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Antelias: Ordination of deacons in Antelias

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  • Antelias: Ordination of deacons in Antelias

    Press Release
    Catholicosate of Cilicia
    Communication and Information Department
    Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
    Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
    Fax: (04) 419724
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: http://www.cathcil.org/

    PO Box 70 317
    Antelias-Lebanon

    Armenian version: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Armenian.htm


    DEAC ONS' ORDINATION IN ANTELIAS


    Four students of the Seminary of the Catholiocsate of Cilicia, sub-deacons
    Alexan Kalaidjian, Mihran Balkevorkian, Hagop Kortmosian and Hovsep
    Loshkhadjian were ordained as deacons in Antelias on June 11.

    Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon Bishop Kegham Khatcherian conducted the
    ordination service and delivered the sermon to the newly ordained deacons.
    During the service, the candidates climbed to the Holy altar on their knees
    and turning towards the people, promised to give up earthly pleasures and
    dedicate themselves to the Church. The candidates were then ordained and
    handed their special deacons' clothes.

    Bishop Khatcherian congratulated the deacons, calling on them to guard their
    ranks, preserve sanctity of their clothes and flourish their Christian
    values through endless work and efforts. He also spoke about the mission of
    the Seminary, where spirituals, intellectuals, teachers and other national
    leaders, dedicated to the service of the Armenian Church and nation, are
    formed.

    "You shall give your best to the Seminary so our nation and Church are
    equipped with the best of strength. The Seminary is the building where the
    youth form to become servants of the Church and nation. This service is
    divine, it is Holy and only suitable people should be invited to take it
    up," said the Bishop.

    A procession of spirituals then walked towards the Veharan, where His
    Holiness Aram I gave his blessings to the newly ordained deacons. The
    Pontiff spoke about the transfer of Armenian spiritual-intellectual values
    from one generation to the other through the Seminary.

    The Catholicos saw the true spiritual man in his loyalty towards biblical
    truths, the Armenian Church's traditions, rites, belief, hymns and the faith
    passed on to us by our predecessors.

    "We do not have and we won't have another path. We will form on this path
    spiritually, intellectually. The true spiritual servant is he who not only
    gives, but also takes. You will open up and flourish with our values. For
    more than 1700 years our Church has praised God. Our Church guided our
    people towards God through our language, our culture, our traditions, our
    values, our conflicts and our dreams. We will always remind you that this is
    the path," said the Pontiff.

    He added: "By way of Christianity God approached nations through their
    culture and language. This is the path of a spiritual's service: bringing
    God close to God. Our Holy See will always be committed and demanding
    towards this issue with spirituals of all ranks, with its Seminary, with its
    Brotherhood, with its dioceses and with our youth and people. More than
    ever, our Church should accomplish itself in the life of our people through
    service. And that service is nothing but becoming the live and life-giving
    presence of Christ's Holy Book."

    The Pontiff also praised the Seminary's principal and staff, considering
    their contribution to be fruitful in the formation of the students.

    Seminary students then sang "Cilicia", "I Veh Partsants" and "Der Getso",
    after which the Pontiff blessed the newly ordained deacons with
    "Bahbanitch."

    ##
    View photos here:
    http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Pictur es83.htm

    http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Pi ctures84.htm


    *****

    The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
    the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Theological
    Seminary of the Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
    Catholicosate, http://www.cathcil.org/ The Cilician Catholicosate, the
    administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
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