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:

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FUND CREATES NEW CULTURAL AND CHARITY PROSPECTS
FOR THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
By Fr. Krikor Chiftjian

It was a pleasure to find out from the media about the establishment of the
"Khatchig Babikian" Fund under the sponsorship of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia. This fund creates new cultural and charity prospects for this Holy
See that fulfills its existence as a mission for serving.

Charity and the fulfillment of the needs of the faithful are the most
sincere and just mission of the Christian Church and particularly our
national church. This is how the Son of God has grasped his earthly mission
and passed it on to his followers.

The church established by Christ is today obliged to achieve the mission it
inherited from its Head, combining to it the essential job of reaching out
to the concerns and difficulties its believers and current times. The
spiritual mission of the church includes the educational, cultural and
social problems of its believers, which, now more than ever, have come to
challenge all churches and nations.

Referring to the Church’s mission, His Holiness Aram I says: "The Church,
the body of Christ, finds its being and achieves its true calling when it
reaches out to people in the life of service. This is the church: service,
not the building, not an authority. It is with this realization that we try
to guide our church towards our people through the service of Catholicosate
of Cilicia."

Established under the sponsorship of our Holy See, this fund was founded by
the name and wish of Khatchig Babikian, Esq., former chairman of the Central
Executive Council. Shortly before his death, the late Babikian held long
discussions with His Holiness Aram I to establish the basis of this fund,
the rightful sponsor of which is the Catholicosate of Cilicia.

A special committee has been formed to manage the income resulting from the
interests of the fund’s capital, a sum of five million US Dollars. This will
be done under the direct supervision of the Pontiff.

In the cultural field, the fund’s income will be dedicated to publishing
works. The publishing work will mostly focus on books related to the
Armenian Cause, political thought and international law. This also rightly
forms part of the church’s mission, because being a spiritual house that
fights for justice and peace, the Church should, in the name of God, raise
its voice bravely defending the violated rights of those abandoned and
deprived. There are individual and collective rights of people and nations,
the defender of which is the church with all its potential and moral
authority.

In the educational field, the fund will support the Armenian National
Schools of Lebanon with annual donations, contributing to the Armenian
education of new generations.

These are charity, educational, cultural and national struggle prospects
that have come to life during the last decades on the Catholicosate of
Cilicia’s path of service. But today, with thus fund, these prospects shine
with new excitement in the minds of people with vision, will and commitment.

When someone donates money earned with his sweat to this Holy See, we return
it to our nation as dedication and service.

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