Fr. Hampartzoum of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem passes away

Fr. Hampartzoum Chief Dragoman of the Armenian Patriarchate and a member of the St. James Brotherhood passed away on Sunday.

He spent more than four decades at the service of his church as a celibate priest, after being accepted into the order in 1979 by the late Archbishop Dirayr Mardikian.

His last position was that of Chief Dragoman, translator, a title bestowed on those who could speak Arabic, Turkish, and Persian, as well as European languages.

First recorded in the 13th century, the word became an honorary position for those who facilitate communication between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East.