Jerusalem Needs Your Help

Editor’s Note, 6 March 2010

The St. James Armenian Cathedral of Jerusalem is the pride of Armenians living in the Holy Land and around the world. It’s also considered by all Jerusalemites as the most beautiful church in a city abounding with superb religious buildings. The religious edifice is the heart of the Armenian Quarter which covers one-sixth of the Old City of Jerusalem. Built during the Crusades, the cathedral is now in dire need of restoration.

In the past year, Keghart.com has referred to the financial challenges the St. James Brotherhood faces and the necessity of restoring the 800-year-old religious structure which houses the remains of St. James the Lesser, and the head of St. James the Elder, the brother of Christ. In addition, its treasury holds various religious relics, paintings, decorated tiles, and items belonging to Cilician royalty.

Editor’s Note, 6 March 2010

The St. James Armenian Cathedral of Jerusalem is the pride of Armenians living in the Holy Land and around the world. It’s also considered by all Jerusalemites as the most beautiful church in a city abounding with superb religious buildings. The religious edifice is the heart of the Armenian Quarter which covers one-sixth of the Old City of Jerusalem. Built during the Crusades, the cathedral is now in dire need of restoration.

In the past year, Keghart.com has referred to the financial challenges the St. James Brotherhood faces and the necessity of restoring the 800-year-old religious structure which houses the remains of St. James the Lesser, and the head of St. James the Elder, the brother of Christ. In addition, its treasury holds various religious relics, paintings, decorated tiles, and items belonging to Cilician royalty.

Several years ago Fondazione Pro Sacris Locis, a non-profit Italian organization, undertook to repair the cathedral with the help of Italian architects and engineers, who specialize in the restoration of religious buildings around the globe. The Jerusalem cathedral is on UNESCO’s World Monuments Fund Watch List as one of the 93 most vulnerable historic sites in the world.

The foundation is now seeking financial assistance, including from Armenians, to proceed with its initiative. "I believe that without the participation of the Armenian people it will be very difficult for us to realise the project," said Enrico Scanferlato, the foundation’s spokesman.

To promote the project and raise funds, the foundation has published a four-colour book, highlighting the unique historic, religious and artistic attributes of the cathedral. The Cremona-based foundation has already contacted major Armenian donor organizations (Gulbenkian, AGBU, Hayastan Fund, and U.S. Armenian Fund) but has received no material help. The foundation reports that the major Armenian donor organizations has said they had already allocated financial aid to other projects.

The Pro Sacris Locis foundation is now calling on Diaspora Armenians to pitch in and contribute to the restoration of the historic Armenian structure by donating funds.

For further information, please contact Mr. Scanferlato at info[at]fondazioneprosacrislocis.it or at
Fondazione Pro Sacris Locis
Via A. Massarotti, n. 19
26100 CREMONA – ITALY
Tel. 0039 0372 803355
Tel./fax 0039 0372 803356