On March 15, 2017, Archbishop Garegin Bekchian, the Vicar Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, addressed a farewell letter to the Armenians in Constantinople.
Presenting the process of the Vicar selection in his letter, Bekchian noted that after 50 years of living abroad, the only purpose of returning to Turkey was to organize the election of a new Patriarch. Bekchian noted that he was deeply mistaken, believing that being guided by justice and faith in this issue would be enough and that the church and the people would be able to succeed in the Patriarch’s election.
“When I assumed the duties of Vicar, I faced with the shocking reality. The most important finding was that from the very first day the electoral process would not be transparent, honest and fair in accordance with the rules”, wrote the archbishop, emphasizing he did not want to remember and remind about the painful, offensive manifestations and examples of all that.
The second sad reality is that the number of clergies and secular people who are well aware of the history and values of the community has dropped dramatically in Istanbul.
“What has happened is not the last day job. The result, the target of which is actually me, is actually aimed at overthrowing the 85th Patriarch’s election and a result of a rather long and well-run campaign. Upsetting and painful intrigues have been woven, which have reached unbelievable levels.
Bekchian said that in the current situation he decided to leave Istanbul for a short time, which is against his will. ‘He noted that no new shocks should be allowed inside the community. Therefore, he decided to leave Istanbul not to affect the next steps of the community and the leaders with his presence.
Let us remind that on February 5, the Istanbul Governor’s Office sent a letter to the Patriarchate. The letter stated that the state considers the election of Karekin Archbishop Bekchian as Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople and the decisions he made during that period invalid and recognizes Aram Ateshian as head of the Patriarchate. The letter emphasizes that patriarchal elections cannot be held as long as Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan is alive.
On February 9 the religious assembly of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, with the demands of the state, restored Archbishop Aram Ateshian to the post of Vicar of the Patriarch.
Ermenihaber.am