Catholicos Aram I Presides over the 180th Anniversary Celebration of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Komotini On Sunday 28 September 2014, His Holiness Aram I presided over the Holy Liturgy, which was celebrated by Archbishop Khoren Toghramadjian and chanted by the choir of St. Vartanantz Church in Istanbul. The Church and the courtyard…
The small Armenian community in Kavala received His Holiness with great joy at the Holy Cross Church. After the Canonical prayer Mrs. Mannik Asherian, a member of the Church Council, welcomed the Catholicos and said that it was the first time a Catholicos had ever visited the community. She told the guests that Kavala had…
On Thursday morning, Catholicos Aram I and his entourage, accompanied by the local leadership of the Armenian community, visited Apostolos Tsitsikostas, the Governor of the Macedonia region. After greeting the guests, the governor spoke of the social and political accomplishments of the region. In his response, the Catholicos complimented the Greek people for their contribution…
On Wednesday 24 September, His Holiness Aram I and his entourage, which includes representatives of the community, arrived in Thessaloniki. Rev. Stepannos Pashayan, the priest of the Armenian Church St Mary and the lay leadership of the community welcomed him. The Catholicos and his delegation then visited Metropolitan Anthimos of the Greek Orthodox Church. …
His Holiness Aram I visited the Embassy of Armenia in Athens and met with Ambassador, Gaguik Ghaladijian.Ā The Catholicos was accompanied by Archbishop Khoren Toghtamadjian, Prelate of Greece, V. Rev. Housig Mardirossian, the Ecumenical Officer, Mr. Ara Mangoyan, President of the Church Council and priest Sempad Saboudjian, the staff bearer. The Catholicos thanked the…
22 September 2014. On the day of his arrival, His Holiness Aram I, his entourage, the Prelate Archbishop Khoren Toghtramadjian, as well as representatives of the Armenian community, met with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. The Catholicos Aram I thanked the Prime Minister for supporting the Armenian cause. He said that the recent decision of…
22 September 2014. On Monday, upon his arrival in Athens His Holiness Aram I received the news of the destruction of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der Zor (Syria). The Catholicos said that the destruction of the Church, the Museum and the compound, executed on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the…
22 September 2014. Upon his arrival at the Athens Airport, Catholicos Aram I was met by the representative of the Head of the Church of Greece, the Armenian Prelate Archbishop Khoren Toghtakadjian, the representative of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ambassadors of Armenia and Lebanon to Greece, as well as representatives of the…
On Friday, 19 September 2014, in his address at the opening session of the Armenia-Diaspora Pan Armenian Conference, His Holiness Aram I said that the 100th Anniversary Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide urges Armenians to adopt new strategies for the pursuit of their just cause, and that they must move from demanding recognition to legal…
22 September 2014. His Holiness Aram I has left for a ten-day pastoral visit to Greece, in response to the invitation of the Prelate, Archbishop Khoren Toghramadjian, and the Church Council. Ā During his stay the Catholicos will visit the diocesan churches in the country, meet with the community and take part in special celebrations.…
On Saturday 20 September 2014, Ambassador Dr. Katerina Boura met with His Holiness Aram I to discuss his forthcoming official visit to Greece and the recent visit of Middle East Patriarchs to Washington. At the end of the meeting, Catholicos Aram I thanked the Ambassador for the 9 September 2014 law adopted by the…
18 September 2014. On Wednesday evening, His Holiness Aram I left for Armenia to attend the Armenia-Diaspora Pan-Armenian meeting. He will be accompanied by the prelates and representatives of the Diocesan Councils of the Holy See of Cilicia. Catholicos Aram I will address the meeting on Friday, 19 September 2014, during the opening session,…
On Thursday, September 11th, the spiritual leaders of the Middle Eastern Maronite, Armenian, Syrian Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Syrian Catholic churches who had gathered with for a Christian conference in Washington, DC, held an hour long meeting with President Obama; National Security Advisor Susan Rice and other key White House staff also attended the meeting.…
