PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: info@ArmenianOrthodoxChurch.org
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
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HIS HOLINESS ARAM I HONOURS REVEREND AHARON SAPSEZIAN
WITH THE INSIGNIA OF ST. MESROB MASHDOTZ
On Tuesday 6 April 2010, at the Ecumenical Institute Bossey, Switzerland, in
the presence of the General Secretary of the WCC, former Directors and staff
of the WCC, representatives of the Armenian Community in Geneva and the
Swiss Churches, His Holiness Aram I decorated Reverend Aharon Sapsezian.
Before honoring him with the Insignia, His Holiness addressed Rev. Aharon
Sapsezian. He described him as a great pastor of the Armenian Evangelical
Church who was also a committed ecumenist and an advocate of the Armenian
Cause. He then continued: During his fifty years of service as an
Evangelical Spiritual leader, Rev. Sapsezian did not forget the Mother
Church, the history, and the tradition of his people. As an Ecumenist, first
as Regional Secretary for Latin America and the Middle East and later
Director of the Ecumenical Theological Fund, Rev. Aharon did his utmost to
prepare a young generation of theologians who are today in leadership
positions in their churches. St. Mashdotz was the visionary monk who
invented the Armenian Alphabet in the 5th century so that Armenians read the
Bible in their own spoken language. Rev. Aharon is therefore, a
well-deserved disciple of our Great Saint concluded Catholicos Aram I.
After thanking His Holiness Aram I for honoring him in this way, Rev.
Sapsezian spoke of the important contribution of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia to Armenian literature and culture, and the very special role of His
Holiness Aram I in the ecumenical movement worldwide, to the WCC as
Moderator and as Catholicos of Holy See of Cilicia presently located in
Lebanon.
The ceremony ended with speeches by the General Secretary of the World
Council of Churches and former colleagues and friends of Rev. Aharon
Sapsezian.
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View the photos here:
tos/Photos473.htm#2
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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.