On Wednesday, January 29th, 2020, Cardinal Kurt Koch, the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, visited His Holiness Aram I, and discussed matters pertaining the ecumenical movement. The meeting was also an opportunity to further strengthen the cooperation between the Catholicosate and the Vatican. Â Following the meeting, Cardinal Koch was invited…
On January 31st to February the 1st, 2020, an international ecumenical consultation with the theme “For a More Inclusive and Responsive Ecumenical Vision,” initiated by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, will convene at the Holy See of Cilicia. The aim of the consultation is to examine the current situation of the ecumenical movement in search…
On Thursday, January 23rd, 2020, His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon Vahagn Atabekyan, who extended letters to the Catholicos from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the Republic of Artsakh. The two also discussed issues pertaining the current situation in Armenia and Lebanon, as well as…
On behalf of the Armenian Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia, V. Rev. Fr. Keghart Kosbakian participated in the 6th gathering of the “Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace” commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC), held on January 13th to the 23rd, 2020, in Fiji. Â Representatives from WCC member churches and various religions talked about…
On Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020, the newly appointed Lebanese Minister of Youth and Sport Ms. Vartineh Ohanian-Kevorkian, accompanied by Lebanese MP Hagop Pakradouni, visited His Holiness Aram I, who congratulated Ms. Ohanian-Kevorkian on her appointment and gave his blessing. Born in 1984, Ms. Vartineh Ohanian-Kevorkian is the youngest minister in this newly formed government.…
From the Monastery of Antelias of the Great House of Cilicia, we greet with pontifical blessing, warm Christian love and intense patriotism the World General Assembly, the Religious and Lay Councils of the Central Executive Council, the Prelates, the ecclesiastical class, the community leaders and our beloved people. With deep satisfaction, we note that…
On behalf of the Armenian Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia, HG Bishop Magar Ashkarian and V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian will participate in events organized for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The week of prayer is celebrated around the world between January 18 and 25. Last year, the concluding ceremony took place…
On Wednesday, January 15th, 2020, His Holiness Aram I received Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon. The Archbishop conveyed the greetings of Pope Francis and extended a letter of Christmas wishes. In turn, the Catholicos asked the Apostolic Nuncio to convey his fraternal greetings to the Pope and reminded that the relations…
On Tuesday, January 14th, 2020, His Holiness Aram I paid a visit to the Zvartnots Center for Special Education and Rehabilitation, in Bourdj Hamoud, toured the various departments of the Center and spent time with the students. After getting briefed of the Centerâs activities, His Holiness expressed his commend for their efforts and called…
On Thursday, January 9th, 2020, His Holiness Aram I received Metropolitan of Mount Lebanon Mor Theophilus Georges Saliba, who had visited Aram I on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II to extend greetings on the occasion of the feast of the Nativity and Theophany, as well as discuss ecumenical matters. Note…
His Holiness Aram I has proclaimed 2020 the âYear of Armenians with Special Needs.â The proclamation of the Catholicos will be read during Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, as well as in all the churches of our prelacies, on Sunday, January 12th, 2020. We invite our faithful to attend…
On Wednesday evening, January 8th, 2020, His Holiness Aram I received His Beatitude Krikor Bedros XX. Â The meeting was an opportunity to talk about the current situation in Lebanon and the region, as well as Armenia-Diaspora relations. The two spiritual leaders underlined the imperative of strengthening the internal unity of our people.
