Turkey mourns Mesrob Mutafyan, or Mesrob II as he is formally known, the late Armenian patriarch who passed away on March 8. A huge crowd filled the narrow alleys around Surp Asdvadzadzin, the church of the patriarchate, in Istanbul on Sunday for a funeral ceremony for the beloved religious leader.
The funeral ceremony, which began on Sunday, March 17 at 8:30 am, was opened with the morning prayers. At 10:00, the Holy Mass started. The ceremony was led by Archbishop Arshak Khachadourian, the Chancellor of the Echmiyazin Church.
After the Offertory time in the Mass, the condolence messages were read. World Armenians’ Catholicos I. Karekin’s message was read by Archbishop Parsamyan; and then Bishop Sahag Mashalyan read the condoleance messages sent by the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Manugyan, the Catholicos of Cilicia, Archbishop I. Aram Alyemezyan, Archbishop Aram Atesyan from the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, Archbishop of the Armenian Catholic Community of Turkey Levon Zekiyan, President Erdoğan and other political leaders.
After the Holy Mass was completed, Patriarch II. Mesrob Mutafyan’s body was brought to the door of the Patriarchate with the clergy.
Patriarch’s body was taken to Şişli Armenian Cemetery
At the ceremony in the Church of the Virgin Mary, the patriarch Mesrob II. Mutafyan’s mother, Mari Mutafian, his sisters, relatives, , Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nurhan Manugyan, the Archbishop Khajak Barsamyan, Archbishop Sebuhi Çulciyan, the Bishop Mager Açkaryan, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s representatives, the Chief Rabbi Isak Haleva’s representatives, Archbishop of the Armenian Catholic Community in Turkey Levon Zekiyan, Bishop of the Latin Catholic Community Ruben Tierrablanca Gonzalez, Chorbishop of the Syriac Catholic Community Orhan Çanlı, Chorbishop of the Chaldean Community of Turkey François Yakan, Metropolitan of the Istanbul Syriac Orthodox Community Mor Filuksinos Yusuf Çetin, Metropolitan of Mardin-Diyarbakır Syriac Orthodox Community Saliba Ozmen, Metropolitan of the Adiyaman Syriac Orthodox Community Melki Ürek, representative from the Association of Protestant Churches of Turkey Vahan İsaoğlu and many other religious representatives participated in the funeral.
Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın, Presidential Minorities Representative Ali Aslan, AKP Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesman Ömer Çelik, Tourism and Culture Minister Mehmet Ersoy, AKP Deputy Markar Esayan, EU Representative Sema Kılıçer, AKP’s Istanbul Mayor Candidate Binali Yıldırım, HDP Deputy Garo Paylan, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mevlut Uysal, Deputy Interior Affairs’ Minister Muhterem Ince, Human Rights Attorney Sezgin Tanrikulu, Beyoglu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan, Islands’ Mayor Atilla Aytac, CHP’s Istanbul Mayor Candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, Journalist Erdem Gül, Şişli Former Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül and the General Director of Foundations Adnan Erten, also participated.
Patriarch II. Mesrob Mutafyan’s body was taken to Şişli Armenian Cemetery where he was bruied with a ceremony.
