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| Mesrob II Mutafyan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mesrob II Mutafyan |
| Birth date | 27 September 1956 |
| Birth place | Istanbul, Turkey |
| Death date | 8 March 2019 |
| Death place | Istanbul, Turkey |
| Nationality | Turkish-Armenian |
| Religion | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Title | 84th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople |
| Enthronement | 9 December 1998 |
| Predecessor | Patriarch Karekin II Kazancıyan |
| Successor | Archbishop Sahak Mashalian |
Mesrob II Mutafyan (born Hagop Mutafyan; 27 September 1956 – 8 March 2019) was the 84th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople and a leading figure in the Armenian Apostolic community in Turkey. His tenure spanned service to parishes in Istanbul, involvement with Armenian institutions such as the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, and engagement with Turkish authorities, international churches, and diaspora organizations. Mesrob II's patriarchate was marked by ecclesiastical reforms, public diplomacy, and prolonged health-related controversies over governance.
Mesrob II was born in Istanbul to an Armenian family with roots in the Ottoman Empire heritage, growing up amid institutions like the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Armenian community in Turkey. He studied at the Getronagan Armenian High School and pursued theological formation at the Mekhitarist Fathers-linked seminaries and at the Armenian Patriarchal Seminary in Istanbul. Further theological and canonical studies connected him to the Armenian Apostolic Church network centered on the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and to clerical circles associated with the Holy Synod of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholicos of All Armenians. He also engaged with ecumenical education tied to institutions like the World Council of Churches and seminaries influenced by Oriental Orthodox traditions.
After ordination, Mesrob II served in Armenian parishes across Istanbul and became known to bodies such as the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople clergy, the Armenian Prelacy, and lay organizations including the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Armeniakayin Digest community. He rose through ranks through roles that involved coordination with the Holy See of Cilicia and contacts with hierarchs from Etchmiadzin and Alexandria. His election and enthronement on 9 December 1998 followed a synodal and electoral process involving the Turkish Ministry of Interior, the Istanbul Governorship, and representatives of Armenian institutions like Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchal Church and parish delegates from Armenian schools in Istanbul. The enthronement drew delegations from leaders such as the Catholicos Karekin II and met with representatives from Armenian diaspora centers in United States, France, and Lebanon.
As Patriarch, Mesrob II engaged with congregations at historic sites including Surp Krikor Lusavorich Church (Sourp Krikor Lusavoritch), Surp Hıripsimyants Church, and parish institutions like Getronagan Armenian High School and Armenian Hospital (Surp Pırgiç Hospital). He participated in inter-church dialogues with leaders of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Greek Orthodox Church, and hierarchs from the Syriac Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Church, and Roman Catholic Church, fostering contacts with figures such as the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and delegations from the Vatican. Mesrob II also worked with Armenian cultural institutions like the Armenian Patriarchal Library, Armenian Cultural Association (ASID) and collaborated with civic bodies including the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts and municipal authorities of Beyoğlu. He presided over liturgical life in the Armenian Rite, addressed issues concerning Armenian charities like the Armenian Relief Society, and liaised with international organizations including the United Nations offices in Istanbul and representatives from European Union institutions concerning minority rights.
Beginning in the mid-2000s, Mesrob II experienced serious health problems, including a diagnosis that led to long periods away from active duties and treatment in facilities associated with hospitals like Surp Pırgiç Hospital and clinics in Istanbul and abroad. His prolonged incapacity prompted internal disputes within the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople and among bodies such as the Patriarchal Council, the Armenian National Assembly of Turkey, and lay committees. Competing claims over interim governance involved figures from the Holy Synod, clergy including various archbishops and bishops of the Armenian Church, and civic organizations like the Armenian National Committee and diaspora representatives from France, Greece, and United States dioceses. Legal and administrative interactions extended to the Turkish Directorate of Foundations (Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü), the Ministry of Interior (Turkey), and courts in Istanbul, producing debates about canonical provisions under the Armenian Apostolic Church canons and Turkish civil law on religious foundations.
Mesrob II maintained a complex relationship with Turkish institutions, engaging with the Presidency of Turkey, the Prime Ministry of Turkey (during earlier years), the Istanbul Governorship, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey) on minority and property issues. He participated in dialogues concerning recognition and restitution issues that intersected with actors like the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe, and OSCE missions addressing minority rights. His ecumenical outreach included meetings with leaders from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Roman Catholic Church including representatives of the Holy See, and delegations from the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches, as well as exchanges with Armenian hierarchs from Holy Etchmiadzin and the Holy See of Cilicia.
Ongoing health decline culminated in Mesrob II's effective withdrawal from active duties and eventual retirement, amid contested arrangements over succession and interim administration involving the Patriarchal Council, clergy, and the Turkish Directorate of Foundations. He died on 8 March 2019 in Istanbul, prompting mourning by Armenian communities in Turkey, diaspora centers in France, United States, Russia, Lebanon, and statements from religious leaders such as the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Ecumenical Patriarch. His legacy encompasses efforts to maintain Armenian liturgical life at historic churches, negotiations over community institutions like Getronagan Armenian High School and Surp Pırgiç Hospital, and a contested chapter in relations between the Armenian minority and Turkish state institutions. Tributes came from cultural organizations including the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Relief Society, and academic departments at universities in Istanbul University, Bogazici University, and Marmara University that study Ottoman and Turkish Armenian history.
Category:Armenian Patriarchs of Constantinople Category:1956 births Category:2019 deaths