17 11 2008 - ‘Violation of the Rights of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem.”

What is this about?
The Status Quo of 1829 kept unchanged the religious communities, including the Armenian's, rights, claims, and privileges to the Holy places of Jerusalem and surrounding areas. According to the terms of the Status Quo agreement, we, the Armenians, have the right to own, use, or share many of the holiest sites associated with our Lord Jesus Christ's birth, life, trial, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. However, during recent years, the Armenian Church’s rights to hold religious services without intervention or interruption in the Holy sites, have been targeted by certain other denominations in violation of the terms of the Status Quo.
1. A press release by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, written by Rev. Fr. Pakrad Berjekian, dated November 10, 2008, titled: Kyud Khatch Holy Place Conflict with Greeks 2008
2. An article sent to the worldwide Armenian press by Arthur Hagopian, titled: The Kyud Khatch Conflict on November 93.
An article by Bedross Der Matossian which appeared in today’s Armenian Reporter, titled: Greek Clergy in Jerusalem seek to limit historic rights of Armenians
3. An article by Bedross Der Matossian which appeared in the April 26, 2008 issue of The Armenian Reporter, titled: An Altercation in Jerusalem Ours is a rich heritage and it is our civic and religious duty as Armenians around the world to help our Church in Jerusalem maintain its Status Quo and protect our rights to the holiest Christian sites.


How could you help?
1. You could help tremendously by just forwarding this email, and it attachments, to your friends on your mailing list
2. by talking about it and raising the issue in your families, communities, gatherings, conferences, schools, assemblies, speaking engagements, etc
3. by printing and/or distributing the enclosed press release and articles
4. by contacting your parish, congressman, assemblyman, or mayor
5. You could also help by making a tax deductible donation to the Armenian Patriarchate
f Jerusalem to the following address:
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue New York, NY 10016
Telephone: 212 686 0710
Fax: 212 686 0245

Please mention that the donation is for the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
This email is not intended to be a solicitation for donations. It is only suggested as a eans to help.
If you have suggestions, opinions, or other proposals to be of help, please feel free to share.

Thank you and God Bless.

Annette Melikian