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 STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH,
COMMUNAL LIFE AND UNITY DURING THE FIRST LEG OF HIS SYRIAN TRIP
His Holiness Aram I departed for a Pontifical visit to Syria on May 18
after canonical prayers held in the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in
Antelias. Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian then
accompanied the Catholicos and his delegation to the Lebanese-Syrian border.
On the way to Syria, His Holiness was greeted by the students of the
Kherimian-Noubarian Armenian School in Tripoli and the city’s community
representatives, who accompanied him to the St. Hokekalousd Church. The
Pontiff blessed the city’s Armenian community members and advised them to
maintain an active life by gathering around the church.
The Catholicos was welcomed on the Lebanese-Syrian border by the Primate
of the Diocese of Aleppo, Bishop Shahan Sarkissian, members of the Religious
and Political councils and representatives of Armenian community
organizations and unions based in Syria. His Holiness’ convoy moved towards
Aleppo, the first stop of his visit to Syria.
At the entrance of Aleppo the people welcomed the Catholicos, who started
to walk with his procession through the ranks of thousands of Armenian
faithful, students, HMEM and HMM scouts. The procession marched through the
streets reaching the St. Karasnits Mangants Church, amid a cheering crowd
and the flowers and rice descending from the balconies.
The Pontiff’s procession included the Primate of Aleppo, Bishop Shahan,
Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian, V. Rev. Fr. Vahan Berberian, Pontifical Vicar to
Jezire Fr. Massis Zobouian and Rev. Fr. Mesrob Sarkissian.
On the sounds of "Herashapar" His Holiness then entered the centuries-old
Church packed with a large number of faithful. Primate Shahan welcomed the
Catholicos’ visit, which received an unprecedented popular welcome as a sign
of the Syrian-Armenian community’s love for and attachment to the Armenian
Church and its Spiritual Head.
The Catholicos addressed the large number of faithful and on behalf of the
Syrian-Armenian community and the Armenian nation as a whole he expressed
gratitude to Syria and the Syrian people, who "took care of our nation’s
skeletal remains, shared their bread with our martyred nation’s survivors,
when our enemy was massacring us physically, spiritually, culturally and had
decided to annihilate an entire nation."
"Do not forget that the scene of our nation’s martyrdom, Der Zor, is found
on Syrian ground. For all the children of our nation it is a sanctity soaked
in the blood of our martyrs. The sand of Der-Zor is still wet with the tears
and blood of Armenians and the remains of our fathers and mothers reinforce
our will for struggle with each passing day," the Pontiff said.
During his sermon the Catholicos emphasized three main points:
1. The strengthening of faith: His Holiness called for gathering around
the life of the Church and preserving faith. "Our true Mother is the Church,
where our faith grows. Our church’s lamp is lit with the faith of our
forefathers and is beaming today. We shall fill the oil of that lamp with
the attachment and faith we have in our church," he said.
2. The development of communal life. "Outside the church and away from it
Armenian life weakens, our identity is doomed to deteriorate. It is the
church and communal, national life that keep us together. Away from this
life our future and the future of our succeeding generations becomes
unknown. Therefore, let’s gather around the Prelacy and keep our communal
life lively," the Pontiff advised.
3. The strengthening of unity, where the Catholicos stressed the
imperative of participating in the life of the Armenian Church and nation.
"Away from the life of the Church and nation, we are individuals, but in our
collective life, in our unity, we become part of that great nation whose
history is full of achievements. Through our active participation in
collective life, we also contribute to building our nation’s future, its
persistence and eternity," he added.
After the faithful kissed the Catholicos’ right hand in the church, he
chaired the meeting of the community’s National Council’s meeting. The
Primate presented a report on the Diocese’s activities, highlighting both
its achievements and failures, and talking about its future plans.
His Holiness gave his advise on a number of issues, emphasizing
particularly the importance of exerting systematic efforts in the fields of
Christian and Armenian education and the national struggle both on local and
regional levels.
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View the photos here:
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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.
