Visit of Catholicos of All Armenians to Damascus

Prior to the visit of His Holiness Vazken I, another despicable event had already occurred; namely, a group of Dashnaks rushed into the courtyard of St. Sarkis Church and then, once inside the church, attacked Mihran Der Stepanian, the chairman of the diocesan executive council and prominent ADL leader, leaving him so bloodied that it could have cost him his life.

They resorted to these vile measures in order to make it clear to the Armenians of Damascus that if they didn’t cooperate with the ARF, they would be subjected to the same acts that were committed against the Prelate and the chairman. Unfortunately, terror remained the sole means of enforcing the ARF’s exclusive control and authority. They had carried out such acts in Beirut, where patriotic youths whose allegiance was to Echmiadzin became the victims of fratricidal fighting; during that same period, law-abiding members of the Brotherhood of the See of Cilicia were thrown out of the monastery in Bikfaya in broad daylight; and well-known figures in the Armenian community and political party leaders like Prof. Parounag Tovmasian and Nubar Nazarian became targets of terrorist attacks.

The Cold War had already begun to have an impact on Armenian life, as well. In 1958, Syria united with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic, and Al-Wehda (unity) developed between the two countries. George Mardigian, the head of ANCHA, went to Syria where he tried to buy officers of the Syrian army with large donations. During those same days, a Dashnak from Damascus, Sarkis Bekiarian, was arrested as an agent working for the United States and the location of his body would permanently remain unknown. Furthermore, a large number of Dashnaks were arrested because large quantities of ammunition were found in the ARF club and churches in Aleppo, while others left Syria for good.

Thus, a severe struggle began in Damascus, during which many of our ADL members, like Krikor Asilian, were also subjected to interrogation as Communists. Here we are obliged to acknowledge, for the historical record, the great effort carried out by our Hunchak friends to maintain the diocese’s loyalty to the Mother See. Mrs. Gulizar Gartatsoghian, Khashmanian, Laleyian and other Hunchaks fought wholeheartedly for the sake of the supremacy of the Catholicosate of All Armenians. AGBU leaders, as well, like Levon Yacoubian and others, remained on the front lines of this struggle with the same patriotism; that patriotic spirit still exists within the Armenian community of Damascus.

Having appealed to the Syrian government to intervene, as necessary, our friends prevented those in control of Antelias from entering Damascus. During the initial days, even Catholicos Zareh I was sent back to Antelias from the Syrian border, because his entry into the country was prohibited. The same happened later on to Catholicos Khoren I. Until now, the entrance of the catholicoi of the See of Cilicia to St. Sarkis Church is forbidden. After the passing of Bishop Shavarsh, various patriotic clergymen were called into service within the diocese for a short time, such as Archbishop Serovpe Manoogian, the former Primate of Paris; however, Archbishop Knel Djeredjian, one of the most courageous clergymen of the Armenian Church, remained, until his last breath, the vanguard in the movement to keep the Damascus Armenian community on Echmiadzin’s side.

Until now, as well, St. Sarkis Church remains on the register of properties belonging to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The same was the case with Sourp Nishan Church ofBeirut but this property was turned over to the Catholicosate of Cilicia during Archbishop Yeghishe Derderian’s term as Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem.