JERUSALEM – As life resumes in Jerusalem after Wednesday’s snowfall, Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the traditional exchange of greetings after the Christmas season.

On the calendar, the Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 19th. In keeping with the now well-established tradition, Mgr Pizzaballa thus visited the Armenian Patriarchate, located at the St. James Monastery in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City, on Friday, January 28th, in order to present his greetings to Patriarch Nourhan Manougian and to thank him for his support of the Christian community during these difficult times.

For the occasion, Mgr Pizzaballa was accompanied by Mgr William Shomali, General Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine, Mgr Marcuzzo, General Vicar Emeritus, Fr. Nikodemus Schnabel, Patriarchal Vicar for Migrants and Asylum Seekers, as well as Fr. Davide, Chancellor of the Patriarchate, and Fr. Aziz, head of the Archives and Liturgical Offices. The Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian was accompanied by representatives of the Brotherhood of St. James, a monastic order of the Armenian Apostolic Church with about sixty members.

By: Cécile Leca/ lpj.org