PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Dania Ohanian
Armenian Prelacy of Canada
3401 Olivar Asselin
Montreal, QC, H4J 1L5
Tel: (514) 856-1200
Fax: (514) 856-1805
Email: [email protected]
Montreal’s Armenian Community Greets His Holiness Aram I Catholicos
Montreal, Qc_ A large crowd of people awaited the arrival of His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia at the Armenian
Community Centre on the evening of September 22, 2005.
A procession of clergy, the church’s choir and HMEM scouts greeted His
Holiness at the entrance of the centre, where He was escorted by His
Eminence Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of
Canada, His Eminence Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, His Eminence Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the United States,
as well as members of the religious and executive council and
representatives of sister organizations.
“Towards the Light of Knowledge,” this Pontifical 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
enthronement as Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. This
year also marks the 1600th anniversary of the conception of the Armenian
Alphabet and the 90th commemorative anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
With respect to the legacy His Holiness began since His enthronement, He
emphasized in His message to all the faithful present that the role of the
Armenian Church is to serve its people in every way possible because that is
where the Church’s pride, hope and respect lie.
His Holiness also urged cooperation, tolerance, open communication and
dialogue between all Armenians whether they are Apostolic, Catholic or
Evangelical, stating that we all share the same history, culture and
homeland.
After the traditional “kissing of the ring,” His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos, visited the recently built Armenian Prelacy of Canada.
His Holiness will be visiting the Sourp Hagop Armenian Day School and will
be meeting with members of local sister organizations in the evening of
Spetember 23, 2005.