A HUNDRED YEARS IN PURSUIT OF A DREAM: EFFORTS FOR UNIFICATION OF JERUSALEM ARMENIAN AND ISTANBUL PATRIARCHATES

Abstract

According to the hierarchical structure of the Armenian church, the Istanbul patriarchate was given a lower rank than the Jerusalem patriarchate. However, since the Istanbul patriarchate was located in the capital of the empire, it became the representative of the Armenian community. This led the Istanbul-Armenian patriarchate to spread its influence over other centers. In this context, connecting the Jerusalem patriarchate to the Istanbul patriarchate became an important dream (or idea) among the spiritual leaders of the community for a long time. Thus, one hundred years of this dream will be explored in this study. Specifically, the activities of Patriarch Yegyazar after 1650 and Patriarch Avedik's risky attempts in the early eighteenth century, which caused negative effects on these two churches, will be examined in detail.