Armenians have never been guests in Turkey and never will they be guests in the future, a spiritual leader of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul has said on Thursday with regards to the recent controversy surrounding the 1915 events.

Archpriest Tatul Anushyan, spiritual leader of Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, Tatul Anushyan, conducted a religious ceremony at Akdamar Church in Turkey's eastern province of Van in front of 40 Turkish-born Christian Armenians.

"We have never been guests in this country. We are happy to live on this land," he said.

Last week, the European Parliament adopted a resolution recognizing the 1915 events as "genocide." It came three days after Pope Francis also called the 1915 incidents a "genocide," drawing sharp criticism from the Turkish government.

On Wednesday, Turkey summoned its ambassador in Vienna hours after the Austrian Parliament described the 1915 events as "genocide."

The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the invading Russians and revolted.

The relocation by the Ottomans of Armenians in eastern Anatolia following the revolts resulted in numerous casualties. Turkey does not dispute that there were casualties on both sides, but rejects the definition of "genocide."