The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of Saint James ( hy, Առաքելական Աթոռ Սրբոց Յակովբեանց Յերուսաղեմ, , ) is located in the
Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The
Armenian Apostolic Church is officially recognised under Israel's
confessional system, for the self-regulation of status issues, such as marriage and divorce.
Archbishop
Nourhan Manougian, previously the Grand Sacristan and the Patriarchal Vicar, became the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem on January 24, 2013. Manougian succeeded Archbishop
Torkom Manoogian, who died on October 12, 2012, after serving 22 years in the office. The Patriarch, along with a synod of seven clergymen elected by the St. James Brotherhood, oversees the Patriarchate's operations.
During World War I, survivors of the
Armenian genocide received shelter in the Armenian convent in Jerusalem. The Armenian population of Jerusalem reached at that time 25,000 people. But political and economic instability in the region have reduced the Armenian population. Most Armenians in Jerusalem live in and around the Patriarchate at the
St. James Monastery, which occupies most of the
Armenian Quarter of the
Old City Old City often refers to old town, the historic or original core of a city or town.
Old City may refer to several places:
Historical cities or regions of cities
''(by country)''
*Old City (Baku), Azerbaijan
* Old City (Dhaka), Bangladesh, also ca ...
. Apart from Jerusalem, there are Armenian communities in
Jaffa
Jaffa, in Hebrew Yafo ( he, יָפוֹ, ) and in Arabic Yafa ( ar, يَافَا) and also called Japho or Joppa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is an ancient port city in Israel. Jaffa is known for its association with the b ...
,
Haifa and
Nazareth
Nazareth ( ; ar, النَّاصِرَة, ''an-Nāṣira''; he, נָצְרַת, ''Nāṣəraṯ''; arc, ܢܨܪܬ, ''Naṣrath'') is the largest city in the Northern District of Israel. Nazareth is known as "the Arab capital of Israel". In ...
, and in the Palestinian Territories.
The Jerusalem Armenian community uses the
Old Julian calendar
The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandria. ...
, unlike the rest of the Armenian Church, which use the
Gregorian calendar.
History
In 638, after
Sophronius died and the Greeks did not appoint another bishop for Jerusalem, the
Armenian Apostolic Church began appointing its own bishops for
Jerusalem. The office has continued, with some interruptions, down to this day. The bishops were later elevated in stature and became Patriarchs. The Armenian Patriarch is independent and self-governing. The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem recognizes the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin ( hy, Մայր Աթոռ Սուրբ Էջմիածին, translit=Mayr At’oř Surb Ēĵmiatsin), known in Armenian as simply the Mother See (Մայր Աթոռ, ''Mayr At’oř''), is the governing body of the Armen ...
as having pre-eminent supremacy in all spiritual matters.
After the end of the Crusader period, the Armenian Patriarchs sought to establish good relations with the Muslim rulers. The Armenian
Patriarch Sarkis I (1281–1313) met the
Mamluk governor in Egypt and subsequently returned to his community in Jerusalem, hoping to usher in a period of peace for his people after the Crusades. In the 1340s the Armenians were permitted to build a wall around their quarter. The Mamluk government also engraved a protective declaration in Arabic on the western entrance to the quarter.
The Armenian quarter in this period kept creating "
facts on the ground" by the constant small expansions and consolidations. In the 1380s
Patriarch Krikor IV
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certain ...
built a priests' dining room across from the St. James Cathedral. Around 1415 the olive grove on the Mount of Olives, the Garden of
Gethsemane, was purchased. In 1439, Armenians were removed by the Greeks and from the Golgotha chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, but the
Patriarch Mardiros I
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certain ...
(1412–1450) purchased the “opposite area” as compensation, and named it
Second Golgotha. This remains in the Patriarch's possession to this day. Because of the rights of the Armenian Church on the Golgotha Chapel, in the afternoon processions in the Holy Sepulcher, the Armenian Church has liturgy there.
At times, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem became politicized by struggles within the Armenian Church. The Armenian Patriarchate, due to its proximity to the holy places and isolation from the main Armenian population, played an important role in the schism that began to affect the Armenian leaderships in
Constantinople and
Etchmiadzin
Vagharshapat ( hy, Վաղարշապատ ) is the 4th-largest city in Armenia and the most populous municipal community of Armavir Province, located about west of the capital Yerevan, and north of the closed Turkish-Armenian border. It is comm ...
(seat of the Armenian church). Significantly
Bishop Eghiazar
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
assumed the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and in 1644 declared himself for a short period of time as
catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient ...
(leader) of all the Armenian church.
In the 17th century, the Armenians were allowed after much pleading to enlarge the St. James Monastery. At the same time the Armenian
Patriarch Hovhannes VII
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certa ...
purchased a large parcel of land south of the St. James Cathedral, called “Cham Tagh”. By 1752 the Patriarchate was busy renovating the entire quarter, and in 1828 further renovations took place after an earthquake. In 1850 the seminary complex at the south end of the St. James convent was completed.
In 1833, the Armenians established the city's first printing press, and opened a theological seminary in 1843. In 1866, the Armenians had inaugurated the first photographic studio and their first newspaper in Jerusalem. In 1908, the Armenian community built two large buildings on the north-western side of the Old City, along Jaffa Street.
As the
Armenian diaspora spread throughout Europe and America, wealthy Armenians donated generously for the prosperity and continuity of the Patriarchate. The oil magnate and philanthropist
Calouste Gulbenkian came to endow the Gulbenkian Library in the Armenian quarter that was named in gratitude in his name, today holding one of the great collection of ancient Armenian manuscripts including endless copies of the various Firmens, Ottoman edicts that granted the quarter protection and rights under Muslim rule.
By the 1920s, most of the Armenian quarter had European-style
gable roof
A gable roof is a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge. The most common roof shape in cold or temperate climates, it is constructed of rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of a gable roof ca ...
s, as opposed to the domes preferred in the Muslim quarter. In 1922 Armenians made up 8% of Jerusalem's Christians, bringing their total number to about 2,480 people. It is also noted that non-Armenians found comfort in the protection of the walled Armenian compound. In the 1930s and 1940s, the Armenian quarter saw further renovations.
The end of World War II brought also the division of
Mandate Palestine and the establishment in 1948 of
Israel. The numbers of Armenians residing at the time in the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
totaled about 8,000. The Armenians who lived in Haifa and Jaffa, which became part of Israel, got the Israeli citizenship; whereas the huge majority of Palestinian Armenians lived in the Armenian Quarter, and the Armenian Patriarchate and its properties came under Jordanian rule.
The Armenian community was further reduced after the 1967
Six-Day War and occupation, with many emigrating to Jordan and some to Europe and the United States, leaving around 2,000-3,000 in Jerusalem and the
West Bank.
The Patriarchate complex
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the home of the
Brotherhood of St. James
Brotherhood or The Brotherhood may refer to:
Family, relationships, and organizations
* Fraternity (philosophy) or brotherhood, an ethical relationship between people, which is based on love and solidarity
* Fraternity or brotherhood, a mal ...
, a monastic order of the
Armenian Apostolic Church with about 60 members worldwide. Within the compound of the Patriarchate, also lie the private residences of Armenian families.
This residential enclave was, at one time, the largest single compound that housed Armenians, and represented the demographic and spiritual core of Armenian presence in the Holy Land.
The compound of the Patriarchate, which enforces a strict curfew of 10 p.m., when the massive doors are closed and locked until the early morning, also houses the administrative offices and residences of the Patriarch and the clergy. It also comprises:
* The
Cathedral of St. James;
* The
Church of the Archangels, another important Armenian church in Jerusalem;
* The
Church of St. Toros, which is home to the precious illuminated Armenian manuscript collection, the second largest in the world (over 4,000).
Other buildings of the Patriarchate located within the compound include:
*The
Theological Seminary of the Patriarchate, a complex located a hundred yards from the entrance of the compound, a gift of the late Armenian-American philanthropists
Alex Manoogian
Alexander Manoogian ( hy, Ալեք Մանուկեան; June 28, 1901 – July 10, 1996) was an Armenian-American industrial engineer, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who spent most of his career in Detroit, Michigan. He was the foun ...
and his wife Marie Manoogian. Armenian youths from all over the world, including the United States and Armenia, come to study for the priesthood here, and after ordination, help infuse new blood into the ranks of Armenian clergy worldwide.
*The
Calouste Gulbenkian Library, with over 100,000 volumes, half in Armenian and the rest in English and other European languages. The library is named after its benefactor
Calouste Gulbenkian.
*The Edward and Helen Mardigian Museum of Armenian Art and Culture, housing historical and religious artifacts including precious rugs, Armenian coins and evidence of the presence at the site of the Tenth Legion of Rome. It is named after its benefactor
Edward Mardigian
Edward Mardigian (October 25, 1907, Constantinople - November 3, 1993, USA) was an engineer, Armenian-American community leader and philanthropist.
Early life
Edward Mardigian was the youngest of Stephen Mardigian's children, and was only six whe ...
.
*Sts. Tarkmanchatz School
(, ), a leading co-educational private school and the only one that teaches Armenian, Hebrew, English and Arabic.
Other facilities
Outside of the compound (just across the city wall) are the
Monastery of Saint Saviour and an Armenian cemetery.
Printing press and media
The Patriarchate also runs a printing press, the first to be established in Jerusalem, which has now become capable of undertaking commercial color printing. This was the first facility within the Armenian compound to adopt the concept of computerization on a dedicated scale.
The official organ of the Patriarchate is the long-running periodical ''Sion'' (), named after the Armenian name for
Mount Zion
Mount Zion ( he, הַר צִיּוֹן, ''Har Ṣīyyōn''; ar, جبل صهيون, ''Jabal Sahyoun'') is a hill in Jerusalem, located just outside the walls of the Old City (Jerusalem), Old City. The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew ...
. The students in the seminary also publish their own official organ: ''Hay Yerusaghem'' (, )
Medical services
Medical services against a symbolic fee are provided at a clinic donated by the Jinishian Medical Fund.
Free meals to the aged and invalid pensioners and indigent members of the community are also provided.
Jurisdiction
The Patriarchate enjoys a semi-diplomatic status and is one of the three major guardians of the Christian holy places in the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
(the other two being the
Greek Orthodox and
Latin Patriarchates). Among these sites under joint control of the Armenian Patriarchate and other churches, chapels and holy places are:
*The
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hy, Սուրբ Հարության տաճար, la, Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri, am, የቅዱስ መቃብር ቤተክርስቲያን, he, כנסיית הקבר, ar, كنيسة القيامة is a church i ...
in the Old City, Jerusalem,
*The
Chapel of the Ascension on the
Mount of Olives,
*The
Tomb of the Virgin Mary next to
Gethsemane,
*The
Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
The Armenian Patriarchate also has jurisdiction over the
Armenian Apostolic
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, icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg
, icon_width = 100px
, icon_alt =
, image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, a ...
(Orthodox) communities in Israel and Jordan as well as the
Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, . The Armenian churches with full jurisdiction are:
*The Saint Elias Church in
Haifa
*The
Saint Nicholas Church in
Jaffa
Jaffa, in Hebrew Yafo ( he, יָפוֹ, ) and in Arabic Yafa ( ar, يَافَا) and also called Japho or Joppa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is an ancient port city in Israel. Jaffa is known for its association with the b ...
*The Saint George Monastery in
Ramleh
*The St. Thaddeus Armenian Church in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
,
Jordan
See also
*
List of Armenian Patriarchs of Jerusalem
In 638, the Armenian Apostolic Church began appointing its own bishop in Jerusalem, generally known as the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. The office has continued, with some interruptions, down to this day.
The bishop at the Armenian Patria ...
References
Sources
*
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armenian Patriarchate Of Jerusalem
Armenians in Jerusalem
Armenian diaspora in Jordan
Jer
Oriental Orthodoxy in Israel
Christianity in Jerusalem
Jerusalem