PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.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:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE MEETINGS OF THE WORLD
COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Ecumenical Officer of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, Bishop Nareg
Alemezian, participated in the May 9 meeting of the representatives of the
World Council of Churches’ (WCC) donor agencies.

About 40 representatives of international and regional organizations
funding WCC activities and 25 officials from the Council itself attended the
meeting.

Bishop Alemezian talked about the difficulties the Middle East faces and
the initiatives that the region’s churches, the WCC and the Middle East
Council of Churches (MECC) take in this respect. On behalf of His Holiness
Aram I, the Bishop praised the donor agencies for their support of the
strengthening of peace and justice in the Middle East.

WCC and the Consultative Committee of the Secretaries of Church Families
held their first meeting on May 10. The proposal for establishing this
committee had been made under the presidency of His Holiness Aram I during
the WCC’s 9th Assembly in February 2006 and aimed at strengthening the
cooperation between WCC and the church families.

The chairman of the committee, Bishop Nareg, conducted the five session of
the one-day meeting. 20 representatives from the Greek Orthodox, Russian
Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformist, Methodist, and
other Protestant church families attended the meeting.

WCC General Secretary Dr. Sam Kobia welcomed the attendants during the
opening session, outlining the expectations of the Council. Bishop Nareg
talked about the 1997 efforts of WCC to assess the ecumenical movement and
the expectations it has from the current committee.

The participants then held discussion on "the concept of churches’ unity",
"the possibilities of conducting joint meetings" and the "methods of working
cooperation."

During his stay in Geneva, Bishop Alemezian had separate meetings on
behalf of His Holiness Aram I with WCC General Sectretary Dr. Sam Kobia and
the General Secretary of the Lutheran Churches, Dr. Ishmail Noko.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress