Lebanon: Bird’s Nest Orphanage Refutes Erroneous Press Reports

Last week, articles appearing in various Lebanese press outlets, in several languages, reported that the historic Bird’s Nest (Թռչնոց բոյն) Orphanage was being sold to make room for a beach-front development.

One of the last vestiges of the Armenian genocide, the Bird’s Nest facility, which was run by the efforts of Near East Relief and founded by Danish missionary Maria Jacobson, was a refuge for orphans who survived the genocide and today continues to operate as a safe haven for underprivileged children under the auspices of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia,

Armenian Church Leader Speaks on Suit to Reclaim Seized Property

Rick Gladstone

 

A lawsuit in Turkey filed by the Armenian Church to recover its ancient headquarters, seized a century ago during the Armenian genocide, is the “first legal step” of a goal to reclaim all Armenian property seized by the Turks, a worldwide leader of the church said Monday.

The leader, Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, also said that if the Turkish legal authorities rejected the lawsuit, it would “deepen the divide” between Turkey and the 10-million-member Armenian diaspora.

Catholicosate of Cilicia to Sue Turkey over Historic Headquarters in Sis

Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, said the Holy See was preparing to initiate legal claims against Turkey to regain ownership of the historic headquarters of the Catholicosate of Sis.

“The Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia will soon present its legal claims to Turkey’s Constitutional Court, demanding the return of its historic seat, the Sis Catholicosate, to its rightful owners—the Armenian Church and the Armenian people,” said His Holiness.

Aram I’s message was delivered before attendees of the fifth Armenia-Diaspora Pan-Armenian meeting at the Yerevan Opera House on Sept. 19, organized and hosted by Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry.