Archbishop Torgom Manukyan, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was an outstanding figure not only for the Armenians of Jerusalem, but also for all Armenians died. According to the information of www.aravot.am, the Armenian delegation leaving for Jerusalem is comprised of low-ranking clergymen, whereas the importance of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the presence of Armenians in Jerusalem should have been taken into account.
Elsa Manukyan who is responsible for the information system of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese confirmed during a conversation with us that among those who were leaving was Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan, the Vicar of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese.
Later on, Fr. Vahram Melikyan, the director of the information system of the Mother See, informed www.aravot.am that the delegation was comprised of two people – Reverend Navasard and Reverend Marcos, the head of the Gegharkunik Diocese. Fr. Vahram also informed that they would participate in the ceremonies to take place in Jerusalem and would convey the personal words of His Holiness. We inquired whether the ceremonial required that the Catholicos of All Armenians go. Fr. Vahram said that there was no such ceremonial. We asked Saro Saroyan, an expert at the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, to comment on the significance of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, its political weight in the Middle East, as well as the composition of the Armenian delegation that was leaving for Jerusalem to be present at Reverend Torgom’s funeral.
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“A delegation comprised of higher-ranking clergymen should have been sent. The cooperation of the 4 holy sees (Constantinople, Jerusalem, the Cilician Diocese and
Echmiadzin) is very important, thus, it would be better, if they were represented by high-ranking figures in this case. The composition of the Armenian delegation has been selected poorly. It would be more efficient, if the Armenian side sent representatives of a higher caliber,” the expert said.
He then added, “1/6 of the old city belongs to Armenians; Christian communities, as well as the Jewish government and Arabs, have always aspired after Armenian lands. If Armenia sent a delegation comprised of more members and members of greater weight, it would show the involvement of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian state in preservation of the Armenian communities in the Middle East and increasing the weight of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. And sending such figures shows the weak-spirited and poor condition of our church, which can do defensive things rather than carry out a strategy of raising or solving serious issues. Well, a patriarch died, let us go bury him and come back – probably, this was the thinking they were guided by, whereas any such event can have a big political component and show the attitude of both Echmiadzin and Yerevan toward the developments in the Middle East, including the holy places and the capital, which Armenians have collected for a few centuries and through which they are able to influence the Israeli government, as well as Palestine, the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the surrounding countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and others. It should have been noticeable that Armenia was not standing idly by, as it is now and it should have been asserted that it was interested in putting forward certain issues and was pursuing a policy that would make others take it into account.”
Gohar HAKOBYAN
