His Holiness Karekin II Delivers Address Entitled "The Armenian Church in the 21st Century"
On December 23, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided during a round-table discussion and one-day symposium dedicated to ?The Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in the 21st Century?. The discussion was held in the Tekeyan Cultural Center of Yerevan.
His Holiness was invited to deliver his address to open the discussion. The Catholicos first reflected on the greatest issues facing the Church at present. For the worldwide Armenian Church in Armenia and the Diaspora, His Holiness emphasized the need for Christian Education and an increase in the Church?s social programs in all communities. In Armenia, His Holiness regarded the re-establishment of parish life, and the re-emergence of pastor/faithful relationships as most pressing, followed by the continuation of church-building in those cities and villages which do not have a house of prayer.
Also included in the list of important issues by the Armenian Pontiff, was the pressing need for the ratification of the Constitution of the Armenian Church. His Holiness further touched on the improving relations between Church and State within Armenia, as well as the current state of relations between the four hierarchal sees of the Armenian Church.
At the conclusion of his address, His Holiness answered questions from those present.
