Joint Communiquй from the Catholicosate of All Armenians
09.02.2006
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 from the Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia once again convened on January 31, 2006 in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin with the theme of "The Imperative for the Renewal of the Armenian Church", and determined the process of accomplishing the work. This meeting was a follow up to the first consultative meeting (March 4-5, 2005) aimed at the greater prosperity of the sacred mission and a further strengthening of the internal unity of the Armenian Church.
The members of the delegation 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 members of the delegation representing the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia were:
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan (Chairman)
His Grace Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Secretary)
Mr. Yervant Pamboukian
Arsen Danielian, Esq.
Rev. Fr. Vahram Melikian recorded the minutes of the meeting.
On the morning of Tuesday, January 31, His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of All Armenians received both delegations in the Pontifical Residence, offering his suggestions and extending his fatherly blessings. Afterwards, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan conveyed His Holiness Catholicos Aram I's wishes for success to the work of the delegations.
Following the Lord's Prayer and a biblical reading (Ephesians 4:1-16), in accord with the guidelines created during the previous meeting and thereafter confirmed by the two Catholicoi, the participants comprehensively developed the strategy for future proceedings, determined the number of committees and the spheres for their discussion.
The meeting progressed in a productive and warm atmosphere of brotherly love, always guided by the greatest interests of the Armenian Church.
At the conclusion of the meeting the committee presented its report to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, filially requesting that implementation be granted to the future work.
As an outcome of the atmosphere and results of the meeting, the delegations are confident that the realization of these proposals will greatly benefit the strengthening and unity of the Armenian Church.
January 31, 2006
Holy Etchmiadzin
