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.
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