The International Conference on the Crisis in the Middle East concluded its deliberations on Friday, 11 September 2014, with the intervention of the Five Middle East Patriarchs. His Holiness Aram I, who concluded the conference, spoke once more of the urgency for the international community to adopt a comprehensive strategy to respond to the…
The following text is a summary of the reflections of H.H. Aram I during the International Summit held 9-11 September 2014 in Washington D.C. Christianity is on the verge of disappearing from the Middle East, where, for centuries, it has existed in harmony with Judaism and Islam. As the Arab Spring has morphed into…
The conference on the challenges facing Christianity in the Middle East is in process, in Washington DC. This is the condensed text of the reflection that His Holiness Aram I made at the beginning of the session devoted to āCall to Unityā Call to Unityā¦ Indeed, this is a call of our Lord Jesus…
On Tuesday 9 September 2014, the International Conference on the Crisis in the Middle East, which is taking place in Washington DC, began its deliberations. Five hundred persons participated, including high-ranking Clergy, U.S. Senators and Congressmen, Deputies, Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations and the Press. At the press conference preceding the main conference, His Holiness…
On the first day of the International Conference on Christians in the Middle East, His Holiness Aram I addressed the theme of church unity. In his presentation he spoke of the theological foundations of church unity, he addressed the question of why Christian unity is indispensable for the churches in the Middle East and he…
September 9, 2014. His Holiness Aram I is currently in Washington to address the International Conference on Christians in the Middle East. He will address the Conference on two occasions. First he will discuss the theme of Christian Unity and, second, he will share his reflections on the future of Christianity in the Middle East.…
On Sunday 7 September 2014, his Holiness Aram I presided over the Holy Liturgy and addressed the faithful at the Church of the Holy Cross in Washington DC. Archbishop Oshagan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Orthodox Church of America, celebrated the Liturgy after welcoming His Holiness and explaining the purpose of his…
On Wednesday 27 August, the Heads of Middle East Churches met at the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke (Lebanon). His Holiness Aram I joined the meeting, accompanied by Bishop ShahĆ© Panossian and Rt. Rev. Housig Mardirossian, the ecumenical officer. The participants met to further consider items they had discussed at the recent visit of the…
On Thursday 21 August 2014, His Holiness Aram I sent a letter of condolence to Pope Francis expressing his profound sadness on the death of three members of his family, following a car crash on a provincial highway in Argentina.Ā
On Monday 18 August 2014, a delegation representing the Churches in Sweden met with His Holiness Aram I at St. Maryās Monastery in Bikfaya. The delegation is meetng with the Heads of Churches in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq in order to assess the situation of victims in the Middle East. Their Churches are providing…
On Saturday evening, 16 August, His Holiness Aram I presided over theHoly Liturgy celebrated in the open air by the Prelate of Lebanon, Bishop Shahe Panossian, and sung by the “Shenorhali” choir of the Catholicosate. On the Feast of Assumption, the Armenian Church also blesses grapes, the fruit of the vine. Sixty two years…
On the occasion of the feast of St. Maryās Assumption, the Noursat Broadcast will be broadcasting LIVE via satellite the Holy Mass presided over by His Holiness Aram I. Place: St. Mary Monastery, Bikfaya, Lebanon Time corresponding UTC (GMT): Saturday, August 16, 2014 at 5:00 pm To watch live via internet click here: http://www.noursat.tv/ar/receive-us.php?chid=2 For…
On 6 August 2014, His Holiness Aram I met with the Officers of the Commission: Co-Presidents Archbishop Geoffrey Rowell and Metropolitan Bishoy, and Co-Secretaries Archbishop Nareg Alemezian and Rev. Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan; the Ecumenical Officer, Rt. Rev. Housig Mardirossian, also attended. The Co-Presidents briefed Catholicos Aram I on the outcomes of their two-day…
On Tuesday 5 August 2014, Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, Coptic Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan George Saliba of Mount Lebanon, Syriac Orthodox Church, met with His Holiness Aram I in Bikfaya at his summer residence. Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, the Pontifical Vicar of the Diocese of Cyprus, and Rt. Rev. Housig Mardirossian, the Ecumenical Officer, were also…
