Leon Tourian
Encyclopedia
Archbishop
Leon Tourian was the primate
of the Eastern Diocese
of the Armenian Apostolic Church
of America, assassinated in New York
by his political opponents on Christmas Eve
, 1933.
, Turkey
. Before his appointment to New York in 1931, Tourian was archbishop of Smyrna
, Vicar Patriarch of Constantinople
, and later a prelate in Greece
, Bulgaria
, and in Manchester
, UK.
The incident that resulted in a plot to assassinate the archbishop took place on 1 July 1933, in a pavilion for the celebration of Armenian Day at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago
. Archbishop Tourian, upon his arrival to deliver an invocation
, ordered the removal of the red, blue, and orange Tricolor
of Democratic Republic of Armenia
(1918–1920) from the stage before he would step out on it.
From the archbishop's point of view, appearing beside this flag would provoke the wrath of Armenia's Soviet government, which was a serious concern, since the church's ultimate seat of spiritual authority lay in the Holy See at Echmiadzin
, within the borders of Soviet Armenia, and Catholicos of All Armenians felt bound to keep peace with Soviet authorities.
However the members of the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF), known as Dashnaks, for whom the flag was a sacred symbol of the Armenian nation, took this as an act of treason. Tourian was soon attacked by 5 ARF members in Worcester, Massachusetts
. Two of the attackers were convicted. After this incident Tourian hired a bodyguard
.
, in the Washington Heights, Manhattan
, at the start of the Christmas Eve service. Tourian’s constant bodyguard, Kossof Gargodian, was sitting in the back of the church certain that there would be no assault upon Tourian in a holy place, on the day before Christmas.
However, when archbishop passed at the end of procession the fifth raw of the pews from the rear, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of men in such a fashion as to hide the actions of their companions. Two of the assailants stabbed Archbishop Tourian with large butcher knives
, and once the archbishop fell, the attackers scattered and mixed with the crowd. Two of assailants were seized by the parishioners, beaten, and subsequently handed over to the police.
The police soon apprehended the other 7 assailants, who were all ARF members. On 14 July 1934, after the trial that lasted 5 weeks, 2 of them, Madteos Leylegian and Nishan Sarkisian, were found guilty of first degree murder, and another 7 of first degree manslaughter. Leylegian and Sarkisian were sentenced to death, but Governor of New York
Herbert Lehman commuted the death sentences to life imprisonment "on account of most unusual circumstances in this case". The other seven were given prison terms of varying lengths, from 10 to 20 years.
became split between local churches affiliated with the Catholicosate of All Armenians (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin), located at the time in Soviet Armenia, and those affiliated with the Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Antelias
, near Beirut
, Lebanon
, though the liturgy has stayed the same. Individual congregations became either entirely Dashnak or anti-Dashnak in their membership, with forcible expulsions and violent fights in some instances. For decades to come, Armenians of the Dashnak persuasion would hold the nine Dashnak defendants to be innocent scapegoats and the Archbishop to be a traitor to his nation, while non-Dashnak Armenians would consider the nine suspects and the entire Dashnak party responsible for the crime.
At present there are two Armenian Apostolic Church structures in the United States
:
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Leon Tourian was the primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
of the Eastern Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
of America, assassinated in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by his political opponents on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, 1933.
Preceding events
Leon Tourian was born 1 January 1879 in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Before his appointment to New York in 1931, Tourian was archbishop of Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
, Vicar Patriarch of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, and later a prelate in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, UK.
The incident that resulted in a plot to assassinate the archbishop took place on 1 July 1933, in a pavilion for the celebration of Armenian Day at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Archbishop Tourian, upon his arrival to deliver an invocation
Invocation
An invocation may take the form of:*Supplication or prayer.*A form of possession.*Command or conjuration.*Self-identification with certain spirits....
, ordered the removal of the red, blue, and orange Tricolor
Flag of Armenia
The national flag of Armenia, the Armenian Tricolour , consists of three horizontal bands of equal width, red on the top, blue in the middle, and orange on the bottom. The Armenian Supreme Soviet adopted the current flag on 24 August 1990...
of Democratic Republic of Armenia
Democratic Republic of Armenia
The Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian state...
(1918–1920) from the stage before he would step out on it.
From the archbishop's point of view, appearing beside this flag would provoke the wrath of Armenia's Soviet government, which was a serious concern, since the church's ultimate seat of spiritual authority lay in the Holy See at Echmiadzin
Echmiadzin
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is a 4th century Armenian church in the town of Ejmiatsin, Armenia. It is also the central cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church....
, within the borders of Soviet Armenia, and Catholicos of All Armenians felt bound to keep peace with Soviet authorities.
However the members of the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
(ARF), known as Dashnaks, for whom the flag was a sacred symbol of the Armenian nation, took this as an act of treason. Tourian was soon attacked by 5 ARF members in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Two of the attackers were convicted. After this incident Tourian hired a bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
.
Murder
The conflict climaxed December 24, 1933, when several men attacked Archbishop Leon Tourian, in the Church of the Holy CrossHoly Cross Armenian Apostolic Church (New York City)
Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church is a significant Armenian Apostolic Churchin Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City at 580 West 187th Street. It occupies the former second location of the Lutheran church of The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, established in 1897 as a mission church of...
, in the Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
, at the start of the Christmas Eve service. Tourian’s constant bodyguard, Kossof Gargodian, was sitting in the back of the church certain that there would be no assault upon Tourian in a holy place, on the day before Christmas.
However, when archbishop passed at the end of procession the fifth raw of the pews from the rear, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of men in such a fashion as to hide the actions of their companions. Two of the assailants stabbed Archbishop Tourian with large butcher knives
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
, and once the archbishop fell, the attackers scattered and mixed with the crowd. Two of assailants were seized by the parishioners, beaten, and subsequently handed over to the police.
The police soon apprehended the other 7 assailants, who were all ARF members. On 14 July 1934, after the trial that lasted 5 weeks, 2 of them, Madteos Leylegian and Nishan Sarkisian, were found guilty of first degree murder, and another 7 of first degree manslaughter. Leylegian and Sarkisian were sentenced to death, but Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Herbert Lehman commuted the death sentences to life imprisonment "on account of most unusual circumstances in this case". The other seven were given prison terms of varying lengths, from 10 to 20 years.
Aftermath
After the killing, American Armenian followers of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
became split between local churches affiliated with the Catholicosate of All Armenians (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin), located at the time in Soviet Armenia, and those affiliated with the Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....
, near Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, though the liturgy has stayed the same. Individual congregations became either entirely Dashnak or anti-Dashnak in their membership, with forcible expulsions and violent fights in some instances. For decades to come, Armenians of the Dashnak persuasion would hold the nine Dashnak defendants to be innocent scapegoats and the Archbishop to be a traitor to his nation, while non-Dashnak Armenians would consider the nine suspects and the entire Dashnak party responsible for the crime.
At present there are two Armenian Apostolic Church structures in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
:
- Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
- Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
- Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
- Holy See of Cilicia
- Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
- Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America