Tweet
Patriarch of Jerusalem Speaks out against Karekin II
12.14.2014 09:59SOCIETY
A letter penned by the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian
addressed to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II about lowering of the
status of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to a Diocese has created great debate
in the Armenian Church.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem stated that he published this second letter on
the internet because he had not received a response to the first letter he
wrote on the same subject matter. The Patriarch's letter contains strong
criticism of Karekin II.
The Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate, on of the four autonomous seats of the
Armenian Church along with the Etchmiadzin Catholicosate, the Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia, and the Patriarchate of Istanbul, has
suffered turbulent times since the period during which the late
Patriarchate Torkom Manoogian could not fulfil his duties due to illness.
Archbishop Manougian was elected Jerusalem Armenian Patriarch in January
2013, and made headlines the following May when he wrote a similar letter
accusing Karekin II of meddling in the internal affairs of the Jerusalem
Patriarchate.
`They only think of dollars'
Born in Aleppo, Patriarch Manougian summarizes the reason he penned his
letter published on the internet on the weekend with the words, `As if the
everyday problems the Armenian Church faces with other Christian
communities and the state of Israel were not enough, Etchmiadzin priests,
spurred on by your statement that `The apple never falls far from the tree'
have begun to crucify the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate'. The letter also
contains the striking statement, `You tried to pacify the Patriarchates of
Jerusalem and Istanbul before, yet failed. Come, do not attempt this again!'
The Patriarch of Jerusalem accused Karekin II of carrying out all these
actions for material gains, and ended his letter with the words, `The
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin will continue to be a source of hope and
inspiration for us, but you...'
Etchmiadzin: `Unacceptable'
The tremors the letter caused found a swift response from the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin. On December 1, the Supreme Spiritual Council met in the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and released a statement declaring that `the
manner of the steps taken by His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manougian
[are] unacceptable'. The statement added that Manougian harmed the
reputation and prestige of the Armenian Church with inappropriate language
and actions for a clergyman. The statement also underlined that the
accusation voiced by Manougian relating to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin turning the Constantinople Patriarchate into a Diocese was
false. Archbishop Aram Atesyan, too, in a statement to the Marmara
newspaper, stated that such a plan did not exist.
Not the first time
This is not the first time that claims have surfaced that the patriarchates
of Jerusalem and Istanbul will be turned into dioceses. It is known that
similar debates took place during the period when Patriarch Mesrob II was
in charge of his duties. For instance, in a letter to Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II that he wrote in the year 2000, Patriarch Mesrob II
expressed his discomfort regarding this issue. Mesrob II stated that he
made clear his position to Karekin II the year he assumed his position with
various practices and letters, and added that a patriarch could never be
considered equal to a primate.
On the other hand, heavy criticism aimed at Karekin II continues to build
by the day. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II is criticized for his
indulgence in money. His appointment of his brother as the Primate of the
Diocese of Russia, his forcing of Archbishop Norvan, Primate of France, to
resign, and his creation of division within the Armenian community in Nice
are all seen as an outcome of his lust for money and power.
Discussed on September 18
The issue had been discussed at the 5th Universal Church Representatives
Meeting held at the Etchmiadzin and chaired by Catholicos Karekin II on
September 28. Vazken Barın, who on behalf of the Istanbul Armenian
Patriarchate travelled to Armenia along with Archbishop Aram Atesyan for
the meeting, said in his statement to Agos on September 26 that the binding
of the Jerusalem and Istanbul Armenian patriarchates to Etchmiadzin had
been discussed at the meeting. Barın had explained that, after he reminded
the meeting that the Istanbul Armenian Patriarchate, founded in 1461
following the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed II, had existed for
almost 6 centuries and opposed the changing of its status, the decision had
been removed from the final declaration.
http://agos.com.tr/en/article/9854/patriarch-of-jerusalem-speaks-out-against-karekin-ii
12.14.2014 09:59SOCIETY
A letter penned by the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian
addressed to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II about lowering of the
status of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to a Diocese has created great debate
in the Armenian Church.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem stated that he published this second letter on
the internet because he had not received a response to the first letter he
wrote on the same subject matter. The Patriarch's letter contains strong
criticism of Karekin II.
The Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate, on of the four autonomous seats of the
Armenian Church along with the Etchmiadzin Catholicosate, the Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia, and the Patriarchate of Istanbul, has
suffered turbulent times since the period during which the late
Patriarchate Torkom Manoogian could not fulfil his duties due to illness.
Archbishop Manougian was elected Jerusalem Armenian Patriarch in January
2013, and made headlines the following May when he wrote a similar letter
accusing Karekin II of meddling in the internal affairs of the Jerusalem
Patriarchate.
`They only think of dollars'
Born in Aleppo, Patriarch Manougian summarizes the reason he penned his
letter published on the internet on the weekend with the words, `As if the
everyday problems the Armenian Church faces with other Christian
communities and the state of Israel were not enough, Etchmiadzin priests,
spurred on by your statement that `The apple never falls far from the tree'
have begun to crucify the Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate'. The letter also
contains the striking statement, `You tried to pacify the Patriarchates of
Jerusalem and Istanbul before, yet failed. Come, do not attempt this again!'
The Patriarch of Jerusalem accused Karekin II of carrying out all these
actions for material gains, and ended his letter with the words, `The
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin will continue to be a source of hope and
inspiration for us, but you...'
Etchmiadzin: `Unacceptable'
The tremors the letter caused found a swift response from the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin. On December 1, the Supreme Spiritual Council met in the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and released a statement declaring that `the
manner of the steps taken by His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manougian
[are] unacceptable'. The statement added that Manougian harmed the
reputation and prestige of the Armenian Church with inappropriate language
and actions for a clergyman. The statement also underlined that the
accusation voiced by Manougian relating to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin turning the Constantinople Patriarchate into a Diocese was
false. Archbishop Aram Atesyan, too, in a statement to the Marmara
newspaper, stated that such a plan did not exist.
Not the first time
This is not the first time that claims have surfaced that the patriarchates
of Jerusalem and Istanbul will be turned into dioceses. It is known that
similar debates took place during the period when Patriarch Mesrob II was
in charge of his duties. For instance, in a letter to Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II that he wrote in the year 2000, Patriarch Mesrob II
expressed his discomfort regarding this issue. Mesrob II stated that he
made clear his position to Karekin II the year he assumed his position with
various practices and letters, and added that a patriarch could never be
considered equal to a primate.
On the other hand, heavy criticism aimed at Karekin II continues to build
by the day. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II is criticized for his
indulgence in money. His appointment of his brother as the Primate of the
Diocese of Russia, his forcing of Archbishop Norvan, Primate of France, to
resign, and his creation of division within the Armenian community in Nice
are all seen as an outcome of his lust for money and power.
Discussed on September 18
The issue had been discussed at the 5th Universal Church Representatives
Meeting held at the Etchmiadzin and chaired by Catholicos Karekin II on
September 28. Vazken Barın, who on behalf of the Istanbul Armenian
Patriarchate travelled to Armenia along with Archbishop Aram Atesyan for
the meeting, said in his statement to Agos on September 26 that the binding
of the Jerusalem and Istanbul Armenian patriarchates to Etchmiadzin had
been discussed at the meeting. Barın had explained that, after he reminded
the meeting that the Istanbul Armenian Patriarchate, founded in 1461
following the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed II, had existed for
almost 6 centuries and opposed the changing of its status, the decision had
been removed from the final declaration.
http://agos.com.tr/en/article/9854/patriarch-of-jerusalem-speaks-out-against-karekin-ii