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: [email protected]
27 March 2007
ARMENIANS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA WELCOME THEIR PRIMATE
Sydney, Australia – At the invitation of the Armenian Community of South
Australia, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and
New Zealand, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian made his first pastoral
visit for the year to the capital city of Adelaide over the weekend of 24-26
March, 2007.
The Archbishop was met at the airport by committee members of the Armenian
Cultural Association of South Australia (ACASC) whose role is to bring
together the small but highly spirited group of Armenians in Adelaide.
On Saturday evening, community members gathered in a suburban community hall
to honour the Primate at a reception and enjoy traditional Armenian
hospitality with bountiful food, laughter, conversation and a cultural
performance. During the evening, Archbishop Baliozian enlightened the
guests on his recent travels abroad firstly accompanying His Holiness
Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians on the
Pontifical Visit to India and his subsequent visit to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin for the Supreme Spiritual Council Meeting.
On Sunday morning, the faithful congregated at the Chapel of the Christian
Brothers College where the Archbishop celebrated the Divine Liturgy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church. The sermon of the day focussed on the individual
‘s need for edification of one’s faith and the importance of maintaining a
strong connection to the Armenian Church.
The same evening, Mrs Takouhi Safrazian hosted a dinner at her home when
community members had another opportunity to enjoy the Archbishop’s company
before his departure on Monday.
The Primate returned to his residence in Sydney on Monday, 26 March. He
will next visit the parish of Melbourne to celebrate an Episcopal Mass on
Palm Sunday at St Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church.
For information on Armenians in Adelaide contact the President of the ACASC
Mr Gevik Abedian at [email protected] or Honorary Secretary Mr Alec
Balayance at [email protected]