28 March, 2014. On Friday evening Derek Plumbly, the UN Special     Coordinator for Lebanon, met with Catholicos Aram I to follow up a telephone conversation the Catholicos had had earlier with Under-Secretary Jeffrey Feltman regarding Kessab. His Holiness briefed Mr Plumbly of the historical importance of Kessab for Armenians and the necessity of securing…
27 March 2014. On Thursday evening, Jeffrey Feltman, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, called His Holiness Aram I from New York asking for his assessment of the situation in Kessab. Mr Feltman told the Catholicos that the UN was extremely concerned about the security situation in Kessab. He also told His Holiness that he…
27 March 2014. On Thursday morning the delegation, accompanied by the Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon and his staff, met with Catholicos Aram I. They informed him of the results of their fact-finding visits, which have included the displaced Armenians in Latakia and the President of Syria. His Holiness Aram I briefed them on…
After consulting with the emergency committees working in the city of Latakia and the reports of the clergy travelling to Kessab and all other Kessab-related bodies, Catholicos Aram I calls upon Armenians everywhere to: Move from expressions of solidarity to action by responding to the needs of the population of Kessab currently sheltered in Latakia,…
26 March 2014. Yesterday evening, His Holiness Aram I received His Holiness Pope Tawadros II who was accompanied by a delegation of Bishops and laity. Catholicos Aram I and the clergy accompanied the delegation to the Cathedral for Canonical prayers. After prayers they met at the Main Hall of the Residence of the Catholicos where…
26 March 2014. On Wednesday Catholicos Aram I, accompanied by clergy and the seminary students, attended the Lenten Sunrise Service (Arevakal) at the St. Nishan Church in Beirut upon the invitation of the Prelate and the Church Council. After giving thanks for the invitation, Catholicos Aram I addressed the faithful, quoting the Biblical text…
Following the assault on Kessab during the weekend, the Executive Committee of the Catholicosate held an extraordinary meeting and moved to help the displaced Armenian population of Kessab and called upon all Armenians to them at this tragic time. At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness Aram I announced that all Armenians whether…
24 March 2014 – On Monday President Serge Sarkissian called Catholicos Aram I asking for information about the bombing and militia attacks from Turkey on Friday and Saturday on the Armenian town of Kessab and its surrounding villages. The President promised the Catholicos to appeal to all political entities in order to protect the…
On Friday, 21 March, early in the morning, His Holiness Aram I was informed of the assault and bombardment of the radical rebel forces from Turkey on Kessab, the historical Armenian region near the Turkish border. After consultation with the Armenian clergy and community leaders in Latakia, Aleppo, Damascus and Lebanon, the Catholicos demanded that…
21 March 2014. Upon receiving the news of the passing of Patriarch Zakka I Iwas, His Holiness Aram I called Archbishop George Saliba, Secretary of the Holy Synod. Â After presenting his condolences, Catholicos Aram I expressed his hope that the historical ties between the two churches, rekindled by the late Patriarch, would continue.
20 March 2014. On Thursday evening the presentation of the âCommemorative Publicationâ was held at the Cilicia Museum Hall. The event was organizated by the committee of the Hask Quarterly, a publication of the Catholicosate and the Seminary. Rev. Shenohk Ashekian welcomed everyone and referred to the celebration of this âCommemorative Publicationâ as the…
On Monday Dr. Razmig Panossian, the Director of the Armenian Division of the Foundation met with His Holiness and presented the proposed five-year plan of the Foundation. Catholicos Aram I praised the overall goal of sustaining Armenian culture and the Western Armenian language. He also welcomed the proposed support to Armenian schools and scholarships…
On Sunday 16 March 2014, after the Holy Liturgy, Catholicos Aram I inaugurated the 35th Book Fair entitled âSource of Spiritual and Intellectual Enrichment.â In his message, His Holiness stated that although the current innovations in communication and the Internet are providing quick information and knowledge, the Armenian book is the powerful repository of…
14 March 2014. On the occasion of 2014, the Year of the Elderly, instituted by Catholicos Aram I, one hundred elderly people visited Antelias. They first attended the Lenten Sunrise service (Arevakal) at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral and then met with His Holiness Aram I. After welcoming them, His Holiness said, âAfter the tragic…
On Thursday 13 March 2014, His Holiness Aram I received Minister Abou Faour, accompanied by Hagop Pakradouni Member of Parliament and Ziad Chaya, Director of the Office of the Ministry. After discussing the situation in Lebanon, particularly the difficulties of the newly appointed government, Catholicos Aram I asked the minister, within the framework of…
10 March 2014. On Monday, a group of young artists from Artzakh, accompanied by the Vice-Minister for Culture and Youth and representatives of the Lebanon Artzakh fund, met with His Holiness Aram I. The group had come to take part in the programme of the Artzakh Cultural Week organized by the Fund in Lebanon. …
On Saturday March 1, 2014, in the evening, following the 40th anniversary concert of the Shenorhali Choir, His Holiness Aram I decorated Mr. and Mrs Hagop Chilinguirian with the St. Mesrob Mashdotz insignia. In his message, Catholicos Aram I recognized Mr and Mrs Chilinguirianâs service to the community through the many committees on which he…
During January and February 2014, Rt. Rev. Paren Vartanian represented the Ecumenical Relations Office of the Catholicosate in the preparatory meeting towards a major event in May 2014 to discuss âChristians in the Middle East. On 23 January 2014, Rt. Rev. Vartanian also participated in the meeting of the Bible Society Committee for Lebanon…
On 27 February 2014, on the Feast of the Vartanantz Heroes, Catholicos Aram I referred to the writings of the historian YeghishĂŠ, and reminded the faithful that âOur heroes of the Vartanantz war sacrificed their lives to defend our one faith, homeland and rights as a Nation.â He continued, âWe are called to face our common…
On Tuesday 24 February 2014, Ambassador Hilary Childs-Adams, accompanied by the Trade and Economic Affairs AttachĂŠ of the Embassy Jean-Philippe Tashjian, visited Catholicos Aram I. His Holiness described the history of the Catholicosate and its mission in the Diaspora, the contribution of the Armenian community to the politics of peaceful coexistence in Lebanon and…