HASK June – July read here
Following the ACUSA Assembly held on the 26 July 2014, the new committee met with His Holiness Aram I to report on the Assembly and ask for his blessings. The Committee was accompanied by its newly appointed spiritual advisor, Rev.Nishan Lakhoyan. Ā Catholicos Aram I first of all praised the association members for their enthusiasm…
24 July 2014. On Wednesday evening the Youth Committee of the Catholicosate, accompanied by Rev Barouyr Shernezian, director of the Youth Department, met with His Holiness Aram I. The committee presented its activity report and the findings of the survey they had carried out with its 50 members. The purpose of the survey was…
Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of the Diocese of Peria (Syria) recently arrived in Antelias to brief His Holiness Aram I on the situation of Armenians in Aleppo, Damascus, Jezireh, Lattakia and Kessab. He also informed the Catholicos on the provision of humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation efforts. The Catholicos expressed his appreciation to the work of…
24 July 2014. Catholicos Aram I and Patriarch Ignatius Aphram II of the Syriac Orthodox Church met in Bikfaya, at the Summer Residence of the Catholicosate. V. Rev. Paren Vartanian, and the Dean of the Seminary, Rev. Torkom Donoyan, were also present. The two spiritual leaders discussed the situation of Christians in Syria and Iraq,…
26 July 2014. On Friday, His Holiness Aram I announced the following new appointments: 1. Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, Pontifical Vicar, Diocese of Cyprus. 2. Very Rev. Housig Mardirossian, Director, Office of Ecumenical Relations and Head of the office of Communication. 3. Rev. Torkom Donoyan, Dean, of Theological Seminary. 4. Very Rev. Paren Vartanian Grand Sacristan,…
28 July 2014. On Monday Hon. Jason Kenny and his delegation met with His Holiness Aram I. Rt. Rev. Housig Mardirossian, the Ecumenical Relations officer, was also present. The Minister is in the region on a special mission to assess the political situation and discuss the problems of Christian communities in the region. The Minister…
30 July 2014. As reported last week, Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, accompanied by clergy and the lay leadership of the community in Syria, visited the coastal towns where many families have sought refuge from the internal fighting. The Archbishop celebrated the liturgy in Tartous, Banias and Safita, organized meetings with the community, registered the displaced families…
On Tuesday His Holiness Aram I received a delegation from South Korea. The newly appointed Ecumenical Officer, V. Rev. Housig Mardirossian also attended the meeting. The delegation invited the Catholicos to the international conference on justice and peace they are organizing in Seoul. The Catholicos welcomed the guests and their plan for the conference and…
During the week Catholicos Aram I held several meeting with religious and political personalities. Jean-Louis Kordahi, a former member of the Lebanese government, met with him to discuss projects related to the property of the Catholicosate in Byblos and issues linked to the postponement of presidential elections in Lebanon. Archbishop Rafael Minassian, Prelate of the…
On Sunday 06 July 2014, following the Holy Liturgy, His Holiness Aram I presided over the ceremony held at the Main Hall of the Catholicosate. The ceremony recognized the winners of the inter-school competition in Armenian language and culture and the successful graduates of the two-year intensive course in Western Armenian language and culture. …
2 July 2014. The representatives of the two Holy Sees of the Armenian Orthodox Church (the Holy See of Cilicia and the Holy See of Etchmiadzin) are participating in the meetings of the Central Committee. Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, Director of Ecumenical Relations, and Ms Teny Simonian, Ecumenical Representative in Europe, are representing the Holy…
On Wednesday 2 July 2014, the Chairperson of the Tekeyan Cultural Association, the Committee of Founders, former member of Parliament, Hagop Kassardjian, and Michael Vahejian, Chairperson of the Lebanon Branch of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, Ramgavar, visited His Holiness Aram I to congratulate him and present their good wishes on the 19th anniversary celebration…
