PRESS OFFICE
Department of Communications
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 160; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
February 16, 2007
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CATHOLICOS ELEVATES ECUMENICAL LEADER
By Jake Goshert
At the direction of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, Bishop Vicken Aykazian was elevated to the rank
of Archbishop during a ceremony at New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral on
Sunday, February 11, 2007.
"Elevation to the rank of archbishop is recognition of past success —
tending to the spiritual needs of the faithful, nurturing and growing the
church, and spreading the word of Christ’s eternal love. It is also
recognition of the path ahead — the innate skills and qualities that guide
each of us," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), who presented Archbishop Aykazian with
the Pontifical Encyclical on behalf of the Catholicos.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Archbishop Aykazian serves the Diocese in a number of ways. For the past
few years he has been the visiting pastor of the Armenian Church of Atlanta,
a position he will maintain even with his increasingly busy schedule of
other activities.
"As our parish Shepard in Atlanta, he has been absolutely phenomenal,
helping us get on our own feet," said Armen Karapetian, parish council
chairman from Atlanta, who spoke to the 250 people gathered for a reception
honoring the newly elevated Archbishop in the Cathedral’s Haik and Alice
Kavookjian Auditorium. "When I first looked at him, there was such a
tremendous light and an aura around him. I felt such a kinship. The work
he does in Atlanta, guiding us and helping us, has been amazing."
Along with his pastoral duties, Archbishop Aykazian serves on the board of
the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), the Diocesan-affiliated international
air organization. He served as the organization’s representative in Armenia
shortly following the nation’s independence.
He was recently selected to serve on the board of Habitat for Humanity
International. One of the people instrumental in bringing Archbishop
Aykazian into the Habitat organization, Dr. Ken Benson, president Habitat
for Humanity of Michigan, spoke about the successes the organization has had
in Armenia thanks to Archbishop Aykazian’s efforts.
"He is concerned about poverty, for the needs of poor people around the
world," Dr. Benson said, noting that the efforts in Armenia could be
building 500 homes per year within the next three years. "We will do that
every year until all those people put out of their homes because of the
earthquake have a true home. And if it wasn’t for Archbishop Aykazian, this
would not have begun."
Though his work with Habitat for Humanity helps Armenia, Archbishop Aykazian
said his focus is on helping the poor globally.
"You can see love on the faces of people taking ownership of a house," he
said. "But I’m not going to work only for Armenians. I’m going to work for
others, in other countries, who have the same problems we have."
ECUMENICAL LEADER
Archbishop Aykazian is most noted for his role as an ecumenical leader as
diocesan legate and ecumenical officer. He serves as president-elect of the
National Council of Churches (NCC) and on the executive committee of the
World Council of Churches.
This work allows the Armenian Church to join its sister churches in tackling
some of the world’s problems.
"We as the Armenian Church can do more with others. It is not possible to
do everything alone," he said. "Maybe along we can succeed in something for
some people, but to achieve goals throughout the world, you have to be a
part of a group fighting together."
He noted the ecumenical efforts to battle poverty and sickness, to promote
peace, and fight for the end of genocide.
"We cannot talk only about our Genocide, if there are other genocides taking
place in the world," he said. "We alone cannot do it all — fight genocide,
poverty, promote peace. But with the help of the National Council of
Churches and other churches, we can achieve a lot."
Kevork Toroyan, who chairs the Legate Committee for the Diocese, agrees that
working on such lofty goals seems daunting. But, he told those gathered for
the reception, Archbishop Aykazian has helped steer such efforts thanks to
his Christian values.
"Under his leadership we are going to see a lot of progress on the various
problems facing the world at large," Toroyan said. "When the Primate said
he would head this ecumenical effort, I asked if Bishop Vicken was the right
man. I’ve found out that yes he is the right man."
LIFE OF SERVICE
In describing Archbishop Aykazian, the emcee of the night, Tavit Najarian,
said "everybody I talked to about Archbishop Aykazian had the following
attributes assigned to him: compassionate, generous, a consensus builder, a
man of boundless love."
Archbishop Aykazian was born in Siirt, Turkey, in 1951 and studied at the
Holy Cross Armenian Seminary in Istanbul and then the Armenian Patriarchate
of Jerusalem. He was ordained as a priest in 1971 and as a bishop in 1992
by His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians, in the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin.
He has served the church as primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
Switzerland; a preacher at Armenian churches in Istanbul; and as an
assistant to Archbishop Shnork Kaloustyan, Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople.
"Archbishop Vicken is a very dear, personal friend of mine. In fact, we
were both ordained together in 1971 at the St. James Cathedral in
Jerusalem," the Primate said during the elevation ceremony. "I have served
beside him, watched him serve his parishioners, and seen him represent our
beloved Armenian Church around the globe. I am honored to be here today to
present him with this Pontifical Encyclical on behalf of His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians."
— 2/16/07
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, and Archbishop Vicken Aykazian listen as Fr. Papken Anoushian,
pastor of the St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, New Jersey, reads the Pontifical
Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians, elevating Archbishop Aykazian to his new rank.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Vicken Aykazian listens as Archbishop
Barsamian speaks about his successful ecumenical and pastoral work during a
service in New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral on Sunday, February 11,
2007, during which Archbishop Aykazian was elevated in rank by the direction
of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. (Photo by JK Hovannes)
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical
officer of the Eastern Diocese, is presented with the Pontifical Encyclical
from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, elevating him to the rank of Archbishop during a service in New
York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral on February 11, 2007. (Photo by JK
Hovannes)