PRESS OFFICE
Department of Communications
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Media Relations Specialist
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 160; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
March 21, 2007
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DIOCESAN LEGATE FOCUSES ON EFFORTS TO BOOST CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN THE HOLY
LAND
The plight of Christians in the Holy Land was the focus of a lecture
delivered by Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), to participants in
the National Workshop on Christian Unity.
The group met in Washington, D.C., from January 29 to February 1, 2007.
Archbishop Aykazian spoke to the group for about one hour along with
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Detailing the historic Armenian presence in the region, Archbishop Aykazian
spoke about the personal connection he has to the Holy Land, the place he
studied and was ordained. He also described the power the city has over
pilgrims, energizing them in their faith.
"As much as I and other visitors are inspired by the historical and
spiritual significance of the city, every pilgrim today ultimately comes to
the same conclusion: Christians have become the forgotten minority," he
said. "It is increasingly becoming more difficult for Christians in the
Holy Land to make common witness to our faith because our numbers are
dwindling."
He noted that as of May 2006, only 2 percent of Jerusalem’s population was
Christian.
"Those Christians who have opted to remain in the country, often at great
personal sacrifice, are increasingly desperate for new hope as they struggle
against appalling social and economic problems and look for a long-term
future in their ancient homeland," he said.
Fearing the small population will continue to dwindle, he cited studies that
show many of the Christians in the Holy Land would leave if they could
because of rising poverty, discrimination, and on-going violence. He
connected the on-going tensions between Israeli and Palestinian communities
as one reason Christians are leaving, because they feel trapped between the
two sides.
"Unless peace comes to the Holy Land, our churches will become museums.
Peace is the necessary first step before we can focus on job creation and
providing affordable housing to maintain our communities," Archbishop
Aykazian said. "In order to achieve peace, Jerusalem must not be viewed as
belonging to a people, but rather to the God of Abraham and all of his
people. For the sake of our future and our salvation, it must become the
capital of all mankind and shared by all of Abraham’s children. Jerusalem
is too precious to be left entirely to the whims of local politics."
In his remarks, Archbishop Aykazian urged the delegates to take their
parishioners on pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
"Through the presence and involvement of each and every pilgrim, the
Christian presence in Jerusalem will be nurtured, fortified, and transfused
with a life-giving and powerful spirit," he said. "It would be a tragedy if
Jerusalem evolved, through our neglect, into an ancient museum to be valued
only for its past glories."
— 3/21/07
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical
officer of the Eastern Diocese, left, with Archbishop Pietro Sambi,
apostolic nuncio to the United States, during the National Workshop on
Christian Unity.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Aykazian, left, discusses the plight of
Christians in the Holy Land during the National Workshop on Christian Unity,
which took place in Washington, D.C., from January 29 to February 1, 2007.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