The Central Committee of the WCC will meet in Geneva 2-8 July 2014. This is the first meeting of the Committee that was elected during the 10th Assembly in Busan South Korea in 2013. It will adopt the post-Assembly vision statement and set priorities for the next seven years. The Executive Committee will meet on…
On Sunday 29 June 2014 MECC General Secretary, Dr Michel Jalkh, met with his Holiness Aram I in his office. As one of the Presidents of the Council, the Catholicos was briefed by Dr Jalkh on the activities of the MECC and on the recent ecumenical meeting with partners held in Amman Jordan. Following…
On Saturday 26 June, H.B Ignatius Aphrem II made an official visit to the Catholicosate of Cilicia and met with H.H. Catholicos Aram I. After canonical prayers at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, His Holiness the Patriarch and the accompanying delegation moved to the Main Hall of the Catholicosate, where Catholicos Aram I…
On Sunday 26 June, the liturgy was devoted to the celebration of the 19th anniversary celebration of the election of His Holiness Aram I as Catholicos. During the thanksgiving prayers priests read Biblical passages and special prayers wishing health to the Catholicos and long-lasting presence of the Catholicosate among the Armenian people. At the…
26 June 2014. On Thursday 25 students from Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America majoring in Middle East Studies and accompanied by their professors met with His Holiness Aram I in Antelias. Catholicos Aram I introduced them to the Armenian Orthodox Church and spoke of the Christian presence in the…
A committee of architects and engineers nominated by His Holiness Aram I have been working on transforming the monastery in Bikfaya to receive the pilgrims, who, in 2015, will come from the diaspora to join the commemorative events. The area around the Genocide monument is being expanded and new monuments are being erected to recall…
On 19 June 2014, a delegation led by the President of the Central Committee of the party, Hagop Tikranian, and the Vice- President and Lebanese Member of the Lebanese Parliament, Sebouh Kalpakian, met with Catholicos Aram I in his office in Antelias. They discussed issues related to the Armenian community in Lebanon and the forthcoming…
Upon return of His Holiness Aram I Ā from the Vatican, Archbishop Paul Sayyah, the Patriarchal Vicar, visited the Catholicos to discuss the visit. His Holiness also received Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio, to hear the impressions of His Holiness Aram I and proposals for a follow-up with some of the concerns. …
The annual Bible Study Course for women, organized by the Christian Education Department, ended on 17 June 2014. On this occasion His Holiness Aram I attended the closing ceremony and addressed the 150 women who followed the course. The Catholicos quoted 2 Thessalonians 2: 15 āā¦. stand firm and hold to the traditions which…
HASK – May 2014 Ā Ā Ā read here
On Friday, 13 June 2014, His Holiness Aram I received Bishop Arseni, representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Syria and Lebanon, in his office. The bishop transmitted the greetings of Patriarch Kirill. He then explained the purpose of his visit, after which they discussed the situation of Christians in the Middle East. Catholicos Aram…
Dear Dr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, I am writing to you as the Spiritual Head of Armenians in Syria and many communities in the Diaspora. I read your 29 July 2013 report to the General Assembly of the UN on the situation in Syria, which you made as the Chairman of the Independent International Commission of…
On Wednesday 11 June 2014, Ambassador David Hale visited His Holiness Aram I. During the meeting they discussed the situation in the region and most importantly in Syria and Lebanon.Ā
During his three day official visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Aram I emphasized the importance of theĀ Ā recognition and the reparation of the Armenian Genocide. His Holiness asked Pope Francis, both in His private and public meetings, to give His support to the Armenian cause.Ā Ā The issue of Armenian Genocide was present also…
On the last evening of the official visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Aram I, the accompanying clergy and the delegates held a festive dinner. After joyful singing, recitation of poems and thanksgiving, the Catholicos addressed the delegation and described the visit as a positive step in ecumenism and in giving visibility to Armenia…
