FOR FIRST TIME DEPUTY FOR FIRST TIME VICAR CATHOLICOS FOR GULF
COUNTRIES

AL KUWAIT, December 30 (Noyan Tapan). In accordance with the statutes
of the Armenian Diocese of Kuwait and the Persian Gulf countries, the
Diocese consists of the Armenian flock of Kuwait, the United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman. But till 2003 no religious and
national structures and no organized communal life existed, except for
Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The center of these structure was
in Kuwait, where the residence of the Head of Diocese is situated.

In April, Archbishop Koryun Papyan, the Vicar of Catholicos of the
Gulf countries, visited the Armenians of Qatar, whose total number
makes 170 persons and served a liturgy himself. Consulting with the
Qatar compatriots, the Archbishop established the national
administration of Qatar, which has been engaged in the spiritual needs
of the Armenians of Qatar and the religious upbringing of the youth
several months now, by holding meetings and communicating with the
Archbishop.

Recently the Armenians of Bahrain had also the honor to receive
Archbishop Koryun Papyan for the first time.

The Archbishop began the liturgy with the “Khorhurd Khorin” sharakan
at the chapel situated in the Hawalli district and used by both the
Catholic and Protestant churches. The singing party of the liturgy was
performed by Priest Aram Delirmenjian.

Then the Archbishop preached about the historic mission of the
Armenian Church, which always patronizes the children of the Armenian
people, as well as Armenia and the Diaspora. “It is that sacred
mission, which the Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House headed by
Holy Patriarch Aram I carried out jointly with the Cilician Mother See
Church under the heaviest Diasporan conditions,” said Koryun Papyan.

During the holy liturgy all the participants received the
Eucharist. At the end of the liturgy the water-consecration was also
held. And after the Archbishop’s homily the requiem was carried out,
during which the names of the late relatives of the present faithful
were mentioned by their request.

The dinner with the participation of all the Armenians of Bahrain and
Khoubar took place after the liturgy.

According to the press divan of the Residence of the Head of the
Diocese of Kuwait, 60 to 70 Armenians lived in Bahrain in the 80s, but
now their number decreased and made 15-20 persons. There are over 50
Armenians in Khoubar Saudia, near Bahrain.