NEW YORK — On December 5, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) issued a statement in response to the letter last week disseminated widely by Patriarch Nouhan Manougian addressed to the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin I.
The AGBU response appears in its entirety below:
The Armenian General Benevolent Union has always been watchful and supportive of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem as we believe it is one of our most important spiritual and national institutions in the world in terms of our heritage, and because of the prominent status the Armenian Apostolic Church maintains in the cradle of Christendom.
We also believe that it is of utmost importance to maintain strong relations between the Patriarchate and the Mother See based on mutual respect, Christian spirit and recognition of the supremacy of the Mother See of Echmiadzin as the head of our Armenian Apostolic Church.
The Saint James Brotherhood has been the custodian of the treasures of the Patriarchate and its legacy, historically serving as its true defenders in face of many challenges. The Patriarchate has also played an important historical role in the preservation of our identity and we believe that it should continue in its mission keeping pace with the changing times, with a vision for the future and a comprehensive plan for renovations of the facilities and improved management and public relations practices which make best use of the tremendous resources of the Patriarchate and potentially position it for an active leadership role in the Christian world.