Supreme Spiritual Council Meeting in Holy Etchmiadzin
14.03.2006
A regular meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council convened in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from March 1 through 2, 2006, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
The first session opened with the Lord's Prayer. His Holiness Karekin II welcomed the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council and reviewed the items on the agenda for the meeting. His Holiness also introduced Mr. Vicken Garabedian from France who is the newest lay member of the Council.
Acting as rotating chairmen for the business sessions were His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian; His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America; and His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, Director of Inter-Church Relations for the Mother See.
Among the items discussed during the business sessions were the primary clauses related to diocesan and parochial structure within the working draft of the Armenian Church constitution, the creation of a united Armenian Diocese of France, the preparation of clergymen and the status of Christian Education within Armenia.
Mr. Tigran Torosian, Vice President (Deputy Speaker) of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, was invited to present the details of the section in the RA constitution which deals with the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church. He also spoke of the process underway to permanently coordinate the relations between the Church and the state.
Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, presented the report from the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin had been represented at the assembly by a large delegation from Armenia and the dioceses throughout the world. His Grace was happy to report that the delegates took an active part in the proceedings of the convention, and that His Grace Bishop Vicken Aykazian (USA) and Yeretsgin Paula Devejian (Armenia) were elected to the Central Committee of the WCC.
At the conclusion of the two-day meeting, His Holiness offered his Pontifical blessings appreciation, and remarks. The meeting ended with a closing prayer.
