I'll list here various Armenian Church websites and official websites:

http://www.canarmdiocese.org/directory.htm


Armenian Apostolic Church links and other important Armenian Religious websites



The Armenian Nation worldwide is celebrating 1700 years of Christianity. Here is a website devoted to it. It is bilingual, English and Armenian:
www.freespeech.org/oneworld/1700

Here is a website dedicated to the St.Vartan Cathedral in New York City: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/stvartan1.html
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 01 Aug 2002 10:34:50 -0400
From: "Chris Zakian"
Subject: U.S. Nat'l Council of Churches Asks Israeli P.M. Sharon to Halt Baron Der Land Seizure

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: prl@armeniandiocese.org
Website: www.armenianchurch.org

August 1, 2002
__________________

NAT'L COUNCIL OF CHURCHES URGES ISRAEL TO RECONSIDER PLANS TO BUILD
SECURITY WALL THROUGH ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE PROPERTY

EDITORIAL NOTE: The press office of the U.S.-based National Council of
Churches issued the press release below today. It concerns the Israeli
Defense Forces' proposed erection of a security wall through a property
owned by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. We are forwarding it for
your information.

* * *

Forward:
EDGAR PETITIONS ARIEL SHARON TO RETURN ARMENIAN CHURCH PROPERTY

Israel Plans to Erect a Barrier on Property Sacred to Armenians Worldwide,
Held Since 1641

JULY 31, 2002 (NEW YORK CITY)--A sacred Armenian Church property near
Bethlehem, seized by the Israeli government and facing demolition, must be
protected and returned to its rightful owners, National Council of Churches
(U.S.A.) General Secretary Bob Edgar says in an urgent appeal to Israel's
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Baron Der, in the northern outskirts of Bethlehem, has belonged to the
Armenian Church since 1641. Of great historical and spiritual significance
to Armenians worldwide, it includes an Armenian Church administrative and
training center, religious retreat and archaeological site.

The site's olive trees, some of them 500 years old, by custom have supplied
the oil used in lamps at the traditional tomb of Christ at the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and also at the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem, revered as the traditional birthplace of Christ.

Dr. Edgar, in his July 31 letter to Prime Minister Sharon, writes, "As a
national U.S. ecumenical body, comprised of 36 Orthodox and Protestant
communions, including our brothers and sisters in the Armenian Church of
America, we feel compelled to speak out regarding reports of the seizure of
this holy place and of plans to destroy it by erecting a barrier that would
run through the property.

"As a result, the Patriarchate may lose this sacred and historically
important property, and also the income derived from it-another blow to a
minority Christian community there that already is tremendously stressed.
We fear that this violation does not bode well for other religious
minorities residing in Israel.

"We further understand that the seizure of Baron Der is taking place
despite repeated efforts on the part of the Patriarchate to prevent the
division of the property and to resolve the matter in a mutually
satisfactory manner," Dr. Edgar wrote. "We respectfully ask you to do
everything in your power to assist in resolving this matter in a way that
ensures the return of this holy site to its rightful owners, and that
guarantees the protection of the Armenian and other religious minorities
living in Israel."

THE FULL TEXT OF DR. EDGAR'S LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER SHARON FOLLOWS:

July 31, 2002

[To:] Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

On behalf of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, to
which 50 million Americans relate through their denominations, I greet you
and also present you with an urgent request.

It is with a sense of alarm that I write to ask your assistance in
resolving a situation in which recent actions of the Israeli government
have infringed on the rights of the Armenian Orthodox Church. I refer to
the seizure of sacred Armenian Church property in the northern outskirts of
Bethlehem, which property the Armenian Church has held since the year 1641.

We understand that the property, known as Baron Der, includes an Armenian
Apostolic Church administrative and training center, religious retreat,
income-producing olive grove, and archaeological site--and is of great
historical and spiritual significance to Armenians throughout the
world. Among the treasures of Baron Der that are being threatened are the
olive trees (some of them 500 years old) that by custom have supplied the
oil used in lamps at the traditional tomb of Christ at the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and also at the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem, revered as the traditional birthplace of Christ.

As a national U.S. ecumenical body, comprised of 36 Orthodox and Protestant
communions, including our brothers and sisters in the Armenian Church of
America, we feel compelled to speak out regarding reports of the seizure of
this holy place and of plans to destroy it by erecting a barrier that would
run through the property. As a result, the Patriarchate may lose this
sacred and historically important property, and also the income derived
from it--another blow to a minority Christian community there that already
is tremendously stressed. We fear that this violation does not bode well
for other religious minorities residing in Israel.

We further understand that the seizure of Baron Der is taking place despite
repeated efforts on the part of the Patriarchate to prevent the division of
the property and to resolve the matter in a mutually satisfactory
manner. We respectfully ask you to do everything in your power to assist
in resolving this matter in a way that ensures the return of this holy site
to its rightful owners, and that guarantees the protection of the Armenian
and other religious minorities living in Israel.

Along with this request comes the assurance that prayers for you and other
world leaders and for peace in the Middle East are regularly being said
among the 140,000 congregations of our member communions. May God guide
and bless you in these difficult days.

Sincerely,

Robert W. Edgar
General Secretary

cc: President George W. Bush / Secretary Colin Powell / His Beatitude
Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Patriarch / His Eminence Archbishop Barsamian
/ Mr. Jim Towey

--8/1/02

[From:] The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News / Tel: (212) 870-2252
E-mail: news@ncccusa.org / Web: www.ncccusa.org

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