The courtyard of Sts. James Armenian Cathedral echoed
with the sound of knocks as a deacon struck a narrow wooden plank at the right
of the cathedral's entryway. This is the traditional call to service at the
Armenian cathedral of Jerusalem, where pilgrims, clergy, and guests gathered on
Tuesday, June 4, for the enthronement of the 97th Armenian Patriarch of
Jerusalem.
A line of clergy and altar servers walked in a procession
from the Patriarchate Center to the cathedral, where Archbishop Nourhan
Manougian was formally installed as the successor to the throne of St. James,
the first bishop of Jerusalem.
Kneeling at the altar, Archbishop Manougian recited an
oath, pledging his faithfulness to the Lord and commitment to safeguarding the
Armenian presence in the Holy Land.
In an ancient ceremony, seven archbishops—including
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and Archbishop
Vicken Aykazian, the Diocese's Ecumenical Director—placed their right hands on
Archbishop Manougian, bestowing him with the authority to lead the Armenian see
of Jerusalem.
Archbishop Sevan Gharibian presented Archbishop Manougian
with a pastoral staff of office.
"Today, as I take up the pastoral staff of the
Armenian Patriarchate—as I take my first, humble step into a legacy that spans
the centuries—I am moved by the conviction that the greatest achievement of my
own people is not the dead kingdoms we once held, but the vital ideas that
sustained our spirit," Archbishop Manougian said.
He went on to speak of the importance of establishing
harmony and friendship among the many peoples who call Jerusalem home.
"The Jerusalem of our dreams stands in some tension with the Jerusalem
that is," he said, adding that God "invites us to open our hearts to
Him, and to each other, so that we may reason together, alongside our heavenly
Father."
Letters from His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, the
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, were read by representatives of the
two spiritual leaders. In his message, His Holiness Karekin II renewed the
commitment of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to support the efforts of the
Jerusalem Patriarchate. Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the Patriarchal Vicar of the
Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, presented Archbishop Manougian with a
chalice.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Archbishop Manougian
assumed the throne of St. James, as members of the Brotherhood of St. James
approached to receive his blessing. The throne of St. James, which dates to the
17th century, is carved from precious wood and inlaid with mother of pearl. It
stands at the original grave of St. James, the first bishop of Jerusalem and
the brother of Jesus, which has since been moved under the main altar of the
cathedral. The throne is used only once a year, on the Feast of St. James.
Archbishop Manougian succeeds the late Archbishop Torkom
Manoogian, who passed away in October 2012. He was elected as the 97th Armenian
Patriarch of Jerusalem on January 24, during the 22nd session of the general
assembly of the St. James monastic brotherhood.
Other representatives of the Eastern Diocese who attended
Tuesday's ceremony include the Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Nersess
Armenian Seminary, and participants in the Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy
Land.
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