Australia Primate Returns To Sydney From International Meetings

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]

12 March 2006

PRIMATE RETURNS TO SYDNEY FROM INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

Sydney, Australia – In the late evening of Thursday, 9 March, 2006 His
Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Australia and New Zealand was welcomed at Sydney airport by Church
clergy and Church Council members after a journey of international
assemblies and fraternal meetings. Before returning to the Prelacy, a
prayer service, led by His Eminence and accompanied by Very Reverend Father
Vardan Navasardyan was held in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy
Resurrection thanking the Almighty for safe passage and return.

In early February, Archbishop Baliozian left Sydney commencing his 5-week
journey with a fraternal visit to the Diocese of Argentina as a guest of His
Eminence Archbishop Kissag Mouradian. This visit would be a prelude to his
travels in South America where he subsequently joined the delegation from
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for the 9th Assembly of the World Council
of Churches held in Porto Alegre, Brazil from 14-23 February. The
delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church comprised of 14 ordained, lay,
women and youth representatives.

At the Assembly, His Grace Bishop Vicken Aikazian and Yeretsgin Paula
Devejian from Etchmiadzin were elected to the Central Committee of the WCC
with Bishop Aikazian elected to the Executive Committee. His Eminence
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian completed his term as a member of the Central
Committee representing the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1998.

At the conclusion of the Assembly, Archbishop Baliozian left for Sao Paulo
to visit with His Eminence Archbishop Datev Gharibian and the Armenian
Community before embarking on his passage to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin for the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council Meeting that was held
between 1-3 March.

Presided by His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, the Catholicos opened the Meeting with the Lord’s Prayer and in
his welcoming address appealed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead
the participants in the decision-making process. The Meeting primarily
examined issues relating to the daily life of the Church.

The Supreme Ecclesiastical Council is made up of His Holiness as President,
the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople as Chairmen, 12 clergy and 8
laymen. The function of the Council is decision-making on matters
pertaining to the Armenian Church and an advisory role to the Catholicos.

Archbishop Baliozian made his return journey to Australia via the United
States with a brief stay in Los Angeles where he paid a fraternal visit to
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of North America.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress