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LRAPER - PATRIARCHS TRAVEL TO ETCHMIADZIN
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ISTANBUL, 19/10/99 (Lraper) -- His Beatitude Patriarch
Torkom of Jerusalem arrived in Istanbul early this morning
accompanied by His Grace Bishop Vagharsh Khatchatourian,
the Reverebd Fathers Hampartsum Keshishian, Vanig
Mangasaryan and three lay delegates who will be participating
in the National Ecclesiastic Assembly on 26 October. The
Patriarch of Jerusalem was welcomed at the Istanbul airport
VIP lounge by the Chairman of the Patriarchal Religious
Council in Istanbul, the Very Reverend Aram Ateshian, and
lay leaders of the Armenian community of Istanbul.
His Beatitude Patriarch Mesrob II of Istanbul greeted his
senior brother at the entrance of Sourp Prgitch (Holy
Saviour) Armenian Hospital in Yedikule. The two
patriarchs then entered the Sourp Prgitch Chapel with a
solemn procession and had a time of prayer together.
The two patriarchs were then hosted by the Hospital
Board, headed by Chairman Pilo Atan, in one of the
larger halls of the hospital where some 80 lay leaders
of the Armenian community of Istanbul were present.
Following the breakfast, prayers were said for a safe
journey to Armenia, where the patriarchs will be co-
chairing the Supreme Spiritual Council meetings on
20-22 October.
Their Beatitudes the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Istanbul
left for Armenia on the direct Istanbul-Yerevan flight.
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