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 MEETS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE
WCC DIAKONIA AND SOLIDARITY MIDDLE EAST DESK

His Holiness Aram I met with the director of the WCC Diakonia and Solidarity
Middle East Desk, Dr. Michel Nseir, in Bikfayya on August 24. Dr. Nseir had
come to consult with His Holiness on the problems the WCC faces in the
Middle East.

The two talked about issues related to cooperation between the churches in
Jerusalem and the World Council of Churches. They also discussed problems
related to the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

His Holiness and Dr. Nseir also discussed about the activities and work of
the Middle East Council of Churches and the agendas of the two upcoming
ecumenical meetings in Damascus and Beirut.

The first meeting will look into preparing the delegates form the Middle
East to participate in WCC’s 9th congress in Brazil in 2006. The agenda of
the second meeting will include discussions about the possibility of
cooperation between ecclesiastical organizations and churches.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia will send delegates to both of these
conferences. The primate of the Diocese of Tehran, Archbishop Sebouh
Sarkissian and the Ecumenical Officer of the Catholicosate, Bishop Nareg
Alemezian, will participate in the meeting to be held in Damascus.

The chairwoman of the Catholicosate’s ecumenical committee, Dr. Nora
Bairakdarian-Kabakian will participate in the meeting to be held in Beirut.

His Holiness made certain recommendations to Dr. Nseir on how to render WCC’
s Middle Eastern department more active and effective.

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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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress