Jerusalem: Church leaders condemn latest threat to seize Armenian church property

Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have renewed their condemnation of an unjust foreclosure order against the Armenian Patriarchate, and urge Immediate intervention.

They wrote yesterday:

Jerusalem - September 26, 2025

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24

On February 19th of this year, We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, issued a Statement of Solidarity with our beloved colleagues of the Orthodox Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, who were at the time facing a hearing in the Israeli courts over an unjust foreclosure order issued by the Municipality of Jerusalem. As we then wrote, "the actions taken against the Armenian Patriarchate, based on an unverified and exorbitant Arona Tax debt, are legally dubious and morally unacceptable."

Subsequently, this court hearing was cancelled, with the hope that dialogue on this matter would be initiated with the government to reach an equitable solution to this matter.

Regretfully, a new hearing date was scheduled for next Monday, 29 September, placing the threat of unjust foreclosure on property owned by the Armenian Patriarchate exactly where it was when we issued our statement seven months ago.

In view of this recent development, we continue to stand united behind the Armenian Patriarchate in their call for "the authorities to engage in good faith negotiations (Communiqué, 22 Sept.2025).

We further join the Armenian Patriarchate in calling upon the offices of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to intervene by urging the competent authorities to suspend the current legal proceedings and to ensure that any further deliberations on this matter are referred to the appropriate venues. Only by such a course, we believe, can the rights of the Armenian Patriarchate be duly safeguarded, together with those of all other Christian communities in the Holy Land.

- The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem