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
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"THE POWER OF INSTITUTIONS IS TRANSIENT, BUT THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS
PERMANENT"
STATED HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
On Saturday 10 October 2009 at 6:00 o’clock in the evening, as the
representatives of Armenia and Turkey and those of the international
community were preparing to sign the agreement, thousands of Armenians
gathered in front of the Chapel of the Martyrs at the Catholicosate in
Antelias to reaffirm their demand for justice and the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkish government in 1915.
After a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide,
His Holiness Aram I said: "As I stand today in front of the Chapel of
Martyrs where the relics of the victims of the genocide have found their
rest, and as I stand next to the mausoleum of Catholicos Sahak of Cilicia
who had to leave his See (including the land, the churches and the
monasteries in Sis Cilicia to find refuge in Lebanon, I cannot but share
your anger and grief."
He declared that the history of The Armenian Church and people have shown
that Armenians have always responded to the challenges at decisive moments
of their lives through a collective "YES" and a collective "NO". This
collective expression of the "Yes" and the "No" has always reflected the
faith, vision and hope of the nation. His Holiness asserted: "The Church is
the community of the faithful. It believes in people’s collective power and
listens to their just demands as an expression of their collective will.
Churches, governments and all human institutions are sustained by the
people. The power of institutions is transient, but the power of the people
is permanent." Therefore, continued His Holiness Aram I "the Church must
listen to the authority of the people empowered and guided by Gospel values,
because our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Let your word be "Yes, Yes" or "No, No";
anything more than this comes from the evil one."(Mathew 5:37). And "if you
have ears then hear" (Mark 4:8). How can the Church remain silent when the
world community rewards impunity instead of defending Human Rights? How can
the United Nations, the defender of justice, and the signatory countries of
international convenctions endorse agreements that ignore the Armenian
Genocide?"
His Holiness Aram I then concluded: "the Armenian Church has been with the
people and is the peoples’ church; it has identified itself with the
concerns, needs and aspirations of the people. The Church cannot remain
silent today when the demands for justice of our martyrs and the demands for
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide of are being ignored. We say "No"
to attempts that will reduce the demand to justice to placing wreathes and
lighting candles. Is there any religion, any moral authority that will deny
justice, human rights and human dignity to a people and compensate impunity?
It is out of this imperative that as Catholicos of Cilicia I will stand up
for your collective will."
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View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos402.htm
http://www.ArmenianOrthodox Church.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos403.htm
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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 history and
the mission 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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
