Armenian Priests in Jerusalem Elected Their 97th Patriarch

Arthur Hagopian, Sydney, Australia

Patriarch elect Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian

The Armenian church in Jerusalem is perched on the verge of a new era following the election on January 24 of its new Patriarch, the 97th in a direct line of succession from Abraham, the first Armenian patriarch of the Holy City.

Abraham was a contemporary of the Arab Caliph, Omar ibnul Khattab, who conquered Jerusalem, and held office from 638 to 669 CE.