In a message to Diocesan faithful, Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan joined the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in its expression of support for the Armenians of Jerusalem.
Read the Primate’s message here. Scroll down for a statement on the same subject issued by the World Council of Churches.
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My blessings to our Diocesan faithful, as we await the New Year and our celebration of the Lord’s Nativity and Theophany.
Earlier today, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin issued a statement on the ongoing situation concerning properties of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. In the statement, the Mother See condemns a disturbing recent turn towards violence against the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Armenian community. We share the full statement in an English translation here:
“With deep concern, we have learned about the ongoing provocations surrounding the ‘Cows’ Garden’ property long owned by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
“On December 28, some three dozen armed men invaded the precinct of the Cows’ Garden and carried out violent actions, as a result of which clergymen of the Patriarchate and members of the local Armenian community received various physical injuries.
“The provocateurs are once again trying to seize the Cows’ Garden property through terror, threats, and acts of violence, in clear violation of the procedures established by law.
“We condemn what occurred, in no uncertain terms. In doing so, we also express our hope that the Israeli authorities will respond to the criminal actions against the Armenian community and Patriarchate by using the full force of law; that the culprits will be held accountable; and that a repetition of similar cases will be deterred.
“Finally, we express our support for the monastic Brotherhood of Sts. James of Jerusalem, and the Armenian community, as we pray for God’s aid.”
On behalf of the Eastern Diocese, I wish to echo the Mother See’s expression of support for the Patriarchate and the faithful Armenian community of Jerusalem, and its condemnation of the violence and threats enacted against our brothers and sisters.
We are grateful to His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, for their clear and forceful statement on the distressing turn of events involving our centuries-old Jerusalem Patriarchate and the community that has lived and prospered in the Holy City since ancient times.
In these final days of the year, I ask our faithful to please offer prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ, to protect and preserve the Armenian heritage of the Holy Land, and to place His supportive hand on our people there, in our homeland, and throughout the world.
Prayerfully,
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate
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WCC Asserts Rights of Jerusalem Armenians
In a separate statement issued on December 29, the World Council of Churches (WCC) called for the rights of the Armenian community in Jerusalem to be upheld. WCC general secretary Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay said that the ecumenical organization is deeply disturbed by the assaults on the Armenian community of Jerusalem.
Dr. Pillay wrote: “…the recent egregious attacks in the Cows’ Garden signal a distressing escalation of violence and the severe infringement of the rights and dignities of the communities in the Armenian Quarter. The systematic attempts to occupy the land by force and violence are profoundly unjust.”
“Such actions contravene the moral imperatives of peace and justice that are central to the teachings of all faiths,” Dr. Pillay added. “We call upon the international community and local authorities to respond with immediate and decisive action…. The World Council of Churches stands in unwavering solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. We pray for a just peace and for the strength and resilience of the communities under threat.”
The Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, was instrumental in the issuance of the WCC’s statement in his capacity as a high-ranking member of the organization’s Central Committee.