THE CATHOLICOSATE AND HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY

INITIATE A PILOT PROJECT FOR AN INTENSIVE COURSE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TO THE CLERGY

 

Recently, the Catholicosate and Haigazian University had initiated an intensive English Language course for the clergy. The course was planned for three months and the purpose was to teach language skills to the young clergy and prepare them to participate more actively in ecumenical and other international bodies.

 

The President of Haigazian University, Dr. Paul Haydostian had seconded a staff to teach at the seminary. At the end of the three months, the students will continue their language courses through e-learning.

 

The success of this project has encouraged both the Catholicosate and Haigazian University to continue their cooperation in language learning and eventually expand it to other disciplines.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARMENIAN CHURCH FEASTS BEFORE THE GREAT LENT

 

“GHEVONTIANTZ AND VARTANANTZ FEASTS REMIND US EVERY YEAR OF THE NEED TO UNITE AS PEOPLE IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES”

 

Said His Holiness Aram I

  

  

  

  

02/11/2010 

 

On Thursday 11 February 2010 the Armenian Church celebrated the feast of the martyr saints Ghevontiantz and Vartanantz at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias.

 

After the liturgy, celebrated by Bishop Norayr Ashekian and presided over by His Holiness Aram I, the Foreign Minister of Nagorno Karabagh, the honorary guest of the day, the clergy, the seminarians and the people walked in procession to the Main Hall of the Catholicosate. After blessing the people, His Holiness addressed them and said: “The commemoration of the martyrs of the battle of Vartanantz is a constant reminder of the challenges the Armenian people face at all times and in all places. The only way to respond to these challenges is to be united just as Vartan and his men were in their time.

 

After the message of His Holiness Aram I, Foreign Minister Kevorki Bedrossian greeted the people and asked for them to be in solidarity with the leadership and people in Nagorno Karabagh as they search for peaceful solutions to their problems.

 

The commemoration ended by singing spiritual songs dedicated to the Ghevontiantz and Vartanantz martyrs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUR CHILDREN SHOULD GROW LEARNING THE VIRTUES AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH

  

  

02/13/2010 

 

On Saturday 13 February 2010, on the eve of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple, the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral was filled with mothers and their young children. In his homily, His Holiness Aram I said: “Your presence in this church shows your desire to dedicate your children to the church. Children are gifts of God and you are their custodians. You should bring them up with the virtues and values of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God as taught in the Church”. At the end of the sermon the priests presented the children to the Altar and blessed them.

 

On the same day, as it does every year, after the blessing of the children the people gathered around a bonfire in the courtyard of the church, then they lit their lanterns from the bonfire, and took them home to share the light with their neighbors.

 

 

 

 

ON THE FEAST OF GHEVONTIANTS HIS HOLINESS ARAM I ADDRESSES

THE ARMENIAN CLERGY CONFERENCE OF NORTH AMERICA 

 

Ghevontiants is the feast of the Armenian clergy held each year before Lent. The Church honors the clergy on this day in recognition of their service to the Church. The dioceses in North America holds annually a joint conference in order to discuss ways and means of responding together to the spiritual needs of their believers.

 

In his Pontifical Letter, His Holiness Aram I highlighted the importance of the initiative, and blessed their decision to work together and interpret the Gospel values of the church for the spiritual and diakonal needs of the community. He reminded them of the importance of their role in the church in nurturing cohesion and good will in the community.

 

In the end of his Letter, Catholicos Aram reminded the clergy of the importance of 2010 as the Year of Armenian Women. He said that the Pontifical Letter announcing the year also invited the clergy and laity to address culturally conditioned views on women in the light of the Gospel, and new international understanding of equality between women and men in society. He asked them to expand the understanding of laity in the church and the community and involve women as equal partners.

 Back to top