18 November 2016. On Friday morning, His Holiness Aram I received Bishop Harald Rein and Professor Ours Phone Arks of the “Old Catholic Church” in Switzerland.

During the meeting His Holiness Aram I brought them up to date on the conflict in the region and its impact on Lebanon and the Christian presence in the Middle East. He also talked about the Catholicosate of Cilicia, its history, its contribution to interfaith and ecumenical relations and its role and mission in Armenian Diaspora communities. The Catholicos and his guests also discussed the relations of the Armenian Church with the Churches and people of Switzerland, especially during the Armenian Genocide in 1915, when Swiss missionaries and volunteers went to Turkey to help, and then helped the orphans settle in Lebanon.

The Old Catholic churches (or Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches) separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1871 over the question of papal authority.

The Ecumenical Officer, Very Rev. Housig Mardirossian, was also present at the meeting.