On the eve of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ, January 5th, 2020, His Holiness Aram I presided over the Christmas Vigil Service (Jrakaluyts – Lighting of the Candles), at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias. Â At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Grand Sacristan lit…
On Saturday, January 4th, 2020, His Holiness Aram I received Toufic Baaklini, President of the âIn Defense of Christiansâ (IDC) organization, accompanied by Alexis Moukarzel, IDC Representative in Lebanon. Â Based in Washington, IDC includes representatives from various state, political, religious and non-governmental organizations and advocates for the protection and preservation of Christians and Christianity…
On Monday, January 30th, 2019, on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas, His Holiness Aram I paid visits to the Armenian Elderly Home â CAHL and the Armenian Relief Cross of Lebanon, in Bourdj Hamoud, as well as the Armenian Educational Benevolent Union, in Hadjin. Â During the visits, His Holiness expressed his…
On Saturday evening, December 28th, 2019, V. Rev. Fr. Levon Yeghiayan and V. Rev. Fr. Oshin Tchvalertanian presented their theses to His Holiness Aram I and defended them in the presence of the members of the Cilician Brothers, at the Main Hall of the Catholicosate. On Sunday, December 29th, 2019, under the auspices of…
On Saturday, December 28th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the visit of Dr. Abbas Khamayar, who is in charge of cultural activities if the Iranian embassy in Lebanon. The agenda of the meeting included mainly issues related to inter-religious dialogue.
On Sunday, December 22nd, 2019, the Armenian Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia, celebrated the feast of the Deacon and Protomartyr St. Stephen. Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian celebrated the Divine Liturgy, presided over by His Holiness Aram I, at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias. Â Archbishop Shahan delivered the sermon, where he highlighted the importance of…
Under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I, the Library of the Catholicosate of Cilicia organized a book launch event of the Armenian composer and conductor Parsegh Ganatchianâs musical collection (two volumes), on Thursday evening, at the Cilicia Museum. The opening speech was delivered by Ms. Shoghig Yepremian, member of the âShnorhaliâ Choir of the…
On Sunday, December 15th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the Executive Director of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan and the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Lebanon H.E. Vahagn Atabekyan. Â The meeting was an opportunity to give a general overview of the activities and future plans of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.
Under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I, the âShnorhaliâ choir of the Catholicosate of Cilicia marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of the prominent Armenian ethnomusicologist Gomidas Vartabed, on Friday evening, December 13th, 2019, at Sts. Vartanants Church, in Bourdj Hamoud. Rev. Fr. Zareh Nadjarian is the conductor of the choir composed…
On Friday, December 13th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received members from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau headed by ARF Bureau Representative Hagop Der Khatchadourian. Â During the meeting they discussed issues pertaining Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian Diaspora, as well as talked about the challenges faced by the Armenians in general, and stressed the…
On December 11th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received a letter from the Chair of the special delegates council of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople Khatchig Janel informing that H.B. Sahak Mashalian was elected as the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople. His Holiness extended a congratulatory letter to Bishop Mashalian in which he expressed his…
His Holiness Aram I held phone conversations with the president of the Republic of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and the president of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakian, and briefed them on the current situation of Lebanon and Lebanese Armenians. In turn, they expressed their solidarity and assured to take practical steps in the near future.
On Saturday, December 7th, 2019, the directors of the three Lebanese Armenian dailies visited His Holiness Aram I. The purpose of the visit was to express their gratitude for the financial support to their newspapers that His Holiness extended during the Lebanese Crisis and the year of the Armenian Press. Â Aram I commended the…
On Sunday, 8th of December, 2019, a Requiem for the souls of the fallen victims of the devastating earthquake in Spitak, Gyumri and Vanadzor, in 1988, was held at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias, presided over by His Holiness Aram I.
On Thursday, December 5th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the Lay and the Religious Councils of the Diocesan Council of Lebanon, headed by the Prelate Archbishop Nareg Alemezian. Â Archbishop Nareg expressed his gratitude to Aram I, who had recently made a donation of 100 Million Lebanese Pounds to the Prelacy of Lebanon to…
On Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon H.E. Mr. Vahagn Atapekyan. They discussed the recent situation in Armenia and Lebanon.
“The Armenian Church,” authored by His Holiness Aram I, is now released in Russian. The book is translated by Lilit Aghekyan and is published thanks to the financial support of Gary and Janis Arvanigian. Â You can find the book in Persian, German, French and Arabic translations, while translations into other languages will be published…
This year, the feast of the founders of the Armenian Church: the apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, was marked on December 1st, 2019. On this occasion a Divine Liturgy was celebrated at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of the Catholicosate, in Antelias. Presided over by His Holiness Aram I and celebrated by V. Rev.…
On Thursday evening, November 29th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the newly elected committee of the Armenian Church University Students’ Association (ACUSA), headed by the newly appointed Spiritual Advisor V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian, and gave his blessing for their forthcoming activities. Â During the meeting, His Holiness shared his thoughts on the crucial…
On Thursday, November 29th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received Lebanese MP Neemat Frem, who had conducted the visit to hear the Catholicos’ viewpoints on the current situation in Lebanon and on means to overcome the challenges. Â After exchanging opinions, His Holiness underlined that the peopleâs outrage cannot be ignored, specially that it has…
On Behalf of His Holiness Aram I, Bishop Shahe Panossian participated at the International Conference on Christian Persecution in Budapest, Hungary, held on the 24 to the 27th of November, and delivered the Catholicosâ message. In his message, Catholicos Aram I stated that the present times are ruled by violence, and the Muslim violent fundamentalism…
On Thursday, November 28th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received a delegation from the Prelacy of Peria (Syria), headed by Bishop Masis Zoboyan. In attendance was also Hratch Hagopian, member of the Lay Council of the Central Executive Council of the Holy See of Cilicia During the meeting, they discussed issues concerning Armenians of Syria,…
In collaboration with the Center for Continuing Education at Haigazian University (HU), and with the blessing and patronage of His Holiness Aram I, the Armenian Theological Seminary organized a course titled âPsycho-Social Formation and Development of Skills.â The official opening of the course was held on Monday evening, November 25th, 2019, in the presence of…
On Tuesday, November 26th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received a phone call from the President of the Republic of Artsakh H.E. Mr. Pago Sahakian. The two discussed issues concerning the situation in Lebanon.
The Diocesan National Representative Assembly of the Prelacy of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar held a special session on Saturday, November 23rd, 2019, and unanimously elected the Pontifical Vicar of the UAE and Qatar Bishop Mesrob Sarkissian as Prelate. Â After the election, the Assembly informed His Holiness Aram I of the results and…
On Saturday, November 23rd, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the newly elected Central Committee of Homenetmen, in his library in Antelias. After being briefed about the organizationâs forthcoming programs and projects, the Catholicos commended Homenetmenâs efforts, and stated that their actions are expression of their mission. Moreover; His Holiness re-emphasized the championing of…
On Tuesday, November 19th, the committee members of the theatre company having their upcoming performance on 150th anniversary of Gomidas Vartabedâs birth, the Armenian prominent musicologist and composer, visited His Holiness Aram I, and officially invited him to their play. Sponsored by the KOHAR Symphony Orchestra and Choir, the musical play is written in…
On Friday 8th and Saturday 9th of November, 2019, on behalf of the Armenian Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia, Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, Director of the Library and Ancient Book Department at the Catholicosate, participated at the international conference âThe Rescue of Armenians in the Middle East, 1915-1923â organized by the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, in Armenia, and…
On Friday, November 15th, 2019, the Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Lebanon visited His Holiness Aram I and talked about the current situation in Lebanon.
On Tuesday, November 5th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon H.E. Vahagn Atabekyan. They discussed matters related to the current situation of Lebanon and Armenia.
The AnglicanâOriental Orthodox International Commission held its eighth meeting from 28th of October to 1st of November 2019in Cairo, Egypt, hosted by the Anglican Church of Egypt. V. Rev. Fr. Hrant Tahanian, Ecumenical Officer of the Catholicosate, participated in the meeting. Following its agenda for the official dialogue, the Commission resumed its work on…
On Monday, November 4th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received Dr. Avedis Dakessian, member of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party Ramgavar, accompanied by Joseph Ganimian, member of the Spiritual Council of the Holy See Etchmiadzin. During the meeting they discussed matters related to the current situation in Armenia and challenges concerning the Armenia-Diaspora relations.
On Sunday, November 3rd, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received a group of Sunday School Students with their parents and the Sunday School teachers following the Divine Liturgy, at the Main Hall of the Catholicosate. On this occasion, the Sunday School students offered hymns and psalms they had prepared, and received the admiration of…
Following the instruction of His Holiness Aram I, two young Cilician brothers V. Rev. Fr. Dajad Ashekian and V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian return to the Catholicosate, in Antelias, after completing their education and pastoral service in the USA. Fr. Dajad is appointed as supervisor at the Armenian Theological Seminary and Fr. Barouyr is appointed…
Under the presidency of His Holiness Aram I, the Lay Council of the Central Council held its meeting on October 30th, 2019, at the Catholicosate and discussed the following topics: property and construction, finance and administration, the Armenian district in Fanar, project Byblos, the âNor Ciliciaâ Village in the Republic of Artsakh, issues concerning the…
On October 29th to 31st, 2019, the Central Council of the National General Assembly convened at the Catholicosate, under the presidency of His Holiness Aram I. Â Firstly, the Religious Council of the Central Council held its session on Tuesday, October 29th, 2019, and discussed the following topics: Christian education, ecumenical relations, youth involvement in…
The meetings of the Central Council of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon, presided by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, warmly congratulates the adoption of the resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the Armenian Genocide. This is indeed a pivotal achievement and a decisive step on…
On Tuesday, October 29th, 2019, the Central Committee of the National General Assembly convened at the Catholicosate, presided over by His Holiness Aram I. The Religious Council of the Assembly held its meeting on the first day, while Lay Council will meet on the second day, and finally, the Joint Assembly will convene on…
On October 8th to 10th, 2019, the Annual Conference of Secretaries of World Christian Communions was held in Christiansfeld, Denmark. V. Rev. Fr. Boghos Tinkjian participated at the conference on behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, and presented the ecumenical initiatives and challenges, as well as future plans of the Church. Â The upcoming annual…
With the blessing and upon the invitation of His Holiness Aram I, on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th October, 2019, the meeting of the Oriental Orthodox Church Council in the Middle East was held at the Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Antelias. Â Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, Prelate of Lebanon, Bishop Magar Ashkarian, Grand Sacristan of the…
âLet the whole world witness that while Turkish armed forces commit massacres in Syria, the Armenian army is serving for peace in Southern Lebanon” His Holiness Aram I Â On Saturday, October 12th, 2019, the Armenian Troop of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, headed by the Armenian Ambassador in Lebanon H.E. Vahagn Atabekyan, visited…
On Monday, October 14th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received Tristan Azbej, State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christian, accompanied by Dr Geza Mihalyi, Ambassador of Hungary to Lebanon. Â The purpose of the visit was to hear from His Holiness about the overall situation in the Middle East, especially regarding the challenges faced…
On Friday, October 11th, 2019, the Hamazkayin Central visited His Holiness Aram I. During the meeting, His Holiness commended the committeeâs dedication to their mission in maintaining and spreading the Armenian Culture. In turn, the Hamazkayin Central expressed their gratitude for the cooperation they receive from the Armenian Prelacies of the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Â …
Under the high auspices of His Holiness Aram I, renovations of St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral were carried out over the last few months thanks to the generous donation of Mr. and Mrs. Hovsep and Elizabeth Boyadjian from the Western Prelacy. The blessing of the Mother Cathedral was celebrated on Saturday, October 12th, 2019,…
On Friday morning, October 11th, His Holiness Aram I received the newly-appointed Norwegian Ambassador to Lebanon H.E. Ms. âŞLeni Stenseth.  His Holiness briefed the ambassador about the situation in the Middle East and Lebanon, as well as about the Armenian Church and its people.
His Holiness Aram I is in constant contact with the Catholicosal Vicar Rev. Fr. Levon Yeghiayan midst the Turkish military offensive in Syria and the humanitarian catastrophe it is causing. Â Fr. Levon detailed the Catholicos about the situation stating that the Armenian populated area of Qamishli is not under immediate danger. He added that…
On October 8th, 2019, the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Vahagn Atabekyan visited His Holiness Aram I and delivered him a letter on behalf of the President of the Artsakh Republic Pako Sahakian. The meeting was also an opportunity totalk about the current phase of Armenia-Diaspora relations. Â Â
On Sunday, October 6th, 2019, under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I, an ordination and consecration ceremony was performed by Bishop Masis Zoboyan, Prelate of Peria (Syria), with V. Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian as sponsor priest, during the Divine Liturgy at Sts. Forty Martyrs Cathedral in Aleppo, Syria. Deacon George Brikhanian was ordained and…
On Sunday, October 6th, a meeting was held in Geneva between the President of the Republic of Armenia H.E. Armen Sarkissian and His Holiness Aram I. The meeting was followed by a lunch.
On October 5th, 2019, a meeting took place between His Holiness Aram I and the representatives of the UN office for Syria, in Geneva. The focus of discussion was the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (2254) which calls the drafting of a new constitution for Syria. A committee composed of 50 representing the government,…
The two-days theological discussion between the Armenian Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Union of Utrecht was concluded on Thursday afternoon, October 3rd, 2019. Â These sessions commenced two years ago at the Catholicosate, in Antelias, upon the proposition of the Old Catholic Church, and aim to bring clarification about the churches’ position and theology…
Continuing his official visit to the Netherlands, on Wednesday morning, October 2nd, 2019, His Holiness Aram I, along with the Archbishop of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands, Joris Vercammen, met with the Chair of the parliament committee of the ruling partyâs foreign relations, in the Hague, where they talked about issues…
Upon the invitation of the Archbishop of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands, Joris Vercammen, His Holiness Aram I departed to the Netherlands. Â At the airport, the Catholicos was received by the Archbishop and, together with the delegation accompanying His Holiness, they proceeded to Utrecht, where the headquarters of the Old…
At the invitation of The Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands His Holiness Aram I departed to the Netherlands. He will give two lectures on ecumenism and the Middle East and preside over a meeting aimed at discussion of theological and socio-ethical issues. The meeting brings together theologians of the Old Catholic Church and…
On Friday evening, September 27th, 2019, a Cilician brotherhood meeting was held at St. Mary Monastery in Bikfaya presided over His Holiness Aram I, and attended by 5 bishops and 20 vartabeds (priests). Â Delivering the welcoming remarks, His Holiness expressed his pleasure over brotherhoodsâ perseverance in serving the community over the summer both in…
On Tuesday, September 24th, the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Mr. Vahagn Atabekyan paid His Holiness Aram I a condolence visit on the passing of the mother of the Catholicos.
His Holiness Aram I is closely following the renovation of the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator and the Cilicia Museum that are kindly being funded by church members from the Western Prelacy, namely by Mr. and Mrs. Hovsep & Elizabeth Boyadjian and Mr. and Mrs. Garo & SossĂŠ Eshgiyan. Note that the restoration of…
On Thursday, September 19th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received condolence visits from ministers, ambassadors, high ranking officials and representatives from the Armenian Community, over the passing of his mother. Â The Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid bin Abdullah Bukhari also paid a condolence visit to the Catholicos. The visit was an opportunity to exchange…
On Wednesday, September 18th, 2019, the funeral service of Lousin Keshishian, the mother of His Holiness Aram I, took place in the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Present at the service were the representatives of the Lebanese President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Parliament , religious leaders and representatives, the brotherhood, the National Central…
