PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
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PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
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‘THE BIRTH OF JESUS OF BETHLEHEM IS THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE OF LOVE, JUSTICE
AND RECONCILIATION’
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
On Thursday 6 January 2011, His Holiness Aram I celebrated the Christmas
Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Antelias. The
President of the Republic of Lebanon, H.E. Michel Sleiman and the Speaker of
the House H.E. Nabih Berri were represented respectively by the Minister of
State Jean Oghassabian and Member of Parliament Hagop Pakradouni.
In his sermon, His Holiness Aram I said that the purpose of Incarnation was
to proclaim the Kingdom of God based on the values of love, justice and
reconciliation and make disciples to live out their faith based on these
values. He then showed what would such a discipleship mean to the Church, to
the Armenian people everywhere and particularly in Lebanon, and finally to
Christian presence in the Middle East.
“To be Church” he said “means to continue Christ’s mission to establish the
values of love, justice and reconciliation through its outreach.” Addressing
the Armenian people, he said: “We were the first nation to accept the
message of Jesus in 301 AD. Throughout our history of persecutions we have
remained truthful to our Christian faith. We shall continue our journey of
faith based on love, justice and reconciliation wherever we are.”
Catholicos Aram I then addressed the people in Lebanon and said: “Lebanon
is the country of co-existence, which means a life together based on
commonly agreed values such as mutual love and respect, equality and
justice. I thank the Almighty today that we do not have religious conflicts.
However, we should overcome our political sensitivities for the sake of the
sovereignty and integrity of Lebanon.” He then continued, “all the
confessional communities and political parties in this country are fully
Lebanese. I am confident that their positions and claims aim at safeguarding
Lebanon. We should not depend on the ‘other’, but work together to establish
peaceful co-habitation in Lebanon because our primary allegiance goes to
Lebanon.”
Referring to Christian presence in the Middle East, His Holiness Aram I
said: “Christianity was born in the Middle East. Jesus was born in
Palestine, and he began his public ministry in Palestine. Christianity
spread out to the world from Jerusalem. Christians have made the history of
the region and contributed to the creation of Middle Eastern Civilization
through their faith, their thoughts and their martyrdom. We therefore,
denounce all acts of violence against Christians and churches that are
happening in Iraq, Egypt and other places. Irrespective of all difficulties,
as people of the region, and based on the values of love, justice and
reconciliation that Christ has shared, Christians will remain in the Middle
East. Christian-Muslim relations are founded on shared values of love,
justice and reconciliation; these relations are the product of thousands of
years of life together. Therefore, Christians and Muslims will continue to
seek together justice peace and prosperity in the region.”
During the next few days His Holiness Aram I received religious and
political leaders, as well as representative of civil society organizations
congratulating him on the occasion of Armenian Christmas.
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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 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: A. Papazian