Within the scope of his official visit to the Vatican, His Holiness met with Vaticanās Secretary of State Cardinal Parolini. They discussed issue related to the Middle East as well as major concerns and challenges facing the Christian communities. The Armenian Genocide was also discussed and His Holiness appreciated the support of the Vatican. …
During his visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Aram I also met with the ambassadors of Armenia and Lebanon. After these meetings the Lebanese ambassador General George khoury stressed the particular importance of His Holinessā visit to the Vatican, for the Middle East in general and Lebanon in particular. He reminded that Pope Francis…
7 June 2014. While visiting Pope Francis I in Rome, Catholicos Aram I received a report from Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, prelate of the Armenian Diocese of Peria (Syria), on the aggression against Armenians in the Nor Kyugh neighbourhood of Aleppo. According to the report, Armenian Churches, schools and residences are being bombarded in the densely…
In a private meeting this morning with His Holiness the Pope Francis Catholicos Aram I briefly discussed the following issues.- The Christian presence in the Middle East, challenges and concerns facing the churches in the region, the Syrian conflict and the problems facing the Armenian community in Aleppo and Kessab, the centennial of the Armenian…
āYour solidarity with the Armenians during the 100th Anniversary Commemorations of the Genocide will be a valuable contribution to our just causeā Ā H.H. Aram I āThe history of emigration, persecutions and the martyrdom experienced by so many of the faithful has inflicted deep woonds on the hearts of all Armenians. We must see and venerate…
Vatican ā During the visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Aram I and his delegation attended a special prayer service organized by the St Egidio community at the St. John the Lateran Church in Rome. In his sermon, the Catholicos spoke of the theological and spiritual meaning of martyrdom (martyria) and linked it to…
The Vatican: Addressing the staff of the Vaticanās Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia emphasized the growing importance of bilateral theological dialogues as āthe credible and efficient way of leading the churches towards the visible unityā. Ā His Holiness begun his talk by reminding the pivotal importance…
Accompanied by high ranking delegation composed of ten primates, His Holiness Aram I began his official visit to the Vatican on Tuesday 3 June 2014. Aram I arrived in Rome by a private plane and was met at the airport by His Eminence Cardinal Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian…
On Sunday afternoon Rev. Dr. Olav Fikse Tveit met with Catholicos Aram I at his office in Antelias. After discussing challenges to the member churches following the 10th Assembly, and the expectations of the member churches from the World Council of Churches, Catholicos Aram I shared his concerns and made suggestions to Rev. Olav Fikse…
On Sunday 1 June 2014, His Holiness Aram I, accompanied by Bishop Shahe Panossian Prelate of Lebanon, and Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of Peria (Syria), attended the installation ceremony of Mor Ignatius Aphrem II as Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church. The ceremony was held at…
On Monday 2 June 2014, Catholicos Aram I and Patriarch Al Rai met to discuss the recent pilgrimage of the Patriarch to Jerusalem and Catholicos Aram Iās forthcoming meeting with Pope Francis of Rome. On the same day the Catholicos also met with the Apostolic Nuncio Cardinal Gabriele Giordano Caccia to discuss the programme…
Antelias ā On Friday 30 May 2014, a delegation of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, headed by Archbishop Shahan, represented His Holiness Aram I at the enthronement of Mor Moran Ignatius Aphrem II as the new Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. During the official luncheon, the representatives…
Antelias ā On 28 May 2014, Holinesses Karekin II and Aram I presided over the Liturgy commemorating the Battle of Sardarabad. President of Armenia Serge Sarkissian attended service. After the requiem service, the two Catholicoi addressed the people. The ceremony ended with a message from the President. Later in the same afternoon a special thanksgiving…
Antelias ā After a private meeting with Karekin II and Aram I, the President of Armenia, Serge Sarkissian, invited the two Catholicoi to attend the fourth session of the Nationwide Committee in Erevan. In his message to the meeting, Catholios Aram I said that during the first session of the committee he had proposed that…
