Guregh Israelian of Jerusalem

Who is Guregh Israelian of Jerusalem?

Patriarch Gurtegh Israelian was Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem serving the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem as bishop under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church from 1944 to 1949, succeeding Patriarch Mesrob Nishanian who had served from 1939 to 1944.

Upon his death in 1949, the position of Patriarch of Jerusalem remained vacant for more than a decade, i.e. from 1949 to 1957 and from 1958 to 1960, with a very brief period when Tiran Nersoyan was elected as patriarch of Jerusalem, but was never consecrated.

Only in 1960 did a new Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem get officially elected, namely Patriarch Yeghishe Derderian. Earlier since 1949, Derderian was serving as deputy patriarch.