PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: +374-10-517163
Fax: +374-10-517301
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website:
March 12, 2007
Inter-Diocesan Youth Meeting in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Under the direction and with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, a two-day Inter-Diocesan
meeting of youth, representing various dioceses of the Armenian Church
convened in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on March 6. His Eminence
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian
Church of North America, presided during the meetings.
His Holiness Karekin II had previously appointed Abp. Hovnan Derderian to
continue the work of organizing Armenian youth from throughout the world,
first begun during the 2001 Youth Pilgrimage to Armenia. The purpose of
this gathering was to begin formalizing the work in establishing an
International Armenian Church Youth Organization. The headquarters of the
new global ACYO will be located in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Rev.
Fr. Nishan Petrosian has been appointed by His Holiness to assist Abp.
Derderian in the daily operational responsibilities of the office.
Present for the meeting were 70 young men and women representing the
Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople and more than 25 Armenian dioceses
from throughout the world. The delegates had been appointed by their
respective diocesan primates. Also attending the meetings was Very Rev. Fr.
Aren Shahinian, pastor of the Armenian community of Italy, as well as a
number of upperclassmen from the Gevorkian and Vaskenian Theological
Seminaries of the Mother See.
In his opening remarks, Abp. Derderian welcomed the participants and noted,
`This day is a historic one in your lives, because today we formally
establish the International Armenian Church Youth Organization. Although
local and diocesan youth organizations operate within individual dioceses of
the Armenian Church, the purpose of this meeting is to establish an
international organization which will function with the same objectives
under the auspices of the Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Mother See
of Holy Etchmiadzin’.
His Eminence further asked the young men and women to use this opportunity
for introspection, and to be `strengthened by the mission of God and to
strengthen that same mission within their own souls.’ Recalling the
beginnings of this youth movement in the days of the 1700th Anniversary
Pilgrimage to Armenia, His Eminence stated, `Our faith should become an
opportunity for transformation so that every step in our service should
become a way to rise closer to God.’
The meeting commenced with a discussion of the goal and the overall nature
and scope of the organization. The youth participants were divided into
smaller groups to allow for comprehensive discussion and to give the
representatives the opportunity to become better acquainted with one
another. Upon completion of the group discussions, each presented a report
to the entire body for further discussion and analysis of the concept and
purpose of the organization.
During the second session, individual members discussed the specific
experiences and needs of their particular diocesan youth organizations,
giving the participants a broader perspective of the overall mission of the
ACYO. Also during the second session, His Eminence appointed an interim
Central Council, whose members are charged with preparing the first
international assembly of delegates for the ACYO, scheduled for 2008. Once
the members of the interim Central Council are approved by their respective
diocesan primates, the list shall be submitted to His Holiness Karekin II
and the Supreme Spiritual Council for formal adoption. The first elected
Central Council for the International ACYO will be selected from among the
delegates in attendance at the assembly in 2008. His Eminence also
appointed a number of subcommittees, including Website Development,
Publicity, By-Laws Creation and Pilgrimage Planning.
In the afternoon of the same day, His Holiness Karekin II received the
participants of the meeting in the pontifical residence. His Holiness
welcomed them to Holy Etchmiadzin, extended to them his fatherly blessings
and spent time getting acquainted with each delegate.
His Holiness stated that the establishment of a pan-national organization of
young men and women who love and serve the Church was essential to the
realization of the long-term mission of the Holy Apostolic Armenian Church.
He stated, `the Church should have its role and presence in all spheres of
life. This responsibility belongs to not only clergymen, but also the
laity, and especially, the younger generation… The voices of the youth
should be heard in all church institutions, because only by knowing
firsthand the challenges facing the nation and the Church, can you
contribute to the formation of a healthy spiritual life and find solutions
to the problems which face us.’
The Catholicos of All Armenians also held a question and answer session with
the young men and women, answering their questions and concerns on a wide
range of topics. At the conclusion of the audience, His Holiness expressed
his appreciation to Abp. Derderian for his continuing vigorous and
conscientious work.
The meetings continued on the following day, March 7, at the Araratian
Pontifical Diocesan headquarters in Yerevan. Abp. Derderian reconvened the
meeting with a review of the first day and outlined the planning and
discussion topics aimed at successfully implementing the 2008 inaugural
assembly. The interim Central Council decided to meet at least two more
times prior to the assembly, and that regional diocesan meetings in Armenia,
as well as the dioceses abroad, would be organized and convened to maintain
communication, provide additional information as it becomes available,
continue discussions and dialogue, provide opportunity for direct regional
input on a variety of topics and to encourage full regional representation.
The final number of delegates to the 2008 assembly will be determined by the
interim Central Council and communicated to the dioceses to aid in their
planning and attendance. The next meeting of the interim Central Council is
scheduled for June of this year in Holy Etchmiadzin.
The results of the two day meeting were presented to the Supreme Spiritual
Council by Abp. Derderian.