In the preliminary stage of the beginning of the ecumenical movement and following the formation of the World Council of Churches, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church participated in the ecumenical movement, first as an observer, then as a full-fledged active member.
Since 1962, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church became an official member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and since 1977, an official member of the European Conference of Churches (ECC), later becoming a member of other regional, sub-regional, national, inter-church and ecumenical organizations.
In order to regulate inter-church relations and make them more effective, in 1973, under the pontifical chairmanship of His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians; the Inter-Church Relations’ Department was established adjacent the Chancellery of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 1999, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; the department was re-formed. In 2011, the Consultative Inter-Church Theological Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was established attached to the Department of Inter-Church Relations, the purpose of which is to prepare answers to inter-church-theological related questions on the recommendation of the Armenian Patriarch and to express the views of the Mother See on inter-church and inter-religious issues.
In 2012, His Holiness the Patriarch established the Office of Ritual-Conceptual Issues Office in the Department of Inter-Church Relations. In the Inter-Church Relations’ Department. Since 2013, offices for doctrinal, friendship, moral conceptual issues, relations with Orthodox, Catholic Churches and Protestant denominations have been operating in the Inter-Church Relations’ Department.
Today, it is engaged in the issues of expanding and coordinating the relations of our Church with Sister Churches and foreign religious organizations, as well as organizing and ensuring the active participation of the Armenian Church in the ecumenical movement. The purpose of the Inter-Church Relations’ Department is also to present our Church to the world with its Christian values and spiritual heritage.
Director - Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Garegin Hambardzumyan
Tel: +374-10-517-260
Secretariat:
+374-10-517-261
+374-10-517-262
+374-10-517-263