WCC congratulates Armenian Patriarch-elect of Jerusalem

New patriarch is the 97th

Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, newly elected as the 97th Patriarch of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem and Superior of the Brotherhood of Saint James, has received congratulations and an affirmation of support from Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Writing on behalf of the WCC, Tveit expressed confidence “that your spiritual leadership in these critical moments, which the whole region is going through, will contribute to the peace building efforts of Christian churches worldwide.”

He acknowledged the crucial role of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem as an active participant in the ecumenical life of the city, the region and the world.

Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, 65, succeeds the late Patriarch Torkom Manougian who died at age 93 in October 2012.

Click here to read WCC general secretary’s letter to Archbishop Manougian