Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (+961- 4) 410001, 410003
Fax: (+961- 4) 419724
E- mail: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

On the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenians renew their faith
with the relics of the Saint

Antelias – Sunday 22 March 2015. The Feast of St. Gregory the
Illuminator, patron saint of the Armenian Church, is also the day of
pilgrimage to the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias. His
Holiness Aram I entered the Church holding the relic of the right hand
of Saint Gregory, accompanied by the clergy who carried different relics
of other saints.

Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, the Prelate of Tehran, celebrated the Holy
Liturgy and preached the sermon, in which he assured the faithful that
the Armenian Church continues the mission of the Great Saint as
confessor and witness of Jesus. At the end of the liturgy, the
Catholicos and the clergy circled the Catholicosate, holding the relics
and blessing the people, then returned to the church where His Holiness
blessed the water with the relic of Saint Gregory, to whom the faithful
presented their intercessory prayers.

His Holiness Aram I in Cairo

Antelias – 19 March 2015. His Holiness Aram I left for Cairo yesterday
to meet with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Patriarch of
the Coptic Orthodox Church and His Holiness Mar Ignatius Aphrem II,
Patriarch of Antioch of the Syriac Orthodox Church.

The three Oriental Orthodox Hierarchs of the Middle East, who meet
annually to deepen theological understandings and encourage exchange
programmes between the seminaries, will discuss issues in the region
affecting their communities and explore possible ways of cooperation.

A Standing Committee appointed by the Churches prepared the agenda of
the meetings. Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, Prelate of Tehran and Very
Rev. Housig Mardirossian, the Ecumenical officer, represented the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia on the Committee.

His Holiness Aram I’s representative attends ecumenical events

Antelias – During the week of 16 March 2015, V. Rev. Housig
Mardirossian attended a special event organized by the Bible Society of
Lebanon. The Society invited Ambassadors of countries accredited to
Lebanon and representatives of religious communities to speak of their
activities.

On behalf of the Catholicos, V. Rev. Housig Mardirossian also attended
the official reception organized by The Near East School of Theology on
the occasion of a conference on `The Protestant Reformation and the
Middle East’. The reception was an opportunity for the participants
to meet the local church representatives.

###

Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia

Communication and Information Department
PO Box : 70 317 Antelias – LEBANON
Tel: (+961-4) 410 001 / 3
Fax: (+961-4) 419724
E-mail: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org

Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
PO Box : 70 317 Antelias – LEBANON
Tel: (+961-4) 410 001 / 3
Fax: (+961-4) 419724
E-mail: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org