Antelias ā On the occasion of the visit of Pope Francis I to the Holy Land, King Abdullah of Jordan invited the religious leaders in the region to join him in welcoming the pope. His Holiness Aram I was represented by Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, Locum Tenens of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and Director of Ecumenical…
Antelias ā On Monday 26 May 2014, secretaries representing thirty Christian World Communions held their annual meeting at the World Council of Churches in Geneva. After Archbishop Nareg welcomed the secretaries, the participants discussed current humanitarian issues challenging their communion and proposed strategies for cooperation. The Archbishop also met the General Secretary of the WCC…
HASK – April 2014 Read here
Antelias 25 May 2014. On Sunday, following the Holy Liturgy in Antelias, His Holiness Aram I presided over the special requiem service in memory of the martyrs of the war of Independence in 1918, the first Armenian Republic. After the service, the people gathered at the Main Hall of the Residence of the Catholicos for…
Antelias ā 24 May 2014. On Saturday morning, Sheikh Kabbani and his close collaborators met with His Holiness Aram I in his office in Antelias. The meeting was a follow-up to conversations they had in Bahrain during the International Conference on āAll Civilizations in Service to Humanity,ā 5-7 May 2014. The two religious leaders expressed…
The General Assembly of the Diocese of Canada of the Catholicosate of Cilicia met 9-10 May 2014 and elected Bishop Meghrik Parikian as the new Prelate; on 13 May 2014, His Holiness Aram I confirmed the election. Bishop Meghrik has been serving the Parish of Toronto and its regions since 2002; he succeeds Archbishop…
Following their meeting in Bahrain during the International Conference, His Holiness Aram I and Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East, met again in Dubai. V. Rev. Mesrob Sarkissian, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also attended the meeting. The two church leaders discussed…
During his stay in Bahrain, His Holiness Aram I, accompanied by Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian and Very Reverends Masis and Mesrob, visited the Ambassador of Lebanon to Bahrain. The Conference also provided the opportunity for Catholicos Aram I to meet with the Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India, Mar Basilios Paulose II,…
Considering the importance of the conference for the countries of the Gulf and the Middle East, the conference: Emphasized the importance of building relations and promoting cooperation among interfaith communities, Urged the United Nations Alliance of Civilization to support existing dialogue initiatives and encourage new ones, Stressed that all dialogues should underline common grounds…
Ms. Teny Pirri-Simonian, Vice-President of the Ecumenical Relations Committee of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and Lecturer in Religion and Ethics at Webster University Geneva Campus, presented a paper on āReligious Education and its role in promoting co-existence among all people.ā She was also a member of the committee that drafted the final declaration of the…
Antelias ā 9-11 May 2014, the Board of ARMENOFAS Foundation held its annual meeting in Greece. The Foundation is the continuation of the humanitarian work of the Swiss people that began with the Armenian Genocide. The Federation of Protestant Churches in Switzerland (FEPS) and the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia currently sponsor the Foundation. The members…
On the occasion of the inauguration of the Conference, His Holiness Aram I and a limited number of participants were the guests of His Majesty the King for lunch. On Monday 5 May, His Holiness Aram I was a dinner guest of the Armenian community in Bahrain; they were joined by a group of…
His Holiness Aram I and the Executive Council of the Catholicosate of Cilicia have announced that they are monitoring the situation in Kessab and its uprooted population closely and that they are deeply concerned over the deep political, national and humanitarian implications of the displacement. Accompanied by community leaders, Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian continues to…
Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Metropolitan of Mount Lebanon, visited His Holiness Aram I on behalf of the newly installed Syrian Orthodox Patriarch, Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, of Antioch and All the East. The Metropolitan conveyed the greetings of the Patriarch and expressed the solidarity of their Church with the Armenian people on the eve…
On the eve of the 100th Anniversary commemoration, the Martyrs Chapel where the remains of the Genocide victims rest is being renovated. The current project, which is sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Zareh Bezikian, is one of the many major renovation projects being undertaken by the Catholicosate of Cilicia in preparation for the 100th…
Ā Ā Ā Ā Addressing an international inter-religious Conference in Bahrain, organized by the state, His Holiness Aram I in his keynote lecture emphasized the crucial importance of “accepting and respecting each other the way we are” as the only way of building harmonious, coherent and peaceful societies and a better world. Ā Ā Ā …
03 May 2014. On Sunday His Holiness Aram I will leave for Bahrain where he is invited to be the keynote speaker at the conference on āDialogue of Civilizationsā initiated by His Royal Highness King Hamad bin Al Khalifa. The delegation will include, H.E. Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, Very Rev. Mesrob Sarkissian, the Pontifical representative…
30 April 2014. On Wednesday, members of the Executive Committee of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches, representing the United States of America, Europe and the Middle East, met with Catholicos Aram I in Antelias. On the occasion of their meeting in Lebanon, they discussed with His Holiness the hardships of the Armenian community…
26 April 2014. The ordination ceremony began Saturday evening in the Cathedral where His Holiness Aram I presided over the ritual of the examination of the faith of Very Rev. Meghrig Parikian (Prelacy of Canada), Very Rev. Krikor Chiftjian (Prelacy of Aderbadagan in Iran) and Very Rev. Magar Ashekian (Prelacy of Tehran). Following the reading…
25 April 2014. A delegation of German Bishops, headed by Archbishop Ludwig Schick, met with His Holiness Aram I as part of their fact-finding trip in the region. They wanted to hear from His Holiness about the situation of Christians in the Middle East. After describing the situation, His Holiness emphasized the importance of strengthening…
24 April 2014. On Thursday, following the Holy Liturgy at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, the faithful attended the requiem service in memory of the martyrs in front of the Memorial Chapel. His Holiness Aram I presided over the service and, addressing the people, he delivered the following message: The…
20 April 2014. On Easter Sunday, Armenian members of the Lebanese parliament, ministers civil society representatives and more than a thousand faithful attended the Holy Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias. His Holiness Aram I based his Easter sermon on the message of the angel at the empty tomb of Jesus (Mathew…
This year again His Holiness Aram I assigned the priests serving at the Catholicosate to assist in the services at the dioceses and parishes in Lebanon, Latakia (Syria), Cyprus, Tehran, Montreal (Canada) and Jerusalem.Ā
15 April 2014. On Great and Holy Tuesday during the evening service, the Armenian Orthodox Church commemorated the parable of the Ten Maidens in Antelias.Ā After prayers and hymns on the theme, reminding the faithful to be prepared for the Day of Judgment, the priest read the parable (Mathew 25:14-30). As is the tradition, during…
16 April 2014. On Wednesday evening Judge Jean Fahed met with His Holiness Aram I in Antelias. They discussed the situation in Lebanon and problems related to the judiciary and the confessional courts. In relation to the confessional courts, His Holiness emphasized the importance of family laws for the community.
The members of the Brotherhood met at the Meeting Hall of the Gulbenkian Museum in Antelias under the leadership of His Holiness Aram I. Following the election of the officers of the Assembly, in his opening message, the Catholicos Aram I reminded the clergy that such meetings were times to take account, to assess, to…
2 April 2014. On Wednesday evening the UN-Undersecretary Baroness Valerie Amos, who was on a one-day visit to Lebanon to discuss the status of Syrian refugees, met with His Holiness Aram I in Antelias. His Holiness Aram I welcomed the Under-Secretary and expressed his appreciation to her for including the situation in Kessab in…
1 April 2014. In the morning His Holiness Aram I presided over the meeting of the Council of Religion with the participation of all the Prelates. The members of the Council received reports on ecumenical and interfaith activities of the church, discussed interim reports on coordinating the rites of the Church and classification of…
