12.05.2025 19:04
The claim that the new Pope Leo XIII's great-grandfather emigrated from the Develi district of Kayseri has caused astonishment in the district. The neighborhood headman, Yusuf Çelik, stated, "It is said that the ancestors of the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, Leo XIII, lived in this neighborhood."
The claim that Pope Leo XIII, elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church, has roots from the Develi district of Kayseri surprised the local residents, while the neighborhood head, Yusuf Çelik, said, "We wish it to be for the best."
"THE NEW POPE'S ANCESTORS LIVED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD" It was claimed that Pope Leo XIII's great-grandfather, Setrak Parsehyan, migrated from the Develi district of Kayseri to Argentina in the 1910s. While it is claimed that Leo XIII has a family background from Kayseri, this news surprised the people of Develi. Yusuf Çelik, the head of the Reşadiye neighborhood, where old Armenian houses are located, stated, "We learned about the Pope being from Develi through social media and were surprised. It is said that the ancestors of the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIII, lived in this neighborhood. We also say, 'we wish it to be for the best,'" he expressed.
Pope Leo XIII ARMENIAN PAST IN DEVELI The most significant event in Develi and its surroundings in the 20th century is the Armenian incident and the related Hachin event. Following the 1878 Ottoman-Russian war, Armenian societies and committees established with the encouragement and protection of the Russians were tasked with internally overthrowing the Ottoman Empire. One of their centers in Anatolia was Develi. The reason for this is that Develi is a central location close to both Eastern and Southern Anatolia. The Armenian revolutionary committees, Hunchak and Dashnak, deemed it appropriate to produce the bombs they would need for future clashes with the Turks in Develi. Kevork Elekçıyan, who was sent to America for bomb procurement from the Develi Armenians for a few years, returned to Everek in 1913. During the production of bombs in the workshop at Kevork's house in Everek, one of the bombs he made exploded in his hand, and after this incident was heard in Kayseri, searches were conducted in Armenian houses, leading to the seizure of many bombs and equipment used in bomb-making.
However, the Armenians managed to hide many bombs in secret compartments of their homes, as they anticipated such a search. The Armenians were acting in cooperation with the French. The French occupying forces declaring the Zamantı River as a border after coming within 20 km of Develi caught Atatürk's attention. M. Kemal Pasha sent Kılıç Ali Bey to Develi as a representative of the Anatolian and Rumelia Defense of Rights Society upon this necessity. Upon arriving in Develi, Kılıç Ali Bey informed the people about the decisions made at the Erzurum and Sivas congresses and stated that Mustafa Kemal would soon send a large military force to the region, asking the public to support this action. With the help of the Develi District Governor, Kılıç Ali Bey began to organize the people against the Armenians. Meanwhile, the Armenians had slaughtered seven residents of Develi by cutting their throats in Hachin.
The Defense of Rights Society decided to take action, anticipating the dangers and risks that further waiting would create, and ordered the commander of the Cilicia National Forces, Doğan Bey, to mobilize. After gathering the necessary soldiers and weapons, the order to attack Hachin was given on April 6, 1920. With the arrival of the Kayseri Revenge Battalion in the region, Hachin was captured. The surviving Armenians in Hachin were sent to Develi, and the Defense of Rights Society of Develi took it upon themselves to protect them. With this action, the Turkish nation once again proved how precious a nation it is. In Develi, there were also Greek minorities besides the Armenians, but they supported the Turks against the Armenians. The Greeks left Develi in 1920, exchanged with the Thracian Turks during the population exchanges. The Armenian minority in Develi was sent to Aleppo, Syria, and Damascus.