Edward Nalbandian Attended the Solemn Ceremony Marking the Completion of Restoration of the Aedicule of the Holy Sepulchre

• 03.23.2017, 13:57
•  Near East,  World,  Armenia

mfa.am

On March 22, the solemn ceremony marking the completion of conservation, restoration and rehabilitation of the Aedicule was held at the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The official delegation of Armenia headed by the Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian attended the event. Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras, high level officials from other states, leaders of Christian Churches, numerous pilgrims attended the ceremony, the press service of the RA MFA reports. 

In the morning of the same day, Edward Nalbandian visited the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, where he had meeting with the Patriarch Archbishop Nourhan Manougian.

After the meeting, Armenian procession led by Patriarch Nourhan Manougian and Minister Nalbandian took the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where solemn ceremony dedicated to the restoration of the Aedicule took place.

The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos of the Greek Orthodox Church, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem of Greek Orthodox Church, Fr. Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land of the Franciscan Order (Order of Friars Minor) addressed the ceremony. Message of His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of all Armenians was read out to the attendees.

The Aedicule is one of the main shrines of the Christian world, where Jesus Christ was buried after the crucifixion. In the 4th century Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Great built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre over the Jesus's tomb, Golgotha and several other Holy Sites. In May 2016, by the joint decision of the three rightful owner Churches - Armenian Apostolic Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Greek Patriarchate, and Catholic Church, restoration and rehabilitation of the Aedicule were launched. Armenian architects were also involved in these works. Last time the Aedicule was restored in 1808.