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: armenian@idx.com.au

5 September 2006

COMMUNITY OF SINGAPORE WELCOMES ARCHBISHOP BALIOZIAN

Sydney, Australia – Following his representation of His Holiness
Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians at the
VIII World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Kyoto, Japan, Primate
of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand,
His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian stopped over in Singapore
for a two day pastoral visit with the Armenian Community of Singapore.

The Archbishop was greeted at Singapore’s Changi Airport on Wednesday,
30th August by Mr Greg Basmajian, a trustee of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of St Gregory the Illuminator and Mrs Karine Sahagian, a
devoted volunteer of the Church office. A private dinner was held
the same evening to officially welcome the Primate to Singapore.

On Thursday and Friday, the Archbishop received visits from the
local Armenian Community at the Parsonage which provided excellent
opportunity for one-on-one meetings to establish closer acquaintances
and engage with the diverse range of expatriates. On Thursday evening
a dinner was organised with community members at the Park Royal Hotel
in honour of the visit where some dozen or so gathered in the presence
of the Archbishop.

The visit culminated on Friday evening with a prayer service in the
Armenian Church of St Gregory followed by a traditional Armenian dinner
in the Parsonage attended by 30 community members before Archbishop
Baliozian headed for a late flight home the same evening.

Whilst the small Armenian Community of Singapore maintains personal
connections with each other, it is rare opportunities such as this
that forge the Community together as a whole rooted in the spirit of
their heritage.

The Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator is
the oldest church in Singapore and is located at 60 Hill Street
Singapore. For information on the Church or the Armenian Community of
Singapore contact the Parsonage office by email armen60@singnet.com.sg