MODERATOR AND GENERAL SECRETARY OF WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES VISIT ANTELIAS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 20 2006
ANTELIAS, DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Walter Altmann,
the newly elected Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC)
and General Secretary Sam Kobia visited Aram I Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia on December 16. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the Information Services of the Antelias Catholicosate, the
guests expressed their warm gratitude to His Holiness for the 15
year service to the WCC as the Moderator. The other important goal
of the visit was to consult with His Holiness Patriarch on coming
programs, works and prospects of the WCC. After arriving at the
Antelias Catholicosate, the Moderator and the Secretary General had
a meeting with Aram I Catholicos at a separate Patriarchal Office. In
the evening, under the chairmanship of His Holiness, they met with the
special Committee of the Catholicosate on interchurch works. Stages
of development of the interchurch activity during the recent period,
especially at the regional and international levels, were discussed
during the meeting. The general picture of the Christian-Mohammedan
dialogue, the program process and prospects were presented to the WCC
high-ranking officials. WCC Moderator Altmann and General Secretary
Sam Kobia greeted the interchurch wide-spread activity done by the
Cacholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia by now and still being
continued, what has made a part of the mission of this Holy Cathedra
since the past decades. The guests touched upon the devoted service of
His Holiness Patriarch to the Council, entrusting to the responsible
posture of His Holiness in the issue of the interchurch movement and
the WCC, expressed a hope of coming cooperation.