YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Only Armenians or spouses of Armenians have the right to be baptized in the baptism pool of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Armenians living in Turkey have to introduce the confirmation of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople of their being Armenian in order to be baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church. Fr. Zakaria Baghumyan, supervisor of the Office of Sacramental Procedures of the Inter-Church Relations Department of the Mother See, announced about this in an interview with “Armenpress” referring to the fact that Armenians arrived from Dersim and Tigranakert have been denied to be baptized. “From religious point they belong to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, they have to apply to the Patriarchate and get a confirmation of their being Armenian in a form of document and then be baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church”, Fr. Zakaria mentioned adding that the mentioned people have not got a confirmation by the Patriarchate.

According to him the problem is serious as an issue of religious security comes forward. “Their religious belonging is mentioned in Turkish passports. A person can remain Muslim by passport after being baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church”, mentioned Fr. Zakaria. “Baptizing is not a symbolic ceremony, it is an important ceremony for the Armenian Church”, added Fr. Zakaria.

A press conference took place on August 11 during which it was mentioned that the Armenian Apostolic Church did not baptize 3 incognito Armenians from Dersim and Tigranakert who had arrived in Armenia to participate in the 6th pan-Armenian games.