BISHOP NAREK ALEEMEZIAN SPEAKS ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT MEETING WITH SYRIAN PRESIDENT
Noyan Tapan
April 24, 2008
DAMASCUS, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Representative of
the Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I Bishop Narek Aleemezian was among
members of the delegation of the World Council of Churces that paid
an official visit to Damascus on April 19-22.
The purpose of the delegation’s visit was to have interchurch,
interreligios and state contacts and to meet with Iraqi refugees
in Syria.
On April 21 the delegation was received by the Syrian president Bashar
al-Asad. Bishop Narek Aleemezian conveyed greetings of the Catholicos
Aram I to the Syrian president. Speaking about the Armenian Genocide,
he reminded those present that Syria was the first country where
Armenians who had escaped the Genocide found refuge and saw warm
hospitality of Muslim and Christian Arabs. In response to these
words of gratitide of Bishop Narek Aleemezian, the Syrian president
spoke favorably of the Armenians of Syria, underlining their positive
constribution to social, religious and economic life of the country.
The delegation also met with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch
Ignatius IV, the Syrian Mufti Ahmad Bader Hassoun, the Greek-Catholic
Patriarch Gregorios III, monks of the Evangelical Church of Damascus,
the Assyrian Orthodox Patriarch Zagga I, and Iraqi refugees.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
