PRESS OFFICE
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese
Contact; Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont Quebec H2V 3H2
Tel; 514-276-9479, Fax; 514-276-9960
Email; adiocese@aol.com Website;

CLERGY MEETING
OF THE CANADIAN ARMENIAN CHURCH DIOCESE
WAS HELD IN VANCOUVER

The conference of the clergy of the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian
Church was held on Friday May 28, in Saint Vartan Armenian Apostolic
Church of Vancouver, presided by His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian,
Primate.

Main items on the agenda were issues related to the mission of the
Church and discussion of activities of the past year. The invocation
was offered by the Primate, who conducted a ceremony of Church Rites,
Prayers and Readings of Psalms as well as hymns dedicated to the repose
of the soul of the first Primate of the Canadian Diocese Archbishop
Vazken Keshishian. Bishop Galstanian interpreted the message from
the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 17). Pointing its relevance to
our contemporary issues, His Eminence said that “the formation of a
community is the reflection of the Holy Trinity. The Church is involved
in that mission, by trying to change not just the shape of the world,
but to change its essence. The Church is against the world, but for
the world. Today, particularly on these shores, it is our sacred duty
to lead our children to spiritual life and to orthodox faith”.

The clergy conference then discussed in detail the spiritual and
re-organizational activities of the Primate during the past year of
his tenure. The conference highly commended the tireless efforts of the
Primate of creating the Department of Christian Education that actively
pursues its objectives, with a special attention on programs of Sunday
Schools and the training of teachers for Christian Education. This
year a special project has been embarked upon for children attending
Diocesan Summer Camp, including teaching of our Church History, Rites
and Hymns based on modern pedagogical principles. The conference
welcomed the initiative of the Primate of establishing the new
approach of Feast Days (visit our website ),
that has created a new enthusiasm in our faithful.

The Clergy Conference noted with pride the visits and meetings that
the Primate held with heads of sister churches of the Roman Catholic,
Anglican and Evangelical churches, as well as with Islamic religious
leaders, all of which will certainly have a positive impact on the
future course of the Diocesan activities. The Conference welcomed with
joy the arrival of Rev. Fr. Hayrig Hovhannessian, who has been called
to serve our Diocese upon the directive of His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

The conference ended by prayers to Almighty God for the repose of
the souls of martyrs of the First Republic of Armenia, of the battles
of Sartarabad, Pashaparan and Gharakiliseh. Prayers were then raised
for the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and for the
health of His Holiness the Catholicos, as well as for the strengthening
of the Motherland, Armenia.

The Conference was closed by the Lord’s Prayer and by singing of the
hymn “Etchmiadzin I Hore”.

Divan of the Diocese

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress