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: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
"RELATIONS, COLLABORATION AND REFLECTION CONSTITUTE THE INTERRELATED
DIMENSIONS
OF ECUMENICAL VISION AND ACTION"
Said His Holiness Aram I
The third ecumenical formation seminar concluded its work on Friday 14
August 2009 at St. Mary’s Monastery in Bikfaya. The programme included
presentations, plenary discussions and round tables on the Armenian Church,
its history, liturgy, feasts and rituals, and inter-church and
inter-religious relations. Participants reflected on the overall theme of
the seminar, "who is my friend?" through daily morning Bible studies.
His Grace Bishop Nareg Alemezian, Director of the Office of Ecumenical
Relations, and Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian-Kabakian, the Moderator of the
Committee, invited the participants to assess their experience. After
expressing their thanks for this opportunity to learn about the church and
ecumenism, they asked the Committee to organize such events more often in
order that they might deepen their understanding of the church and its
traditions, the ecumenical movement, and the nature of inter-religious
dialogue in general and Christian-Muslim dialogue in particular. As
follow-up, they requested that thematic seminars be organized on a rotating
basis in the dioceses in different regions. They also asked the Committee to
strengthen the work on the diocesan level.
In his concluding remarks, His Holiness Aram I expressed his appreciation of
the contribution of the participants, and he said that living in a diaspora
situation, the Armenian Church is in touch with different religions and
cultures. These interactions must be taken seriously by our church in its
ecumenical and inter-religious engagement. His Holiness reminded the
participants that relations, collaboration and reflection constitute the
interrelated dimensions of ecumenical vision and action. His Holiness
reaffirmed the ecumenical commitment of the Armenian Church.
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View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos392.htm
http://www.armenianorthodox church.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos393.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 Ecumenical
activities 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.