ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)—A founding member of the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, Sarkis Seropyan, passed away on March 28 from heart failure after a brief illness. He was 80 years old. Seropyan’s funeral was held on March 31 at the Feriköy Surp Vartanants Church. He was buried at the Şişli Armenian Cemetery.
Sarkis Seropyan (photo: Nanore Barsoumian)
Seropyan was born in Istanbul in 1935 to a family originally from Sivas. In 1996, he founded Agos together with Hrant Dink and other intellectuals. He served as the editor of the Armenian section until his death.
In a statement, Seropyan’s family remembered him as a caring father and a pillar in the Istanbul-Armenian community. “He remained loyal to two principles throughout his life: protecting the dignity of his ancestors and never succumbing to injustice,” read a part of the statement.
The family also commented on his several trips to Western Armenia, and how they had a profound effect on his writing. “The trips he went on and the books he read over the years eventually bore fruit. The pages of the Armenian press in Istanbul became his new field of work. From Jamanak to Marmara, and from Kulis to Surp Pırgiç he wrote travel notes, memoirs, and research pieces for every newspaper and magazine. He translated fairy tales and books. He believed that Turks, Kurds, Alevis, and all other communities living on these lands had to know Armenian literature. He dedicated his remaining years to this belief,” said the family.
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