By Keghart Jerusalem Correspondent
JERUSALEM, Oct. 27– Twelve members of the Sts. James Brotherhood issued an announcement today condemning the decision of Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Fr. Baret Yeretsian, and Archbishop Sevan Gharibian to grant a 99-year lease to an Australian businessman to build a hotel at Goveroun Bardez. The strategic land on Mount Zion, which has been part of the Armenian Quarter since the 14th century, is adjacent to the seminary and the Patriarchate residence. Its loss would be a huge blow to the 1,600-year Armenian presence in the Holy City. In the announcement, the clergymen demanded the Patriarch withdraw his signature from the contract.
The twelve clergymen have shown remarkable courage, integrity, and abiding love of the Armenian Patriarchate, the Armenian Church, and the Armenian nation in making public their opposition to the nefarious scheme. According to the Sts. James Brotherhood constitution, it’s only the Brotherhood that can decide long-term real estate transactions. As well, Fr. Yeretsian– point man of the transaction–is ineligible to sign such a document because as director of the Patriarchate’s real estate department, he would be in conflict of interest.
In the coming days and weeks, the twelve brave clergymen will need the support of Armenians everywhere to resist the expected pressures imposed by Patriarch Nourhan’s and his adviser… real estate impresario Yeretsian’s pressures. It’s no exaggeration to say the twelve clergymen have put their careers on the line to prevent the illegal transaction from proceeding.
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The King of Jordan Abdullah, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, the Republic of Armenia and the Catholicos in Echmiadzin should take immediate steps to force Patriarch Nourhan and Fr. Yeretsian to withdraw their signatures from the Goveroun Bardez deal. Armenians around the world should write to Jordan’s king and to Mr. Abbas and urge them to use their offices to force the two wayward clergymen to reject the real estate deal.
Ideally, Patriarch Nourhan and Fr. Yeretsian should resign and leave Jerusalem at the earliest. Both, according to local reports, have U.S. citizenship. Archbishop Sevan Gharibian is too old to settle elsewhere.
