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: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
ANTE LIAS CELEBRATES THE FEAST OF SAINT STEPHAN
The Feast of Proto-Deacon and Proto-Martyr of the Christian Church, Saint
Stephan, was celebrated in the Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia on December 24. His Holiness Aram I presided over a special mass
conducted by the Seminary’s Dean, V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian.
St. Stephan is primarily the feast of Seminary deacons and as such the
deacons had prepared a two-day special program to commemorate the memory of
this Proto-Saint.
An evening service was held in the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral on
December 22. The service was followed by an event in the Veharan during
which Seminary students performed readings from the Bible and Nareg. They
presented lectures on the life of the Proto-Saint and his Christian service.
His Holiness Aram I grabbed the opportunity to give Pontifical advice to the
Seminary students to become valuable national assets in the life of the
Church. He talked about the Seminary’s mission, the gratitude of alumni
towards this institution and the need to support it.
In the sermon he delivered during the Sunday Mass, the Seminary’s Dean
called on Seminary students to be the worthy followers of Saint Stephan’s
brave character and life of service.
Addressing the students during the event in the Veharan, the Pontiff talked
about the Seminary’s routine and the distinguished educational formation it
offers its students as compared to other educational institutions. The
Catholicos stressed on the greatness of becoming a witness for Christianity
by dedicating an entire life to its service, a devotion of primary
importance to the Catholicosate of Cilicia and its Seminary.
The Evening Mass on Friday was followed by a dinner, served by Seminary
students.
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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.