MEETING OF THE DELEGATIONS OF THE CATHOLICOSATE OF ALL ARMENIANS AND THE
CATHOLICOSATE OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA
Azg/arm
17 March 05
Under the auspices of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of
the Great House of Cilicia, a meeting of delegations of the
Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Catholicosate of the Great
House of Cilicia took place on March 4-5 in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin with the goal of the prosperity of the sacred mission of
the Armenian Church and the further strengthening of internal
solidarity. The purpose of the meeting was the preparation of a draft
agenda with the theme of “The Imperative for the Renewal of the
Armenian Church”.
The delegation members representing the Catholicosate of All Armenians
were:
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian (Chairman)
His Grace Bishop Mikael Ajapahian (Secretary)
Mr. Rafael Papayan
Mr. James Kalustian
The delegation members representing the Catholicosate of the Great
House of Cilicia were:
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan (Chairman)
His Grace Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Secretary)
Mr. Yervand Pamboukian
Mr. Arsen Danielian
Rev. Fr. Vahram Melikian recorded the minutes of the meetings.
On Friday, March 4, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, received the two delegations in the
Mother See. His Holiness gave his Pontifical blessing to the members
of the delegations andspoke of his and Catholicos Aram I’s
expectations of the meeting. ArchbishopOshagan Choloyan conveyed the
warm greetings of love of His Holiness Aram I and the filial respect
of the participants to His Holiness Karekin II.
Following the Lord’s Prayer and a reading from the Holy Bible (1
Corinthians 12:12-26), the meeting commenced, the result of which was
the preparation of the draft agenda.
Consisting of nine agenda items, it includes the primary spheres of
the identity, life and witness of the Armenian Church:
1. The canonical condition of the Armenian Church – ecclesiological,
administrative and canonical refinement.
2. Christian and Armenian education, evangelical mission and
preservation of spiritual and cultural values.
3. Liturgical and ritual life.
4. Preparation of clergy and reactivation of monastic life.
5. Ecumenical and Inter-religious relations.
6. Positions on modern social and moral issues.
7. Relations between Church and State; relations between Church and
Social Institutions.
8. Pursuit of the rights of the Armenian people.
9. Use of modern technologies.
Each aforementioned topic was discussed in detail as an initial step
for the further overall analysis and adoption of appropriate
measures. The meetings were conducted in a warm atmosphere of
Christian love, for the vigorous accomplishment of the multifaceted
mission of the Armenian Church in the Homeland and the Diaspora.
At the end of the meeting it was decided that the draft agenda will be
presented to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; and
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, for
their consideration and filially petitioning them for the commission’s
work to proceed.
