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: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CILICIAN SEE
ACTIVELY CONTINUES ITS SESSIONS

Under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I the General Assembly of the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia continued its sessions with the same vigor
on its second day of meetings on December 3, making the primary focus of its
discussions the report of the Executive Committee.

The participants engaged in an in-depth discussion of the voluminous written
report, which included details of the activities carried out by the
Executive Committee, starting with the national and local levels to the
pan-Diaspora, Pan-Armenian and international levels.

The General Assembly made a comprehensive assessment of the Committee’s
activities, commending its impressive achievements despite shortages in man
force and financial means.

The organization of conferences around various educational, youth-related,
ecclesiastical, inter-faith, intellectual and scientific conferences, among
others, was considered to have been a novel phenomenon in Armenian life.
Particular attention was also paid to the Catholicosate’s publishing
activities, which featured some monumental publications with the unwavering
support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Armenian Department.

The Cilician See’s active pursuit of the human rights of its people was
underlined through an acknowledgement of Pontiff’s personal efforts in
international circles.

The Assembly also dedicated sessions to the construction activities carried
out by the Catholicosate both on its own property and in Artsakh, namely the
construction of the village to be renamed "New Cilicia".

Another important issue on the agenda was the mutual relations between the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Catholicosate of All Armenians.
The Assembly re-stated the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s position to continue
demonstrating a brotherly spirit, stay committed to the Cilician See’s
principles in preserving the Armenian nation’s and Church’s unity. As such,
the Catholicosate of Cilicia will continue to cooperate with St.
Etchmiadzin, with renewed vigor, on the basis of pan-Armenian interests and
ideals.

The mutual cooperation between the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the
government of Armenia was positively assessed.

In addition to a an in-depth discussion of the items on the agenda, the
General Assembly also worked actively on setting new paths along which the
Catholicosate of Cilicia’s services could develop. The meeting went beyond a
limited, narrow exchange of ideas to setting new prospects for realizing
nation-building, church-building and homeland-building objectives.

In respect to these issues His Holiness Aram I shared his perspectives
stressing the decisive importance of strengthening the unity of our church
and nation, revitalizing the mission of the Church.

The Assembly will continue its sessions over the next few days.

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View the photos here:
tos/Photos344.htm
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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
the 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.