The positions of ArQ and the patriarchate have gradually come closer together in the past few months, “even if they’re not fully transparent yet,” Balian said. “In any case, the outpost in the parking lot has the full support of the patriarchate.”
The Armenian community has been present in Jerusalem for about 1,700 years. The Old City is today divided into four quarters, a legacy of the British Mandate for Palestine. The Armenian Quarter comprises one-sixth of the old city and occupies the entire southwest corner of the city. Here are not only religious institutions such as the patriarchate, seminary, and churches but also schools, shops, and residences for approximately 2,000 people.
The property involved in the disagreement with Xana Gardens constitutes approximately 25% of the neighborhood’s total area. In addition to the parking lot, it also encompasses a residential area, the private garden of the patriarch, and the Alex and Mary Manougian Hall of the theological seminary of the patriarchate.
“If they take 25% of the Armenian quarter, they condemn the next generation to extinction. It would be the biggest existential crisis in our history,” Balian said.
Garo Nalbandian, a professional photographer, and his wife, Hrout, risk losing their home because of the agreement. Sitting on a couch in their spacious living room, they share their story and the anxiety they feel at the thought of having to leave the house they purchased when they got engaged in 1969 and where they have raised their children.
“We were born and raised in the Armenian Quarter. Here we feel protected,” they said. “But if they take away this land, which belongs to all Armenians worldwide, our presence and heritage will be at risk.”
The contract with Xana Gardens was originally signed by the Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Nourhan Manougian; the grand sacristan of the Armenian Patriarchate, Archbishop Sevan Gharibian; and Father Baret Yeretzian (now known as Khachig Yeretzian), the former director of the Real Estate Department of the Armenian Patriarchate, who was defrocked and removed from his position.
The chancellor of the Armenian Patriarchate, Father Aghan Gogchyan, told CNA that according to the bylaws of the patriarchate, the contract cannot be considered valid because one of the three signatures — that of the then-priest Yeretsian — should not have been present.
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“For transactions like this, where the property is transferred for a period of more than 25 years, the signatures of the patriarch, the grand sacristan, and the chairman of the General Assembly of the Brotherhood of St. James are required. The latter is missing, and instead, someone who should not have signed has done so. That’s why the contract is not valid,” he said.
This is also why on Oct. 26, 2023, the patriarchate announced that it would cancel the lease deal, saying it was illegal, but only after months of internal pressure from the Armenian community.
Since then, the patriarchate has consistently emphasized the exclusively Armenian character of the neighborhood and the importance of preserving it as such.
After the patriarchate’s announcement in October, bulldozers believed to be sent by Xana Gardens entered the parking lot to dismantle the pavement and take over the area, and the ArQ group started mounting protests and peaceful sit-ins there.
“Some people are trying to spin it as a religious battle, but the issue isn’t Jewish-Armenian or Muslim-Armenian,” Balian told CNA. “It’s not a religious fight or an ethnic issue, it’s purely against Xana Capital.”
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