The Catholicosate of Cilicia has unveiled the Khoren Ayp Center, located in the renovated premises of the former Karageozian and later Souren Khanamirian Armenian school in Leylavan—an Armenian neighborhood in Fanar. This center aims to serve as a hub for youth engagement and various social and academic activities.

The official opening ceremony, held on Thursday, March 14th, 2024, was presided over by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I. Attendees included members of the Religious and Lay Councils of the Holy See of Cilicia, representatives from Diocesan bodies and the Lebanese Armenian community, as well as the Cilician brotherhood, and students of the Armenian Theological Seminary.

During his address, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I highlighted the significance of naming the center after Catholicos Khoren I, recognizing his pivotal role in establishing both the Armenian neighborhood and its associated structures, including the school. He emphasized the center’s role in furthering the mission of the Holy See of Cilicia, serving as a home for various Catholicosate departments and offering programs tailored to the youth of Leylavan. His Holiness also expressed gratitude to the prelacies of Eastern USA, Western USA, and Canada, along with other contributors, whose generous support brought the center to completion.

Following the speech, V. Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian, the center’s director, led His Holiness and the guests on a tour of the facility.