Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Patriarchate of Constantinople Opel is the Archdiocese of Constantinople Opel ( now Istanbul ), the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the two patriarchates of the church next to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
History
A church building of the Armenians in Constantinople Opel (now Istanbul) was already the beginning of the 14th century For 1330/31, a bishop for chalcedonensische Armenians in Constantinople Opel is attested. In 1461 allegedly took over the Armenian bishop of Bursa, Hovakim, at the request of the Sultan, the head of the Armenian community in 1453 conquered by the Turks in Constantinople Opel. The local Armenian bishop obtained in 15-16. Century the title of patriarch, but only in 17-18. Century gradually jurisdiction over other prelates in the Ottoman Empire. He then acts as a nationally recognized leader of the Armenian and ( until 1830 ) of all other non- Byzantine Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire. To his political responsibility therefore included the Armenian Katholikate Sis and Aghtamar and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and also the West and East Syriac churches and the Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria.
Ecclesiastical stood the Constantinople until the 16th century under the Cilician Catholicos in Sis (since Ottoman 1517). About immigrants from the East intensified. Consequently the influence of the Catholicosate in Echmiadzin, which became temporarily even under Ottoman rule In the 18th and 19th century, the Constantinople Patriarchate became de facto the leading position in the Armenian Apostolic Church. In Constantinople, Opel was living the world's largest membership community of Christian Armenians.
The State canonical position of the patriarch made the occupation of Constantinople cathedra strongly dependent on the changing political circumstances. The total of 115 pontificates ( Office hours) were completed by only 84 officers ( persons). Patriarch Karapet II officiated even five times (1676-1679, 1680-1681, 1681-1684, 1686-1687 and 1688-1689 ). Due to protest against the Armenian persecution in 1896 Patriarch Matheos III. Izmirlian deposed and exiled to Jerusalem. It was not until 1908, after deposing of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, he was allowed to return.
1914 was the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Opel ago 55 Armenian Apostolic Church dioceses or administrative units with 1778 parishes, 1634 churches and about 1,390,000 faithful. These calculated the Armenian dioceses Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece. What remains of which are the Patriarchate itself and bishops for various areas in and around Istanbul. The occupied until 1895 Catholicate of Aghtamar went into the Constantinople Patriarchate.
The genocide of the Armenians during the First World War, the Patriarchate of Constantinople Opel was temporarily resolved. A state law on August 1, 1916 created a short-lived " Catholicos of Jerusalem " as the head of all Ottoman Armenians. For the first Catholicos - Patriarch of Jerusalem Sahag II Khabayan was appointed, the exiled Catholicos of Cilicia ( Sis ). The official thus retired Patriarch Zaven The Yeghiayan of Constantinople Opel (1913-1922) received Baghdad dependent as a residence. In 1919, he returned from exile in his office back, resigned under pressure in 1922 and fled to Bulgaria.
Today
In the present can be elected Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Opel only a Turkish citizen. In fact, his choice must also be acceptable to the government. Officially, it is their only displayed and the new patriarch accorded by Cabinet decision, the right to wear his official dress well in public, as is permitted only heads of religious communities in Turkey.
Patriarchy is now only one diocese and about 70,000 believers, of which 60,000 live in Turkey. This is however the Armenian Apostolic Church today the largest Christian community in Turkey. Probably 45,000 from the church members live in Istanbul and surrounding areas and have about 35 churches. In addition there are municipalities in Kayseri, Diyarbakır, Iskenderun and Vakif ( Hatay ).
Acting Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan S. p. Seat of the Patriarch Cathedral located in the area Kumkapı in Istanbul's Eminönü.