As the Armenian community, has Patriarch Maşalyan whom we have chosen to be our 'leader' delivered on his duties? Even the people who would've responded "Yes" to this question are questioning the Patriarchate's attitude during Paşinyan's visit of Turkey. Especially when the Armeno-Turkish relations are fragile as they are, subjecting the Prime Minister of said country to the inner disagreements within Armenia is nothing short of being politically scandalous. The Patriarchate have committed themselves to this scandal last week and has ignored the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Paşinyan's visit to Turkey, if expressed more contemporarily, they've "ghosted" the prime minister.
The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Paşinyan has visited Turkey in the 20th of June upon Erdoğan's invitation. The two countries' representatives have formerly met eachother in important diplomatic meetings and the presidents have been together on separate occasions for different reasons. But when the issue is the relations between their two respective countries, even a regular diplomatic encounter holds newsworthiness. In addition, there's been another aspect to this meeting in which I'll mention in this article: Paşinyan has met with the representatives of the Turkish Armenian community for the very first time.
Official leadership
The thing that's interesting before the meeting with Erdoğan was the abstention of any of the Armenian Patriarchate's representatives. Sahak Maşalyan, otherwise known as Sahak the II., who has been chosen as the 85th Patriarch of the Armenians in Turkey after the elections held in December 2019, has satisfied the Turkish Armenian communities' need for a "popular leader" after 12 years. Sahak the II., assuming his position legitimately despite the elimination of some natural candidates with absurd excuses and numerous intrigues, was now in fact the official leader of the Turkish Armenians. The non-Muslim communities that have their rights protected by the states as they're recognized as religious minorities with the Lausanne Treaty, with their religious leaders that they choose, they kind of assign their proper representatives that'll be communicating with the government. In this context, the Patriarch of the Turkish Armenians represents the Armenians, the Ecumanical Patriarch represents the Greeks, the Metropolitan represents the Syriacs and the Chaldeans and the Hakham Bashi represents the Jews and effectively is spokesperson for them.
"Ghosting" a prime minister
As the Armenian community, has Patrik Maşalyan whom we have chosen to be our 'leader' delivered on his duties? Even the people who would've responded "Yes" to this question are questioning the Patriarchate's attitude during Paşinyan's visit of Turkey. Especially when the Armeno-Turkish relations are fragile as they are, subjecting the Prime Minister of said country to the inner disagreements within Armenia is nothing short of being politically scandalous. The Patriarchate have committed themselves to this scandal last week and has ignored the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Paşinyan's visit to Turkey, if expressed more contemporarily, they've "ghosted" the prime minister.
Under this act of disregard directed towards the Armenian Prime Minister lies the disagreement that has been ongoing between the worldwide spiritual leader of the Armenians Catholicos Garegin the II. and Nikol Paşinyan for a while. With the Velvet Revolution that cleansed Armenia from the oligarchs that have stuck to the countries' political system since its' breakaway from the Soviet Union, Nikol Paşinyan has already hinted that he'll also strive against the church and he's had problems with the Catcholicos in doing so. Sadly for him, dethroning the Catholicos has not been as easy as "getting rid of" Serj Sarkisyan as it's not.
Living up to the position
The İstanbul Armenian Patriarchate has had weight and significance all along its' history. The current Patriarch Maşalyan naturally has the right to comment on or even take part in a politically tense situation in which the Eçmiadzin is a side. Although in the year of 2025, given the necessity of the societal and religious reforms as of today, who you're siding with possesses vital importance. Even after the below-the-belt remarks made about the Catholicos by Paşinyan, not participating in a historical international meeting as the Patriarchate because of a purely internal affair, to rub salt to the wound, locking the Patriarchate's door the day that Paşinyan is supposed to visit, if anything is unacceptable to Turkish Armenians. Maşalyan may not want to meet with Paşinyan, despite the fact that I don't think he's on the right I'd still find this reaction to be reasonable, but not even assigning any representatives, is something that is not only unjust but that is incomprehensible. At most, a vice president, a bishop, a priest or even a pater was supposed to just provide Paşinyan with some information on the Ayvazovski paintings on the Patriarchate buildings' walls and show him around the library. Maşalyan, has determined that this would be too much for the Armenian Prime Minister. And that's why the Armenian community is repugnant of this decision.
An announcement has to be made
The Community Initiative formed by a group of civilians during the latest Patriarchal election tackling sociological, political and cultural issues concerning the Turkish Armenian community has made a called for the people to manifest and protest against Maşalyan, demanding an announcement from Maşalyan for him to keep his promise.
It's also worth remembering the things I said in the beginning: Patriarch Maşalyan has been chosen by the will of the people in 2019, he was not just named the religious leader but the official leader as well. In this situation, as members of this community it is a natural right of ours to ask of the Dearest Patriarch to fulfill his duties, to question its' reasons if he isn't doing so, to make a statement.
The Armenian community as a "mini-Turkey"
A parentheses has to be drawn for the people who are under the delusion that they're this communities' popular leader or spokesperson. During Paşinyan's meeting with the Turkish Armenian community, AKP İstanbul parliametarian Sevan Şirinoğlu and the president of the Yedikule Surp Pırgiç Hospital Foundation Bedros Şirinoğlu who's known for his closeness with the Turkish President Erdoğan, has taken parole to express how happy they are with Erdoğan and Sıvacoğlu has even requested Paşinyan to notify Erdoğan of his positive feedback. In response, Paşinyan has denied this request due to his 6 years of experience in the political field by saying "This would be your job to do".
We're seeing a minor reflection of the general Turkish political scene within the Armenian community. The same impotency, the same insanity sadly presents itself within us too. Therefore, I won't be surprised if Paşinyan's let down and also I wonder how Paşinyan has told his close circle about his daily experience here during his encounter with the İstanbul Armenian community with all sincerety. He has been exposed to it himself. Sadly.
Çeviri: Arda Tabanlı
