On 16 September 2013, the Council of Religion of the Executive Committee of the Catholicosate met under the presidency of His Holiness Aram I at the monastery in Bikfaya.

After studying the programme adopted by the recent National Assembly of the Catholicosate, the members of the Council agreed on a plan of action. They set the following priorities: reorganizing the activities of the departments of religious education and youth, strengthening ecumenical and interreligious work, and assessing the Seminary programmes.

His Holiness briefed the Council on the forthcoming Armenian Bishops Conference, to be held 24-27 September 2013. The conference will receive a report on the study, “Harmonization of the Order of Baptism” and “Classification of Armenian Saints.”