The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has issued a statement regarding the “Holy Fire” ceremony, noting that representatives of the Patriarchate met with the Israeli police officers responsible for the ceremony, who informed them that only 1,000 pilgrims would be allowed to participate in the ceremony, of whom only 200 must be Armenian. The representatives of the Patriarchate expressed their disagreement with this new decision and left the meeting. This was announced on his Facebook page by the Dean of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archimandrite Koryun Baghdasaryan.
The statement reads: “Before the Feast of the Holy Resurrection, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is compelled to publish this statement to inform its faithful about the restrictions that the Israeli police are attempting to impose this year.
On April 11, the representatives of the Patriarchate held a meeting with the police officers responsible for the ‘Holy Fire’ ceremony, during which the latter informed them that this year only 1,000 pilgrims should be allowed to participate in the ceremony, of whom only 200 must be Armenian. Our representatives expressed their disagreement with the new decision and left the meeting.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has exclusive rights during the ‘Holy Fire’ ceremony, which are recorded in the Status Quo agreement.
It is the right of the Armenian Church to open the door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to begin the ‘Holy Fire’ ceremony, which is attended by hundreds of Armenian and foreign pilgrims to witness that exclusive ceremony. Then the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, again accompanied by hundreds of pilgrims, makes a solemn entry into the church, after which his representative, together with the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, enters the Holy Sepulchre to bring out the ‘light-fire’ symbolizing the Resurrection of Christ.
The aforementioned rights have been exercised for centuries under various authorities and rulers without any restriction. Therefore, by this statement we express our disagreement with the decision of the Israeli police regarding the restrictions and we demand that this year, as in previous years, the ‘Holy Fire’ ceremony be performed without restrictions on the number of faithful.
The Israeli government has undertaken an international obligation to ensure the freedom of religious ceremonies and to organize their uninterrupted holding. Our demand is that the police respect this commitment and consider null and void its decision regarding the restrictions.”
