , proceeding to
the canonization of victims of genocide. Omer Ozkaya noted, however,
that in this way , the Armenians , give another religious , dimension
to the dispute between Diaspora communities and Turkey.
Another fact that has not escaped notice is that the synod was
convened in religious heart of Armenia, Etsimiatzin , which is the
great religious reference point for Armenians .
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Armenian-Church-to-canonize-martyrs-of-genocide.-Ankara-unhappy-29208.html