PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: jakeg@armeniandiocese.org
Website:

March 11, 2004
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ARCHBISHOP MEETS WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), focused on the Diocese’s ecumenical work this week,
through a series of meetings with religious leaders from around the New York
City area.

On Monday, March 8, 2004, the Primate, along with Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean
of St. Vartan Cathedral, met with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the recently
installed head of the Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn.

The Primate knew Bishop DiMarzio from the many years he had been involved in
the Newark, NJ, Diocese. The Primate and Fr. Chevian congratulated Bishop
DiMarzio on his recent appointment to head the Brooklyn Diocese — which has
290 parishes and 135 schools — and presented him with an icon from the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

On Wednesday, March 10, the Primate had a lunchtime meeting with Bishop Mark
Sisk, head of the Episcopal Church in New York City. The discussion covered
a variety of topics of concern to both denominations.

Next week, the Archbishop Barsamian will attend a series of meetings and
events with All His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of the
Orthodox Church, who is visiting New York City and delivering a public
lecture on Thursday, March 18, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
City, which has an exhibition on Byzantium art.

“It is important to meet with other religious leaders, to educate them about
the vital Armenian Church and to learn from their experiences,” the Primate
said. “By working together we can further our individual relationships with
God.”

— 3/11/04

E-mail photos available on request.

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), presents Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio,
head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, NY, with an icon from the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin during a meeting on March 8, 2004.

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Submitted by Janoyan Ana