wfn.org | Three Groups of Monks Will Not Abandon Nativity Church

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For information contact:
Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate
Old City, Jerusalem
Tel: 972-2-628.2331
Fax: 972.2.626.4861/2

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH VISITS INJURED MONK IN HOSPITAL

BETHLEHEM, April 12, 2002---Three groups of monks--Armenian Orthodox, Greek 
Orthodox and Latin Catholic--have told Israeli military and diplomatic 
officials that they will not abandon the Church of the Nativity.

The message was conveyed by the Patriarchs of the three Christian communities 
in Jerusalem, who met with representatives of the Israeli
Foreign Affairs Ministry, as well as with the commanders of the Israeli
army stationed in Bethlehem. 

The three groups of monks, known as Brotherhoods, will receive food, water 
and medications through the International Red Cross.

An official communique was issued today by the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch, 
Torkom Manoogian, who was a resident of New York prior to his election as 
head of the Armenian Orthodox community in the Holy Land.

Patriarch Manoogian also reported that he had visited the 22-year-old deacon, 
Armen Sinanian, who is recovering from surgery after being shot while 
preparing to receive food supplies sent to the Church of the Nativity by the 
Patriarchate.  He was apparently shot by Israeli snipers from across Manger 
Square at noon on Wednesday, April 12.

The communique explains that the Armenian Monastery in Bethlehem is adjacent 
to the Church of the Nativity, but has its own separate entrance and exit.

Only four priests and four lay brothers live in the Armenian Monastery.
According to the Patriarch, no armed person is in the Armenian Monastery.

The text of the communique follows:

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUI FROM 
THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM

          On Friday, 5 April 2002, the heads of the Armenian, Greek,
and Latin Christian communities met with representatives of the Israeli
Foreign Affairs Ministry, as well as with the commanders of the Israeli
army stationed in Bethlehem.  

The meeting concerned the besieged condition of the monks from the three 
Brotherhoods in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  The latter 
unanimously decided not to abandon the Holy Place of Christ's Birth, but 
rather to provide to the monks food and medication through the mediation of 
the International Red
Cross.

            Although the Armenian Monastery in Bethlehem is adjacent to
the Church of the Nativity, it has its own separate entrance and exit.
Only four priests and four lay brothers live in the Armenian Monastery.
No armed person is in the Armenian Monastery.

            On Wednesday, 10 April 2002, at noon, one of the Deacons
serving the Armenian Monastery, Armen Sinanian, age 22, was seriously
wounded by a sniper bullet.  The  incident occurred when the Armenian
Patriarchate had brought medications to the Israeli military personnel
in charge to deliver to the Monastery's Abbot, Very Rev. Razmig
Boghossian.

            The injured Deacon was immediately transported by military
vehicle to the Ein Karim City Hadassah Hospital.  The bullet had
penetrated his right shoulder blade, causing excessive bleeding. 

         Deacon Mher Kostanian, also under siege in the Armenian Monastery 
for the past ten days together with the other seven residents, accompanied 
his fellow  Deacon to the hospital.

            Deacon Sinanian's bedroom window overlooks Manger Square in
the direction of the Bethlehem City Hall.  The latter is being occupied
by the Israeli military. The electricity has been turned off, and
requests to have it restored have remained unresolved.

            On Thursday, 11 April 2002, at 10 o'clock in the morning,
His Beatitude Patriarch Torkom Manoogian, accompanied by Archbishop
Nourhan Manougian, Bishop Aris Shirvanian, and Bishop Sevan Gharibian
visited Armen at the Hadassah Hospital.  The doctors indicated that they
had performed successful surgery, that the condition of the patient was
stable, and that he was expected to recover soon.

Divan of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Thursday, 11 April 2002

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