Armenian buried as Muslim in Turkey to be reburied as Christian

The body of a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin, who was buried in a Muslim cemetery due to financial problems, will be transferred to an Armenian cemetery after the required procedures are completed, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

According to Agos weekly, 85-year-old Harutyun Kamparisoglu passed away on June 17while staying in a shelter. Üsküdar Surp Garabed Church Foundation approved Kamparisoglu’s burial with Islamic customs since the man’s daughter Anna Taºçiyan could not afford the 8,000-Turkish Lira funeral cost. Kambarisoglu’s funeral prayer was performed in Göztepe Mosque on June 18, and his body was buried in Ümraniye Hekimbaºi Cemetery with Islamic prayers.

The Armenian Patriarchate said they did not know about the incident but added that if they had known, they would have covered the funeral expenses.

"If we had known about the situation, we would have done whatever was necessary and would not have let such an incident occur. How the authorities conducted such a burial is another matter of interest,” Acting Patriarch Archishob Aram Ateºyan said. (...)