Accompanied by Melfono Diyakos Zeki Demir, the Spiritual Leader of the Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir Syriac Orthodox Community and the Deputy Patriarch, Metropolitan Filüksinos Yusuf Çetin, visited the Patriarch Sahak II at the Patriarchate due to the Holy Resurrection Feast. Deputy Patriarch Senior Father Krikor Damadyan, Father Harutyun Damadyan, Father Hovagim Serovpyan and Father Şirvan Mürzyan were also present at the meeting.
The statement made on the Facebook page of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey regarding the visit is as follows:
”His Beatitude the Patriarch Sahak II, on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at 3:30 pm, received Metropolitan Filuksinos Yusuf Çetin, the Spiritual Leader and Deputy Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Community in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, accompanied by Melfono Diyakos Zeki Demir, at the Patriarchate. Deputy Patriarch Senior Father Krikor Damadyan, Father Harutyun Damadyan, Father Hovagim Serovpyan and Father Şirvan Mürzyan were also present at the meeting.
Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin was welcomed by the clergy at the entrance of the Patriarchate and went to the reception hall. Here, the two spiritual leaders greeted each other and celebrated the Holy Resurrection Feast of the Armenian Church in the person of His Beatitude the Patriarch, on behalf of the Syriac Community. His Beatitude the Patriarch and His Beatitude the Metropolitan, while conversing about the common problems of the two churches, especially touched upon the difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic process. This pandemic process, which continues to affect the world, caused both the slowdown of the activities of the churches and the interruption of inter-church relations and mutual visits. On the other hand, Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin stated that he would like to personally convey his congratulations to the Armenian Patriarch on behalf of his community on the occasion of the Holy Resurrection Feast The two spiritual leaders also conversed about the religious and social life in their congregations and also talked about the positive developments in their congregation. On this occasion, they wished that the pandemic would lose its effect as soon as possible and that the churches would continue their services more actively as in the past.
His Beatitude the Patriarch offered his thanks to Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin on the occasion of his visit and wished peace to the Syriac Community in the person of His Beatitude the Metropolitan. Emphasizing the importance of a brotherhood in Jesus Christ, he stated that this brotherhood is a blessing in this difficult time we are living in. His Beatitude the Patriarch said that this year, the ceremonies in Armenian churches in Istanbul took place closed to public. He stated that this year, especially as an achievement of our Patriarchate’s “Lraper” social media service, all ceremonies were broadcast live on our Patriarchate’s social media channels. The fact that these broadcasts reached thousands of people was one of the most pleasing and promising news in this troubled process.
Our Spiritual Leader made a surprise to His Beatitude the Metropolitan on the occasion of this visit. Recently, A memoir was prepared about the late Patriarch Mesrob II, within the body of our Patriarchate and noting that this book includes the writings of spiritual leaders and Patriarch Mesrob II and also pictures of His Holiness, he presented one of the first copies of the new book to His Beatitude the Metropolitan. After this surprise, Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin expressed his satisfaction and remembered our late Patriarch with longing.
At the end of the visit, Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin, thanked His Beatitude the Patriarch Sahak II. for his hospitality and then left the Patriarchate.”
