KeghartKeghart.org, 6 May 2023
On May 6, the Synod of the Sts. James Brotherhood defrocked Fr. Baret Yeretsian and dismissed him from the Brotherhood. The 77-year-old clergyman, who for years has terrified members of the Brotherhood while selling Armenian lands or granting illegal (99-year) leases has now been returned to his baptismal name of Khachig Yeretsian.
While the Synod’s action is commendable, it’s too little and too late. Large tracts of Armenian land in the Old City of Jerusalem and coastal Israel might have been lost or been given away in “forever” leases through Yeretsian’s criminal shenanigans.
In defrocking Yeretsian, the Synod had the support of Yeretsian’s co-conspirator and fellow “land give-away impresario” Patriarch Nourhan. That after five years of giving away Armenian lands, the Patriarch has suddenly seen the light is hard to stomach. It’s very likely that to prevent negative actions by the Jordanian Government and the Palestinian Authority against him, the 75-year-old Patriarch is trying to save his skin by pretending he was mislead by Yeretsian.
Pinocchio is alive and well and living in Jerusalem.
Keghart
8 comments
Anything to do with his cousin Edmund Azdian’s passing?
The synod has taken a timid step. Why are you afraid of dethroning Nourhan? He is the principal culprit and he is not worthy of being even a regular clergyman.
It’s hard not to notice the correlation between the incompetent, duplicitous, non-Armenian regime in Yerevan, and Armenian presence in many places in the diaspora frittering away.
My name is Nurhan Adarian. In 1970 I immigrated from Bolis as a young 23 years old.
Over the years, I happened to know many clergies. In fact, when (1992) my late wife Niver passed away, Parish priest Hayr Vazken Karayan officiated and Sirp. Khajag, Sirp.Hovnan, Hayr Nourhan, Hayr Baret were all present. Reason I mentioned all those names, because I knew them all on a personal level. I don’t like any character assassinations. We are all humans and mistakes happen. BUT……….
Hayr Baret served at least FIVE parishes that I know, and his contract was never RENEWED. Finally Late Badriark Sirp. Torkom Manookian gave Baret a home in Jerusalem. Over the years his antics continued. As we all know, one-night JARANKAVORS beat the hell out of him.
He has no loyalty to anyone. Whoever helped him, besides betraying, he hurt them working against them. He was labeled troublemaker by his peers and students. I vouch for Badriark Nourhan whole heartedly. He is a good man smart and intelligent clergy. That’s all I am saying. Respectfully.
On the eve of April 24, they first targeted the intelligent brain; then they targeted the organized few; and then they had the whole corpse decapitated … that’s how you usurp a people. And how similar that is to the State of People of all Armenians, in Hayastan and abroad. “Ahavor pan meh ayndegh gue gadarvi moutin metch”! And what’s left of these maneuvering: A headless corpse of Armenians, disorganized, responding to such acts individually, separately, disoriented, unorganized! Divide to conquer! Go to the Jugular ( that supplies the brain), and then you will have the full corpse of meat and bone headless! BTW, how does defrocking at age 77 change anything? Further, isn’t this granting freedom to enjoy in civil life, of what one has earned while frocked to the Brotherhood? I just cannot grasp what got corrected?
To Daniel Sagherian:
Your analogy doesn’t illuminate the situation because the two episodes you describe are dissimilar. Patriarch Nourhan and ex-Vartabed Yeretsian, who have given away so much Armenian land to the Israelis, would continue giving more land if they stay in power. This is no speculation: more than once, Patriarch Nourhan has said there would be nothing left in 25 years. In other words, there’s no option but to remove him and elect one of the Sts. James Brotherhood bishops now serving overseas. Of the current crop of Sts. James Brotherhood members in Jerusalem there’s not a single clergyman who is up to the job. Had there been such a person, Patriarch Nourhan and his ex-right-hand man Baret would have been turfed long ago.
Mardiros, well said. Thank you.
Mardiros, your comment is right on. Nourhan needs to be dethroned, defrocked, and thrown out of the community. But not before he rescinds his illegal signature from the Armenian church land- sale document.
Now that Baret is out of the way defrocked but wealthy, he continues living in undeserved luxury with the delusion that he is “protected” for his criminal deeds. Is he that naive?