PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Prelacy of Canada
Contact Name: Dania Ohanian
Phone: (514) 856-1200
3401 Olivar Asselin
Montreal, Qc H4J 1L5
E-mail: daniao@armenianprelacy.ca

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos,
Begins North American Visit in Montreal on September 22

Montreal, Qc_ His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate
of Cilicia, will officially begin His North American Pontifical visit in
Montreal with a meeting with the local community at the Sourp Hagop Armenian
Apostolic Cathedral at 7pm on September 22, 2005.

His Holiness will be in Canada until October 5, 2005 and will be visiting
the churches and community centres of Laval, Toronto, Cambridge and St.
Catharines. During His stay, His Holiness will also be meeting with
politicians, diplomats, as well as with religious leaders, and
representatives of the Canadian Bible Society.

Key public appointments for the Pontifical visit of His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos, for Montreal and Laval are:

· Meeting with Armenian organizations, Armenian Community Centre,
Friday September 23, 8pm to 10pm
· Official Banquet Reception, Armenian Community Centre, Saturday
September 24, 7pm
· Divine Liturgy, Bon Pasteur Catholic Church in Laval, Sunday
September 25, 11am
· Celebration of the 1600th Anniversary of the Armenian Alphabet &
the 75th Anniversary of the Catholicosate Seminary, Pierre Mercure Hall in
Montreal, Sunday September 25, 7pm-9:30pm
· Meeting with Armenian students and youth, Armenian Community
Centre, Monday September 26, 8pm to 10pm.

The key public appointments for Ontario are:

· Meeting with Toronto community, St. Mary Armenian Apostolic
Church, 8pm
· Meeting with community’s religious and political leaders, Toronto
Armenian Community Centre, Friday September 30, 6pm to 7:30pm
· Celebratory Banquet in Honour of the 75th Anniversary of the
Catholicosate’s Seminary and the 10th Anniversary of His enthronement as
Catholicos, Toronto Armenian Community Centre, Friday September 30, 8pm to
10pm
· Meeting with Armenian organizations, Toronto Armenian Community
Centre, Saturday October 1, 11am to 1pm
· Official Banquet Reception, Toronto Armenian Community Centre,
Saturday October 1, 7:30pm
· Divine Liturgy, St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, Sunday October
2, 11am
· Meeting with community and Banquet, Sourp Nishan Armenian
Apostolic Church in Cambridge, Sunday October 2, 8pm
Meeting with community and Banquet, St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church in
St. Catharines, Tuesday October 4, 6:30pm
Dinner meeting with Armenian students and youth, Toronto Armenian Community
Centre, Monday October 3, 8pm to 10pm.

This historical visit by His Holiness is in homage of the 75th anniversary
of the Catholicosate’s Seminary in Antelias, Lebanon, and the ten-year
anniversary of His Holiness Aram I as Catholicos of the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia.

Born in 1947, in Beirut, Lebanon, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I studied at
the Armenian Theological Seminary in Antelias, and the Ecumenical Institute
of Bossey in Geneva, Switzerland, before receiving His M.Div. from the Near
East School of Theology. He received jointly His S.T.M. from the American
University of Beirut and the Near East School of Theology.

His Holiness later obtained His PhD from Fordham University in New York and
also holds several honorary degrees. His major areas of specialization are
philosophy, systematic theology, and Near Eastern church history.

Catholicos Aram I was ordained a celibate priest in 1968, and obtained the
title of Vartabed (Doctor of the Armenian Church) in 1970. In 1979, after
serving as Locum Tenens for one year, He was elected Primate of the Armenian
Orthodox Community in Lebanon and received His Episcopal ordination the
following year.

In June 1995, His Holiness was elected Catholicos (Head of the Church) by
the Electoral Assembly of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia (35 clergy
and 115 lay representatives), and was consecrated a week later.

Since His enthronement, His Holiness has reorganized and revitalized the
work of the Church, particularly in the areas of theological and Christian
education, has increased the number of publications, has improved
communication with other churches and religious leaders, has augmented the
scope of cultural activities, and promoted peace and justice, and human
rights internationally.

Catholicos Aram I has previously visited all the Middle-Eastern, European,
South and North American dioceses of the Catholicosate.

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