On Saturday evening, the Lay Council of the National Central Committee of the Catholicosate of Cilicia held a virtual meeting, presided over by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I. Stepan Der Bedrossian from Lebanon and Krikor Mahseredjian from Abu Dhabi co-chaired the meeting.

The Chancellor briefed on the minutes of the previous two meetings which highlighted matters concerning revival of the Armenians in Lebanon, the response of the Catholicosate of Cilicia to the challenges and the aftermath of the Artsakh War, the social services performed by the Catholicosate, as well as the communications of the Catholicos with church and state officials.

Subsequently, His Holiness Aram I gave detailed reports on the following topics: Church services and ceremonies, the loss of a number of community leaders due to the Corona virus, the economical situation due to the pandemic and the social services executed to aid those in need, the revitalization of the Lebanese Armenia Community, the economical situation of the Catholicosate of Cilicia due to the economic crisis in Lebanon and bank restrictions, the internal situation in Armenia and Artsakh, and the development of the lawsuit for the return of the Catholicosate’s historical seat in Sis. For the latter, His Holiness stated that the forthcoming legal proceedings is scheduled on March 21^st, 2021. His Holiness Aram I also talked about CAHL, the Armenian elderly home and the Armenian Sanitorium of Azounieh, as well as the online classes of the Armenological Department, Armenian Theological Seminary and the Birds’ Nest.

The Catholicos reminded that the year 2021 was declared the year of Artsakh and the Pontifical encyclical issued on this occasion was read in all Catholicosate churches, hence he underlined the imperative of continuing the support of Artsakh by all means.  

In turn, the members of the Council expressed their comments and questions to which adequate answers were given.