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: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS VISITS THE INTER-FAITH AND CULTURAL COMMUNICATION CENTER
OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

His Holiness Aram I together with Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian,
primate of the Diocese of Tehran and Armenian parliamentarians in
Iran, visited the Inter-faith dialogue and Cultural Communication
Center of the Islamic Republic of Iran on May 17.

A high level reception was organized by Ayatollah Mohammed Iraki, the head
of the center. Senior officials of the center, specialists of
Christian-Muslim dialogue and university professors attended the reception.
The founder of the center and its former president, Ayatollah Taskhiri also
attended the reception to welcome his personal friend, Aram I.

In welcoming His Holiness Aram I in the center Ayatollah Iraki highlighted
the important contribution of the Catholicos to the field of inter-faith
dialogue.

His Holiness Aram I underlined the importance of the coexistence of
religions, mutual recognition, tolerance and cooperation. He said that
religions must promote common moral values, combat violence in all its forms
and expressions, and must be involved in peace-building efforts.

The meeting, which lasted almost two hours, turned into a session on
Christian-Muslim dialogue, with a variety of issues related to the two
religions’ social, moral and theological principles being discussed. The two
Muslim leaders praised the positive role His Holiness plays on the
international arena for the development of Christian-Muslim dialogue.

The first of the above mentioned conferences organized jointly by the
Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Islamic Republic of Iran was held in
Tehran, the second took place in Antelias and the third will be held in
Tehran again in the future.

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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 Ecumenical
activities 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.