On September 17, 2019, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited His Holiness Aram I. to offer his condolences on the passing away of late Lousine Keshishian, mother of Aram I.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery and at the request of the Hamazkayin family, His Holiness Aram I decorated Mr. and Mrs. Garbis and Lucy Tutunjian with the âSt. Mesrob Mashdotsâ insignia for their significant contributions in the national, religious, cultural and social spheres of the Lebanese…
With a great pleasure we announce the release of the Persian translation of His Holiness Aram Iâs âThe Armenian Churchâ under the title ÂŤŮŮŮسا٠اع٠ŮŮÂť. Ordered by Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Tehran, the book is translated by Rev. Michel Aghamalian and is published thanks to the financial support of Mr.…
On Tuesday, September 10th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Mr. Jan Kubis, in Bikfaya. During the meeting they discussed the current situation in Lebanon, challenges of the Middle East, the Christian presence in the region, Christian-Muslim dialogue and the role of the UN on the international…
The Catholicosate of Cilicia is a stop for pilgrims coming from around the world. They visit and tour the Catholicosate in Antelias and the Monastery in Bikfaya, and learn about the mission of the Holy See of Cilicia in various fields. Â Recently, a group of clergymen from the Lutheran Church in Denmark visited…
On Saturday, September 7th, 2019, a special presentation was organized by the team of the project âSafeguarding the Survival of the Rescued Treasures of the Armenian Catholicosate of Sisâ entitled âLiving Manuscripts and their Environment,â with the attendance of His Holiness Aram I, at the Armenian Theological Seminary, in Bikfaya. Present were also the Cilician…
On Friday, September 6th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the UNIFIL Sector West Commander, Brigadier General Bruno Pisciotta, accompanied by two of his assistants. They talked about the UNâs UNIFIL mission in Lebanon in peacekeeping. Â The meeting was also an opportunity to talk about the UNIFIL Armenian troop. General Pisciotta spoke highly of…
In the recent week, a consultation meeting was held at the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias between the Armenian Church and representatives from the National Organization of Organ Donation and Tissue Transplantation (NOD-LB) working under the umbrella of the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. In attendance were H.G. Bishop Magar Ashkarian, Rev. Fr. Megerditch Keshishian…
His Holiness Aram I announced the new appointments of the Cilician Brotherhood both at the Catholicosate in Antelias and at the Prelacies worldwide as follows: -H.E. Arch. Shahan Sarkissian: Director of the Library, replacing H.E. Arch. Dirayr Panossian, who recently retired. -H.G. Bishop Meghrig Parikian: Director of the Birdsâ Nest Orphanage in Byblos.…
His Holiness Aram I appointed V. Rev. Fr. Bedros Manuelian as Pontifical Vicar of the Armenian Prelacy of Kuwait and its neighboring countries. Fr. Bedros has served the Catholicosate through several positions, and in recent years, he was the director of the Information and Communication Department. Â
On 30 July 2019, under the leadership of His Holiness Aram I, the legal team of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia filed a case in the 2nd Kozan Court of First Instance against the Kozan Municipality and the Turkish State Treasury for the return of the Monastery and Catherdral of St. Sophia, the historical centre…
At the request of His Holiness Aram I, Mr. and Mrs. Garo and SossĂŠ Eshgiyan, church members from the Western Prelacy, are funding the renovation of the Cilicia Museum; and Mr. and Mrs. Hovsep and Elizabeth Boyadjian, also from the Western Prelacy, are funding the renovation of St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. The renovations…
In 2020, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Aram I. On this occasion, the National Central Committee (NCC) has formed a special council to mark the 25 years of the pontifical mission and service of the Catholicos. The special council is composed of the co-chairs of the Religious…
The renovations of St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral of the Catholicosate of Cilicia commenced on August 20th, 2019, thanks to the generous donation of Mr. and Mrs. Hovsep & Elizabeth Boyadjian. The renovations will be completed in about two months, during which the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at the Mausoleum chapel, next to the…
On June 8th, 2019, the Diocesan National Representative Assembly of the Armenian Prelacy of Peria (Syria) elected His Grace Bishop Masis Zoboyan as the new prelate of the prelacy. Â His Holiness Aram I ratified the election in a Pontifical letter directed to the Assembly wishing the newly elected prelate success in his mission. The…
On Saturday, August 17th, 2019, the Armenian Church marked the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Pilgrimage Day of St. Mary Monastery in front of the open-air altar, in Bikfaya. His Holiness presided over the Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, and sung by the âNaregatsiâ childrenâs choir, led by…
On Friday evening, August 16th, 2019, on the eve of the feast of Assumption of St. Mary and the St. Mary Monastery Pilgrimage Day, a pilgrimage-march took place from St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias, to St. Mary Monastery, in Bikfaya, for the third consecutive year. More than one thousand faithful, including the Cilician…
Under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I and organized by the Christian Education Department, a week of special services, prayers, Bible studies, and daily celebration of the Divine Liturgy was held on 12th to 16th of August 2019, at St. Mary Monastery in Bikfaya, dedicated to the St. Mary Monasteryâs Pilgrimage Day. The…
On Monday, August 12th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of Armenia in Lebanon Vahagn Atapekyan and the Ambassador of Lebanon in Vatican Farid El Khazen, respectively. Â During his meeting with Mr. Atapekyan, His Holiness discussed issues pertaining ArmeniaâDiaspora relations, while with Mr. El Khazen, the Catholicos discussed the ChristianâMuslin conference to…
The Catholicosate of Cilicia is happy to announce the approval of the German government to support a Conservation and Restoration Project of its rare manuscripts within the collection of the Rescued Treasures of the Catholicosate of Cilicia. The project is entitle Safeguarding the Survival of the Rescued Treasures of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia…
On Tuesday, August 6th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I received Dr. Farid El Khazen, Lebanese Ambassador to the Vatican. Dr. El Khazen briefed His Holiness on the projects and developments in the relations between Lebanon and Vatican.
The Catholicosate of Cilicia, with the combined efforts of the Christian Education Department and the Armenian Theological Seminary, is holding its Summer Youth Academy for the second year, in Antelias. Armenian youth coming from the USA and Canada will spend two weeks at the Catholcosate to participate in an intensive program of the Bible, history…
His Holiness Aram I, after receiving the sad news of the passing of prof. Vahakn Dadrian on Sunday, August 4th, 2019, expressed his sorrow and stated that his passing away is a loss for the demands of the Armenian Cause. Â In 1999, His Holiness Aram I had bestowed upon the Prominent Armenian-American scholar and…
On Sunday, August 4th, 2019, during the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, His Holiness Aram I authorized the granting of the first four ranks of Vartabed to Rev. Fr. Bsag Tepirjian, Rev. Fr. Hovagim Panjarjian, Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian and Rev. Fr. Ardavazt Sharoyan. Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian was The Celebrant…
On Saturday evening, August 3rd, 2019, at the Armenian Theological Seminaryâs auditorium in Bikfaya, Rev. Fr. Bsag Tepirjian, Rev. Fr. Hovagim Panjarjian, Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian and Rev. Fr. Ardavazt Sharoyan defended their Doctoral theses in front of His Holiness Aram I. Their research projects focused on the analysis of correspondence between Catholicoi of Cilicia…
On Friday, August 2nd, 2019, the Ambassador of Armenia to the Vatican Karen Nazaryan and his wife visit His Holiness Aram I. Nazaryan is also the representative of the Republic of Armenia to the Order of Malta. Â The visit was an opportunity to talk about the relations between Vatican and the Catholicosate of Cilicia.…
On Tuesday, July 30th, a Christian-Muslim Summit was held at the Druze headquarters, in Beirut. His Holiness Aram I was present at the Summit accompanied by the Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon Archbishop Nareg Alemezian. The Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan delivered the opening remarks underlining that maintaining the inner unity…
On Monday evening, July 29th, 2019, His Holiness Aram I decorated artist Krikor Agopian with the âSt. Mesrob Mashdotsâ insignia, during a special ceremony held at the auditorium of the Armenian Theological Seminary, in Bikfaya. Addressing the artist in the special Encyclical issued on the occasion, His Holiness states that Agopian is a prominent…
