Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
&quo t;THE YOUTH ARE CALLED TO GIVE A NEW VITALITY
TO THE ARMENIAN CHURCH"
Said His Holiness Aram I
In a powerful message addressed to youth gathering in Detroit, USA, on
Saturday December 2 2006, Catholicos Aram I challenged the Armenian youth to
take the renewal of the Armenian Church seriously: "We must be proud that
the Armenian Church is an ancient Church. We must remind ourselves that we
are the first Christian nation which accepted Christianity as a state
religion, but at the same time we must realize that our Church direly needs
renewal."
After identifying significant aspects of the Armenian Church, His Holiness
centered his reflection on the necessity of the renewal of the Armenian
Church: "By renewal I don’t understand certain adjustments within the
framework of the Armenian Liturgy. By renewal I don’t mean changing the
language of the Liturgy or introducing some changes in the administration or
the structure of the Church. That will be a very superficial and one sided
perceptional renewal. By renewal I understand making our Church a people’s
Church, impacting the life of our people. By renewal I mean making our
Church responsive to the needs and expectations of our people. By renewal I
mean reaffirming the missionary, evangelistic and educational outreach of
the Church. Therefore, the renewal must be perceived as a process permitting
the entire life of the Church."
At the end of his address, His Holiness engaged in dialogue with the youth
by responding to the many questions related basically to the renewal of the
Armenian Church.
The youth gathering, a unique event of its kind in the life of our Church in
North America, jointly organized by the three prelacies under the
jurisdiction of the Armenian Catholicosstae of Cilicia, has brought together
young adults from different parts of the USA and Canada.
The program of the gathering included testimonies, lectures, panel
discussions, informal meetings and a musical event. Worship and biblical
meditations were at heart of this gathering.
In his remarks Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Eastern USA, stressed the importance of grater
participation of the youth in our Church life. Through his biblical
meditation, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Western region, laid the emphasis on serving the spiritual
needs on people. The Prelate of Canada, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian in his
turn shared the concern of the youth and invited them to take an active part
in the reformation of the church.
The gathering was concluded by a firm commitment of the youth to remain
faithful to the very team of this event, "Your Church, your future, engage".
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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.