Slanders On Muslims In History

The Speech of Mesrob II Mutafyan of Constantinople, the 84^th Patriarch of Turkey's Armenians

Mesrob II Mutafyan, the 84^th Patriarch of Turkey's Armenians expressed his feelings during a speech given at the reception held in Hilton Hotel on May 22, 1999:

… In 1461, only eight years after Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror took Istanbul, he issued an edict and established the Istanbul Patriarchy. This was a clear indication of Sultan Mehmed II's and other Ottoman Sultans' visionary characters and their embracing attitude towards other faiths. Indeed, Sultan Mehmed II was the first and last ruler in history to establish a spiritual leadership institute for the members of another religion… As we enter the new millennium with all the wars and conflicts going on around the world, we can better appreciate the importance of this incident that took place 538 years ago and better understand the importance of love and respect for different faiths and cultures.