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 ARAM I VISITS THE AZOUNIEH ARMENIAN NATIONAL SANATORIUM
AND THE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL OF DURZIS IN SHOUF

His Holiness Aram I visited the Azounieh Armenian National Sanatorium
in Shouf on July 16 with members of the Cilician Brotherhood. His
Holiness was received by the Board of Trustees of the sanatorium and
its staff.

The visit was an opportunity for His Holiness to get closely acquainted
with the activities of the Sanatorium and to review some plans that
will be implemented in the future for the purpose of reforming the
institution.

The members of the Board of Trustees of the Azounieh Sanatorium and
particularly its chairman Zohrab Torigian gave detailed explanations
to His Holiness on these matters. His Holiness also visited the
patients and the elderly and gave them his blessings, wishing for
their well-being and recovery.

The Board of Trustees of the sanatorium have planned a number of
construction projects both inside and around the sanatorium. The
institute currently hosts around 100 patients.

The chairman of the Board of Trustees of the community hospital
of Shouf’s Durzis, Dr. Abbas Halabi visited the Azounieh National
Sanatorium on the occasion of His Holiness’ visit to the region and
met with the Catholicos and the Board of Trustees of the sanatorium.

His Holiness Aram I then visited the community hospital of the Durzis,
where he was met with the religious and secular governors of the
hospital, the members of its medical committee and staff. His Holiness
Aram I was informed about the humanitarian mission of the hospital,
the services it offers and the modern medical equipment it possesses.

The director of the hospital welcomed His Holiness, a visitor
he regarded as “a champion of Christian-Muslim dialogue, who has
come to us to become a tangible example of inter-confessional and
inter-religious coexistence and cooperation.”

His Holiness commended the work carried out by the hospital under
the supervision of Dr. Halabi. He highlighted the imperative of
transforming inter-confessional coexistence into cooperation with
everyone’s positive participation.

His Holiness considered the visit an opportunity for cooperation with
the hospital and the Azounieh National Sanatorium, “two dedicated
institutions serving the same cause and bound together by good
neighborly relations for many years.”

His Holiness toured around all the departments of the hospital and
the building that shelters the elderly with the Board of Trustees
and the medical committee.

The visit became an opportunity for the two sides to familiarize one
another with the activities of the two institutions and to discuss
possibilities for future cooperation.

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View pictures 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.