Archbishop Aram Ateshian, General Vicar (Acting Patriarch) of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, will not travel to Armenia, according to Vahram Melikyan, the head of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin press-office.
It was reported earlier that Archbishop Ateshian will travel to Russia on June 15 and then to Armenia to attend the meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council and the events to be organized on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Armenia.
A public initiative objecting to Aram Ateshian's visit was created on Facebook. A group of activists said they would go to the airport to prevent his entry to the country. In addition, the Armenian parliamentarians launched signature campaign against Ateshian's visit.
The reason is Ateshian's letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In his letter, Ateshian criticized the German Bundestag resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and apologized for that resolution. This caused indignation of the Armenians worldwide.