27 September 2106. On Tuesday morning, His Holiness Aram I left for North America to preside over celebrations marking the 20^th anniversary of his enthronement as Catholicos of Cilicia. Celebrations were postponed last year in order not to conflict with the 2015 commemorations of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The delegation accompanying the Catholicos includes Very Rev Housig Mardirossian, Director of the Ecumenical and Communication Departments, Rev Bedros Manuelian, staff bearer, and representatives of the National Central Council of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, Dr Dertad Manguikian, Dr Jirair Basmajian, Mr Haop Yapoujian, Mr Khajag Dikidjian and Mr Vahé Yacoubian.

In Los Angeles, Montreal and New York, His Holiness will preside over special Thanksgiving Prayer Services, visit community institutions and projects, meet with the members of the dioceses and hold special discussions with the youth. The Catholicos will also hold consultative meetings in these three cities on the on-going lawsuit of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, demanding the return of its historical Seat in Sis from Turkey. His Holiness will conclude his consultations in Geneva before returning to Antelias on 22 September 2016.