The Church of St. Mary in Jerusalem Attacked; Armenian Patriarchate Issues Statement

The Church of St. Mary in Gethsemane, under the joint supervision of the Armenian and Greek Orthodox churches, has come under attack. This incident highlights that if previous attacks on Christian sanctuaries were promptly condemned by local authorities and the perpetrators were punished with full severity of the law, new attacks on Christian communities, churches, and monasteries would not occur.

“Although this attack on the Church of St. Mary is the first since the beginning of this year, other Christian sanctuaries are constantly subjected to both physical and psychological pressures by ruthless assailants. If previous attacks on Christian sanctuaries were swiftly condemned by local authorities and offenders punished thoroughly, new assaults on Christian communities, churches, and monasteries could have been avoided. Religious intolerance and hate-filled crimes in all their manifestations will never ensure conditions for peaceful coexistence. Especially as such attacks remain unchecked by the authorities today, they further fuel hate crimes and intolerance,” the statement read.

“Such actions and their impunity create unsafe conditions for Christian communities and sow seeds of distrust among believers, tourists, and residents towards local authorities. Therefore, we call upon the Israeli government and police to take serious measures to prevent such attacks and to protect both Christian sanctuaries and their daily caretakers from further violations and assaults,” the statement emphasizes.