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: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
Watch the recorded video here:
sconsecration.wmv
ORDINATION AND CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS
IN ANTELIAS
His Holiness Aram I ordained V.Rev.Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian (Ecumenical
Officer of Norhtern America), V.Rev.Fr. Papken Charian (Primate of the
Diocese of Isfahan) and V.Rev.Fr. Neshan Topouzian (Primate of the Diocese
of Tabriz) as Bishops in the service of the Armenian Church. The Pontiff
conducted the ordination and consecration services on June 3 and 4 in the
St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias.
CALLING SERVICE AND SIGNING OF THE OATH
According to the rites of the Armenian Church, the calling service was held
in the Cathedral on the evening of June 3 in the presence of His Holiness
Aram I. Recommendations were read from the Executive Councils of each
corresponding diocese asking the Pontiff to ordain the three candidates as
bishops.
The various ranks or spiritual servants in the Armenian Church, acolytes,
sub-deacons, deacons, priests and bishops came up to His Holiness and bent
down before him. The Pontiff read out prayers as a testimony to the true
faith and the candidates then acknowledges the true faith according to the
doctrine of the Orthodox Church.
The candidates then knelt down and recited their oath, publicly pledging
loyalty to the Catholiocsate of Cilicia, obedience to the Pontiff and their
readiness to serve to the Armenian nation and Church.
ORDINATION AND CONSECRATION
The ordination of the Bishops was held on June 4. Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan (Primate of the Eastern Prelacy of the United States) and
Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian (Primate of the Diocese of Tehran) participated
in the service alongside the Catholicos. The assistant was Bishop Khoren
Doghramajian (Prelate of Greece).
The Pontiff consecrated the foreheads of right thumbs of bishops Anoushavan,
Papken and Neshan with Holy Chrism and gave them the bishops’ ring and
staff.
The Catholicos then delivered a sermon, pointing out that by taking up the
responsibility to serve the people, the newly ordained bishops will become
the servants of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s mission, showing commitment
towards all the tasks expected of them. He stressed the importance of
keeping the oath to remain loyal to the traditions and laws of the Armenian
Church, as well as the principles of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
“The prayers of the ordination had one outlook: the oath and loyalty to it.
The oaths of humbleness, integrity, holiness and obedience were mentioned
there. Today, once again you pledged to be obedient to God above anything
else and not to humans and their interests. To pledge and vow also mean to
be accountable to God and to have not our selves in front of us, but God and
our service. We are not in need of numbers, but spirituals who would be
loyal to their pledges, who would work for the achievement of God’s plan and
not their personal agendas. As such, you will bring the people close to God
and God closer to the people through your service and God-centered life,”
said His Holiness.
During “Voghtchouyn” members of the Cilician Brotherhood and other
spirituals came up to the altar to congratulate the newly ordained bishops.
A large number of the faithful from the Eastern Diocese of the United
States, Isfahan, Tabriz and various regions in Lebanon expressed their love
to the Pontiff by kissing his right hand after the ordination service. The
faithful then received the first blessings of the newly ordained bishops.
The Catholicosate’s choir then performed the Pontifical Song and “Cilicia”.
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View photos here: tm
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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
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.