PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS MEETS WITH ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN MONTREAL
“ANTELIAS’ PRAYER IS COMMITMENT, STRUGGLE AND SERVICE”
SAYS THE PONTIFF
His Holiness Aram I met with around 250 leaders and representatives from
the Armenian community of Montreal on September 2005.
Representatives from Montreal’s Armenian political, cultural, educational,
social, sports’ and youth organizations and unions, religious officials,
teachers of Sunday Schools, members of their boards of trustees greeted His
Holiness in the “Aharonian” hall of Montreal’s Armenian Center (“Hay
Getron”).
Viken Tufenkjian delivered the opening remarks, speaking about His
Holiness’ 10-year tenure. Tufenkjian highlighting the wide scope of the work
carried out during this time and the flourishing of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia with all its dioceses as a result.
Tufenkjian also spoke about His Holiness’ international, ecumenical
activities, due to which the Armenian Church and the Catholicosate claimed
their rightful place in the community of churches.
Prelate Archbishop Khajag Hagopian then invited His Holiness to have an
honest discussion with the representatives of the community about issues
related to the Armenian Church and the nation’s collective life.
His Holiness welcomed the attendants, extending his Pontifical blessings
to them. He spoke about the role of the Armenian Church vis-à-vis the
challenges of the current world.
“Our church has an urgent need of reform. Today’s world has changed and
our church should adopt measures suitable to the current circumstances so
its service would be more effective,” said His Holiness.
His Holiness also spoke about the necessity of approaching the youth and
listening to their expectations. “The church is not a regular institution;
it’s a mission, a movement. Therefore, it has to approach the youth, not
only attracting them but also involving them in its mission.”
“Christian education should adopt new methods particularly in passing the
church’s moral teachings to Armenian children. Today’s religions should work
together to bring out the common aspects of their moral teachings and to
face the challenges of the current world,” stated His Holiness.
The Catholicos expressed his thoughts on Armenia-Diaspora cooperation. His
Holiness considered the strong Diaspora, which has preserved its Armenian
identity, as imperative for the strengthening of Armenia. His Holiness
assured that the true path for Armenia and the Diaspora is for each to
carefully carry out its role.
His Holiness Aram I also spoke about the efforts for the restoration of
the Armenian nation’s life and the work carried out within the context of
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. He highlighted the role of
the Catholicosate of Cilicia in this respect in the past decades.
“The church has a right to pursue this just cause, because it is the
foremost protector of human rights. Second, as a national church our church
can not remain indifferent to our nation’s suffering. Third, the
Catholicosate of Cilicia is itself a victim of the Armenian Genocide; with
its people, it is the holder of its rights and will therefore be the pursuer
of those rights until their restoration,” said His Holiness.
At the end of the meeting His Holiness questions related to national,
ecclesiastical, ecumenical and political issues concerning the Armenian
nation’s collective aims and worries.
Similar meetings are scheduled to take place with the youth in many cities
within the three dioceses of Northern America.
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the dioceses of
the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.