Imagine a time, the world almost completely turned upside down. Many rules and doctrines we thought we knew until yesterday have lost their validity. What the one who pounds their fist harder on the table says is accepted, and only what the loudest shouter says is heard.Last week, while wars continued in our region, geopolitical developments changed at an untraceable speed, and diplomacy in the world was completely devastated, President Erdoğan took a historical and hopeful step by inviting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Istanbul for a working visit. While this historically significant visit for Turkey and Armenia was taking place, we witnessed another disgrace that would cause a source of shame for the history of Istanbul Armenians – which we hope will not be repeated – and will be written as a black stain on the history of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey. In the absence of the Patriarch, and probably with instructions from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Patriarchate officials locked the doors of the Patriarchate and played the "we're not home" game with a guest who came to their house, even though they were inside.
Especially during this period, which began with Covid but whose steps we heard slowly even before, many societies suffered greatly and continue to do so. Of course, the Armenians of Istanbul also received their share in such a period.
First, after Karekin Srpazan Bekçiyan, one of the most harmonious characters you could ever know, was chosen as Locum Tenens, he wanted to pray in the Mother Mary Church in Kumkapı before going to his office. With the cooperation of various clergy and administrators, including those who committed the second disgrace last week, the first of the biggest disgraces of recent times occurred: they locked the church door with a 1-meter rope. Even as I write these lines, my blood runs cold, and my mouth goes dry.
Later, with the tremendous skill of both the administrators and the clergy, they had Karekin Srpazan's Locum Tenency canceled. Immediately after, in 2019, we encountered the "instruction" published for the Patriarchal elections, which had been awaited for 10 years. The instruction, true to its literal meaning, was specifically instructed by someone and, I am sure, accepted as is, despite the objections of many of us. Pressure was exerted on the committee members in his capacity as the chairman of the Election Committee. So much so that some of them resigned to avoid further exposure to these pressures. Sahak Srpazan Maşalyan, in his own words, laughed at the intrigues of his own supporters, saying, "I didn't expect this much." Until the last day, he manipulated the calls of "Do not accept injustice" by playing on the fears of the community. In all these events; thanks to those who succumbed to the spirit of the era, what the shouting speaker said prevailed.
The "We're Not Home" Game Was Played
Last week, while wars continued in our region, geopolitical developments changed at an untraceable speed, and diplomacy in the world was completely devastated, President Erdoğan took a historical and hopeful step by inviting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Istanbul for a working visit. While this historically significant visit for Turkey and Armenia was taking place, we witnessed another disgrace that would cause a source of shame for the history of Istanbul Armenians – which we hope will not be repeated – and will be written as a black stain on the history of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey. In the absence of the Patriarch, and probably with instructions from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Patriarchate officials locked the doors of the Patriarchate and played the "we're not home" game with a guest who came to their house, even though they were inside.
It is true that for Turkish Armenians, political representation is, of course, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, but emotionally, the inability of the Armenian Prime Minister to enter the Armenian Patriarchate during this historical visit – let alone being met at the airport – is, to say the least, thoughtlessness. For the clergy working at the Patriarchate to go to great lengths to prevent Pashinyan from entering the Patriarchate, and then to pressure the Kumkapı Church board of directors, saying, "You shouldn't welcome him either, or if you do, let it be just one person," is nothing short of shamelessness. For those who always preach brotherhood, tolerance, forgiveness, and love to reach a point where they cannot control what comes out of their mouths is probably a manifestation of the power intoxication unique to this period, where the loud speaker believes they have won.
I hope that the majority of Turkish Armenians will never forget this source of shame inflicted upon us and will demand an explanation for this humiliation and embarrassment. Let's hope that this 'it's done because I did it' system ends, both globally and specifically for Turkish Armenians, and that love and common sense prevail.
A final word to Dear Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan;
"Distinguished Prime Minister, please accept our sadness due to the shameful attitude of the Patriarchate officials during your visit. However, keeping in mind the saying that there is good in every evil, we have seen through this visit that, contrary to a group of clergy who have committed political suicide and brought us to this situation, the Armenians of Turkey are not yet a completely dead community. We hope to have the opportunity to see you among us again very soon and to make amends for what happened."
