Assets we created in Jerusalem are not only ours but belong to the world culture: President Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Sarkissian visited the Cathedral of Saint James in Jerusalem

President Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian visited the center of the Armenian spiritual heritage in Jerusalem, the magnificent the Cathedral of Saint James erected on the Mount Zion.

President Sarkissian laid a wreath at the memorial built nearby in the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. At the Cathedral of Saint James President Sarkissian was told about the history of the Cathedral and its historical and cultural assets. It was noted that the depository of the Cathedral of Saint James in Jerusalem, which contains nearly three thousand manuscripts, is particularly precious. This depository is the second largest collection of manuscripts after the M. Mashtots Matenadaran in Yerevan.

At the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the President of Armenia met with the Armenian Patriarch His Eminence Nourhan Archbishop Manougian.

President Sarkissian and His Eminence conversed about national and ecclesiastical issues and the activities of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

President Sarkissian stressed the importance of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem, which has been present on this holy land for centuries and has rich traditions, in the preservation of the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage and passing it to next generations.

Later, a reception was held in honor of the President of Armenia which was attended by the representatives of the Armenian community and the heads of different religious communities of Jerusalem.

The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Eminence Ter Nourhan Archbishop Manougian in his speech noted in particular, “I welcome your presence at this glorious and holy place. We are greatly inspired with your honorable visit. We wish that the relations of our Holy See and this state become stronger because the multilingual foreign visitors for the first time in this Patriarchate hear an Armenian name, familiarize with the Armenian nation and our spiritual and cultural assets.”

President Sarkissian noted that he was glad to visit the Cathedral of Saint James and pray here. “I prayed for our two Fatherlands – Armenia and Artsakh, for them to be strong, for our compatriots all over the world, for my family,” the President said. “We are a small state but a great nation. We are great not only with our numbers but also with our history, with our contribution to the world culture.

While visiting different centers of the world, one can always find proofs of our Armenian grandness – in Italy, Venice, Paris, London, the United States, Middle East. But Jerusalem is unique first of all for its unparalleled and distinguished history. People from all over the world visit Jerusalem to learn also about the history of our nation, our religion, and culture. Jerusalem is like a space and time gateway to Armenia because after learning about our culture and church in Jerusalem, the next step is naturally to visit Armenia to familiarize with our people or to find Armenians in the countries where they come from. If they come from Portugal, they will undoubtedly learn about the great input that Galust Gyulbenkian made to that country and its culture by founding a fund and a museum which is unique, one of a kind in Portugal. This is a family which left its traces also here, in Jerusalem.

Armenians spread all over the world, also have world culture and in that context Jerusalem is of particular significance. I believe we need to work together to present our nation, history and especially our culture. You have so much to show the world. Be assured that the Republic of Armenia, the President of Armenia will hold in the focus of their attention this small but important community here. Within the limits of our abilities, we will assist in making our presence in Jerusalem stronger. Assets we have in Jerusalem are exceptional and they belong not only to us but to the world culture.”

The President of Armenia urged the Armenians of Israel to visit Armenia as often as possible.