Jerusalem — 26th September 2025 — The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, one of the city’s most historic and venerated institutions, is under unprecedented financial pressure due to the Jerusalem Municipality’s attempts to levy what the Patriarchate describes as “astronomical” municipal taxes (Arnona debt).
The municipality has threatened to foreclose and auction centuries-old properties belonging to the Patriarchate if the disputed debt is not settled. These properties are not only central to the Patriarchate’s financial stability but also vital to sustaining its community functions, which include schools, hospitals, and cultural programs.
Threat of Foreclosure
The threatened seizures would undermine the Patriarchate’s ability to maintain its role as a religious, cultural, and educational cornerstone for the Armenian community and for Jerusalem’s Christian presence more broadly. The loss of these historic commercial properties would pose a severe challenge to the survival of an institution that has safeguarded Christian traditions in the Holy City for centuries.
Financial Stability at Risk
The Patriarchate argues that the properties targeted by the municipality provide essential revenue streams that fund its diverse community responsibilities. Without them, the Patriarchate faces the possibility of financial collapse, with direct consequences for the thousands who depend on its institutions and services.
Preservation of Heritage and Status Quo
The Patriarchate has also warned that the municipal actions risk altering the delicate Status Quo that has governed Christian institutions in Jerusalem for centuries. However, the municipality disputes this claim, maintaining that the enforcement of Arnona obligations on commercial properties is a legal and standard procedure, unrelated to religious rights.
At the same time, internal pressures from figures such as Hagop Djernazian and Setrag Balian are said to be further weakening the Patriarchate’s ability to respond effectively, drawing criticism that such actions are “strangling” the institution and leading it toward bankruptcy.
