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 December 2006

CELEBRATING 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRIMATESHIP OF HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP
AGHAN BALIOZIAN

Sydney, Australia – It was almost twenty-five years to the day when
35 year old Father Aghan Baliozian was installed the new Primate of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand in
an investiture ceremony.

To celebrate this milestone anniversary, a gala banquet was held
to honour the Primateship of Archbishop Baliozian on Saturday, 25
November, 2006 at Sheraton on the Park Hotel, Sydney.

It was a night of reflection and celebration to tribute not only the
head of the Armenian Church in the Asia-Pacific but the leader of
Armenian Communities in the region.

Present at the banquet were heads of churches in Australia including
His Eminence Cardinal George Pell (Catholic Archbishop of Sydney);
government officials; clergy; community members and representatives
of Armenian organisations; overseas visitors from India, Hong Kong and
China; Chairman of the Armenian Church Council of Victoria; family and
friends. The elegant evening was accompanied by cultural performances,
tributes and presentations.

What became a running theme throughout the evening and a realisation
for all was the great impact Archbishop Baliozian has made to the
development of the emerging Australian-Armenian community, the bridges
he has built between Armenians in Asia and his role as an envoy for
ecumenism. This was highlighted through a visual presentation of "His
Life Journey" which saw the passage of a young boy with the baptismal
name of Yeghia Baliozian whose only interest was to play football to
the leader who became the head of the Armenian Community of Australia.

Throughout the last 25 years under the guidance of Archbishop
Baliozian, community infrastructures in the parishes of Australia
have blossomed with the establishment of Armenian schools, cultural
centres, welfare programs and community services. Under his mentorship,
Australian-Armenians developed a distinct profile in broader society
which exemplifies a community devoted to contributing positively to
the mainstream yet valuing the opportunity of multiculturalism policy
to preserve a cultural identity.

Archbishop’s contribution also to the ecumenical movement and exposing
the Armenian Apostolic Church to sister churches within Australia and
worldwide was a focal point of tribute. Through his ecumenical work
he has participated in major international assemblies and conferences,
as well as contributed to local activities bringing forth the views of
the Armenian Apostolic Church in inter-church settings. His fervent
participation in ecumenism has been a catalyst for a secondary role
he now finds himself represented in interfaith dialogues on both
national and international platforms. Archbishop Baliozian was one
of a ten person delegation appointed by the Australian Government
to represent the nation at two Asia-Pacific Interfaith Dialogues
on cooperation and building on peace and harmony. He most recently
represented His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin at the Eighth
World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Kyoto, Japan.

As Primate and Pontifical Legate of India and the Far East he has
brought together pockets of Armenians particularly in South-East
Asia to rebuild an Armenian identity in this region. Through
his personal engagement and connections, Archbishop Baliozian has
increased communication and cooperation among these tiny communities,
bridged distances of isolation and filled cultural voids. He has led
groups of pilgrims from Australia to India and Singapore on various
occasions including the 150th and 170th anniversary celebrations of
St Gregory the Illuminator Church in Singapore, the first church to
be built in the country.

During the evening, many tributes were received congratulating the
Archbishop including letters of commendation from the Prime Minister of
Australia, the Premier of NSW, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem,
fellow Primates of Armenian Dioceses, government ministers and
diplomats from Armenia and the Diaspora as well as many a personal
tribute.

However, at the pinnacle of the evening was the reading of the
Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians which noted Archbishop’s fervent spirit to tirelessly
avail himself and his abilities to strengthen our Church and its
foundations and through God’s abundant blessings allow him to bring
fruitful service to the Diocese of Australia.

The evening came to a close but the celebrations continued into Sunday,
26 November when Archbishop Baliozian celebrated the Divine Liturgy
at the Church of Holy Resurrection in the morning. In his sermon,
the Archbishop reflected on the most powerful commandment of our
Lord Jesus Christ, "love" . love for our Heavenly Father and love for
each other. "Love is the essence of life" he said, "it is what makes
our lives whole, it is what makes us superior in the animal kingdom.
Love one another and live with love for one another. With love comes
commitment and with commitment, the spirit of sacrifice. "

Following holy mass, the Archbishop met with the parishioners in the
church hall to receive congratulations and a celebratory toast on
the milestone anniversary.

Thanks to the spirited effort of the Diocesan Council and organising
committee, a memorable weekend befitting the occasion was marked in
the pages of the Australian-Armenian Community.