This week, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem welcomed a distinguished visitor in the person of His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak II Mashalian, the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople. Patriarch Sahak arrived at the head of a delegation of Armenian clergy and pilgrims from his home city, to visit the Holy Land during the season of Christ’s birth.
The Jerusalem Patriarchate marks the Feast of Christ’s Nativity at midnight on January 18/19, in accordance with festal calculations of the old Julian Calendar.
The occasion was Patriarch Sahak’s first official visit to Jerusalem since his election to the patriarchal throne in 2019. On entering Jerusalem’s famed Armenian Quarter, he was greeted at the Jaffa Gate by Archbishop Sevan Gharibian, Grand Sacristan of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, who led the pilgrims and representatives of sister churches in procession to St. James Armenian Cathedral, where Patriarch Sahak was formally welcomed in a Hrashapar service.
In remarks, His Beatitude said that Jerusalem holds a special meaning for him, as he had lived and served in the city for three years as a member of the monastic congregation. He called the Patriarchate “a glory of the Armenian Church and people,” because of the ancient presence of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem, and among its holiest shrines.
He also expressed special thanks to his brother Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan I Manougian, under whose auspices the ceremony was held. Following the service, the two patriarchs greeted each other in person at the Patriarchate’s reception hall. After praying together and exchanging gifts, the patriarchs sat side by side to receive visiting pilgrims from Istanbul, Armenia, and the U.S., and to bestow blessings upon them.
Christmas in Bethlehem
On January 18, Patriarchs Nourhan and Sahak traveled together to Bethlehem to lead the annual midnight Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Nativity, over the very spot where Jesus was born.
Recent weeks have been a busy period at the Jerusalem Patriarchate, with the grand re-opening of the splendid Mardigian Museum, following a major five-year renovation project.
Unfortunately, the early weeks of 2023 were also marred by the discovery of anti-Armenian graffiti, scrawled in Hebrew on the exterior walls of the Patriarchate. The crude act of vandalism is under investigation by police following a complaint filed by the Patriarchate.
Click on the following link to view photos and video of the week’s events on the Jerusalem Patriarchate’s Facebook page.
You can also watch a recording of the January 18/19 Christmas services in Bethlehem by clicking here.
A few Diocesan parishes were conducting pilgrimages to Jerusalem at the time, so look for some of our own faithful in the photos and videos.
Above: Two Armenian Patriarchs, Abp. Nourhan Manougian and Abp. Sahak Mashalian, walk together in procession to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.