19 May 2015. On Tuesday evening, following a series of meetings during the day, His Holiness Aram I visited the St. Sarkis Church, accompanied by the Prelate Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Vicar General Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and the other members of the delegation. Rev. Nareg Terterian and ecumenical guests welcomed the Catholicos, who, after blessing the salt and bread, entered the church for canonical prayers.

In his message, the Catholicos told the faithful that ‘service’ is at the heart of the vocation of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, as in Mathew 20:28 “… the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He then added, “the members of the Brotherhood of the Catholicosate of Cilicia serve our people through the Church, by spreading faith, love and hope, in the same way as Jesus commissioned his apostles.” His Holiness then spoke of the Church as “the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1), where the faithful experience God, feel the presence of the saints and martyrs and are empowered through their faith.

The canonical prayers ended with the people’s greeting and His Holiness’ blessings.

Meetings of Catholicos Aram I during the day

In the morning Holinesses Karekin II and Aram I held a meeting in the presence of the archbishops of the two Eastern Prelacies and discussed issues related to the two churches.

His Holiness Aram I then visited Mr. Zohrab Mnatsakanian, the UN representative of the Republic of Armenia.

The Catholicos concluded his programme of the day with a visit to the Armenian Home for the Elderly in Queens, New York, where Mr. Tikran Tavitian, 103 years old and a survivor of the Genocide, welcomed him and his delegation. His Holiness thanked the Board and the staff for their dedication and assured the elderly of the continuing caring service of the Church. The visit concluded with the hymns and the blessings of Catholicos Aram I.