ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE IN TURKEY WON’T BLESS MIXED MARRIAGES
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 11, 2012 – 14:58 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has restarted
implementing regulations in regards to mixed marriages, under which
Armenians marrying a person of a different religion will no longer
receive a blessing or be permitted to conduct a church wedding,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.
The permission for a church wedding for mixed marriages started in
2000 with Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan’s approval, but the move sparked
debate within the community.
“We are putting into practice a law that already exists in our church.
I do not want to make any other statement than this,” acting Patriarch
Aram AteÅ~_yan told the HDN.
The new regulation went into effect Oct. 1.
Armenians in mixed marriages, as well as those from the community
engaged to non-Armenians, gave partial support to the patriarchate
but also expressed criticism on the matter.