9 May 2016. On Monday evening, the Diocese of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar celebrated the 20th Anniversary of His Holiness Aram I’s spiritual leadership at the Al-Bustan Rotana Hotel in
Dubai. Joining the Catholicos were the Pontifical Delegate Rev Mesrob Sarkissian, Revs Torkom Donoyan and Bedros Manuelian, members of Aram I’s delegation, and 350 guests, including ambassadors, members of the diocesan and local Church councils and other community representatives.
Rev Mesrob Sarkissian welcomed the guests and explained that although Archbishop Aram Keshishian was elected as Catholicos in 1995, he chose to postpone the 20th anniversary celebrations by one year in order to focus on the 100th anniversary Commemorations of the Armenian Genocide. He then referred to Catholicos Aram I’s leadership as a new page in the history of the ancient Holy See of Cilicia. He listed a number of his accomplishments during this period, which included seeking ways to affirm Armenian identity in the diaspora, promoting and supporting ecumenism and interfaith relations, promoting advocacy and support of the Armenian Cause, pioneering new educational and cultural programmes in the church and launching new construction projects. The next two speakers, Messrs Hrayr Soghomonian, President of the National Assembly of the Diocese, and Moushegh Bedirian, Chairperson of the National Council, highlighted His Holiness’s Leadership as the Spiritual Head of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, the church of the diaspora.
A cultural programme prepared for the occasion followed the speeches and then His Holiness was invited to speak. He began with a brief assessment of the past 20 years, saying, “The maxim of the Catholicosate of Cilicia has been to serve the people and the homeland, and to advocate for justice. This maxim, which has guided my pontificate, demands that we base out actions on our people’s deeply rooted principles, hopes and pan-Armenian priorities. By following this maxim, we may together serve the Church, the people and the homeland.”
The evening concluded by showing a DVD prepared by the audio-visual department of the Catholicosate that celebrated the life and works of His Holiness.
