HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE
ARMENIAN DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL PARTY (RAMGAVAR)
On Saturday morning a delegation representing the
Executive Committee of the Party, Mr. Mike Kharabian (Chair person) and
Mr. Haroutiun Yerganian (a member) met with His Holiness Aram I in his
office.
They discussed plans for the 100th
anniversary commemoration of the Genocide, Armenia-Diaspora relations
and cooperation between the Armenian political parties. Catholicos Aram
I emphasized the urgency of all political parties to work together in
preparing the 100th anniversary and to demand with one voice
justice for the survivors of the Genocide and the Armenian Cause.
The representatives agreed with His Holiness Aram
I’s suggestions and promised to prepare the 100th anniversary
events in a spirit of unity.
“WE SHOULD RESPECT THE CENTRAL
ROLE OF THE ARMENIAN MOTHER IN THE FAMILY”
SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
As part of the celebrative events of 2013, Year of
the Armenian Mother, around 200 women met with His Holiness Aram I.
After his warm welcome, the Catholicos said, “Celebrating the year of
the Armenian Mother should become integral to our daily lives. The
Armenian mother is the foundation of our nation and, hence, should
remain the essential partner in family and public life. We expect our
mothers to socialize our children through the spiritual values of our
church, the cultural heritage imparted through our schools and community
organizations.” His Holiness Aram I concluded his message with a
blessing and an expression of love and respect for the Armenian woman.
THE AMBASSADOR OF ROMANIA
VISITS HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
On Tuesday, 14 May 2013, the Ambassador of Romania
visited His Holiness Aram I. They discussed the situation in the region,
the formation of a new government and the proposed change in Lebanon’s
electoral law.
They then talked about the historical relationship
between the Orthodox Church in Romania and the Armenian Orthodox Church.
His Holiness Aram I spoke of his long relationship with Patriarch Daniel
from their active years in the World Council of Churches and urged the
strengthening of ecumenical relations between the two churches.
‘WE SHOULD PREPARE OUR YOUTH
FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH OUR MORAL AND NATIONAL VALUES’
SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
On Saturday 11 May in the evening, His Holiness
Aram I received 200 young members of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation movement.
After welcoming the youth and the movement
leaders, Catholicos Aram I urged them to incorporate their cultural and
spiritual heritage as they carry out their important role of shaping the
future of the nation. His Holiness then took questions and invited the
youth to discuss the Armenian Church and the Armenian Cause.
After spending two hours with His Holiness, the
youth paid tribute to the Martyrs in the Memorial Chapel, visited the
Cilicia museum and attended a lecture on “The Armenian Church and the
national liberation movements in history.”
At the end of the sessions, Catholicos Aram I met
with the youth again and blessed them individually.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE
ASSEMBLY OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
MEETS WITH HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
On Friday 10 May 2013, the Executive Committee
met, headed by Maronite Bishop Samir Mazloum. The Assembly was created
six years ago with the aim of coordinating the activities and the human
and material resources of Christian communities in the region in order
to contribute effectively to their societies. The Holy See of Cilicia is
represented by Mr. Jean Salmanian and the Very Rev. Masis Choboyan.
During the meeting they discussed the situation in
the region and assessed the impact of the “Arab Spring” on Christian
communities, particular in Syria. Bishop Samir Mazloum then invited His
Holiness Aram I to the Conference to be held in October 2013, and to
which representatives of the diaspora of local Christian communities are
also invited.
His Holiness Aram I thanked the members of the
Committee for their visit, and he encouraged them to work towards
strengthening Christian presence in the region by advising people not to
emigrate. The Catholicos further urged them to promote Christian-Muslim
dialogue, despite difficulties, and he briefly discussed the continuing
effort to release the two kidnapped Metropolitans of Aleppo.
THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE
MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL OF CHURCHES (MECC)
MEETS WITH HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
On Friday, 3 May, Dr. Michel Jalkh met with His
Holiness Aram I in in Antelias. Dr. Jalkh was recently elected as the
General Secretary of the MECC by the Executive Committee at its meeting
in Antelias, following the resignation of Rev. Paul Rohanna. The General
Secretary wanted to discuss the situation in the region and issues
challenging the MECC with Catholicos Aram I, who is one of the
Presidents of the MECC and a Church leader with wide ecumenical
experience. His Holiness identified church unity and strengthening
cooperation among the member churches as the two most important concerns
for the fellowship. The Catholicos then spoke of Christian-Muslim
dialogue as an urgent priority for all member churches and the MECC.
HIS
HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVED THE REPRESENTATIVES OF PATRIARCH IGNATIUS ZAKKA
I
On
Tuesday 16 April 2013, His Eminence Metropolitan George Saliba and
representatives of the Syriac Orthodox community met with His Holiness
Aram I. After transmitting the brotherly greetings of the Patriarch,
the Metropolitan introduced the representatives from Lebanon and the
Netherlands, and said that the purpose of the visit was to discuss
cooperation between the two communities in the Diaspora.
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ECUMENICAL GLOBAL CHRISTIAN FORUM (EGCF) MEET
WITH HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
The former General Secretary of
the EGCF, Huibert Van Beek, and his successor, Larry Miller, visited His
Holiness Aram I as part of their wider visit to the churches in the
region. Archbishop Nareg Alemezian the Ecumenical Officer accompanied
the guests.
During the meeting, the
secretaries discussed the role of EGCF in the ecumenical movement. At
the end of their conversation, Holiness Aram I thanked the guests and
said that the movement should now strengthen both ecumenical and
interreligious dialogue.