ISTANBUL - Turkish Armenian Patriarchate performed a special prayer ceremony on Saturday for a peaceful solution to the issue of Iraq, and settlement of universal peace.
Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II said that a possible war overshadowed this year's Christmas celebrations.
''Turkey suffers a serious damage from a clash in its neighboring countries and its economy is affected negatively. Meanwhile, we should not ignore families in battlefields. Both the Red Crescent and the Red Cross have taken action to help them,'' he said.
Patriarch Mesrob II said, ''as citizens of the Republic of Turkey, we should do our utmost to meet urgent requirements of people who have been living under the shadow of a possible war, and support statesmen working to find a peaceful solution, with our prays.''
''We should pray for our Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who started a tour to Middle Eastern countries to find a peaceful solution to the issue of Iraq without a war,'' he added.
Later, participants lit candles, prayed and sang hymns.