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HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II CELEBRATES PONTIFICAL DIVINE LITURGY IN ISTANBUL
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
ISTANBUL, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. On Sunday, June 25,
as the culmination of the first Pontifical Visit of the Catholicos
of All Armenians to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople,
His Holiness Karekin II celebrated a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in
the St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Cathedral of Istanbul. In
attendance for the Divine Liturgy were Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, high-ranking
archbishops and bishops of the Armenian Church from Armenia and the
Diaspora, among them the primates of the dioceses of North America,
Germany, Damascus, Romania and Bulgaria, the Vicar General of the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese, the Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, representatives of sister Churches, Mr. Karen Mirzoyan
(Representative of the Republic of Armenia in Turkey), and hundreds
of Armenian faithful.
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and His Grace Bishop Vicken
Aykazian, Diocesan Legate for the Eastern Diocese and President of
the National Council of Churches of America, assisted His Holiness
at the Holy Altar during the Liturgy.
During the sacred Divine Liturgy, His Holiness addressed his message
to the faithful, using as the theme of his sermon, the words of Christ:
"Because I live, you shall live also." (St. John 14:19). The Catholicos
of All Armenians first offered thanksgiving and glory to the Almighty,
for granting him the gift of visiting the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople in this pontifical visit, and for the opportunity
to offer the liturgy under the cherished and prayer-filled arches
of the historic cathedral with His Beatitude Mesrob and his beloved
faithful flock.
As he continued his message, the Pontiff of All Armenians stated,
"Christ is alive, as are all who believe in Him - the Savior of the
world Who was crucified for us, buried and rose again on the third
day. Our people were taught and raised in this manner. With this
belief and by the vision of the Illuminator, our people built Holy
Etchmiadzin on our native soil, received the letters of Mashtots as a
heavenly gift, became firmly established in their Christian identity,
and when the time came, accepted 'death with meaning' in the name of
that faith, while living and creating with God at their side.
"Truly, our people did not desire to live without God. The
testimony of this spiritual reality is presented in its most
compelling manner through the six-century history of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople. The names of the great patriarchs
are immortal, who selflessly cared for the people entrusted to them;
and protected, raised and strengthened them with the light of faith,
transmitting the noble virtues of their graceful minds and faithful
souls to the generations. Immortalized also are the names of those
in the arts, education and science, as well as their works and
contributions. Treasures created with faith, which draw a wide path of
illumination upon the pages of our history, shaped a path of creation
and progress. With the power of faith, the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople continues to carry the lamp of illumination...
"Being with you during these past few days, we once again had the
experience that our people always keep and protect the sacred mystery
of a renewing life in their deepest inner spaces. Not even the Armenian
Genocide was able to extinguish that light, when it appeared that
life itself would end within the borders of the Patriarchate. In the
trials of our people, the spirit alive with faith found the strength
to be reborn and live yet again, to do good works, create goodness
and aspire towards goodness. The greatest inheritance we received
from our forefathers was faith in God, in our Lord Jesus Christ. You,
dear ones, and your parents kept and nurtured the faith in your souls,
transforming it into love for one another, laboring for each other
and for the glory of our Apostolic Holy Church.
"...Glory to you O Lord, that you directed our footsteps here
from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and we became the witness
to the blossoming national and ecclesiastical life, and faithful
and traditional spirit of our people. We came from our cherished
cradle of faith, so that together, Pontiff and people, through the
commemorations, exhortations and traditions of our holy fathers,
could testify with our unified prayer under the halls of this holy
church - that our Armenian nation is steadfast and unshakeable in its
oath sealed with God. It is loyal to the holy legacy of its forebears
and with its oath of unity with Holy Etchmiadzin."
The Catholicos of All Armenians continued by exhorting the Armenians of
Istanbul to continue to create and flourish with the same dedication
and love, keeping all of their national institutions strong and
vibrant. His Holiness addressed words of thanks to His Beatitude
Mesrob and the members of the Religious Council of the Patriarchate
for the warm reception which had been prepared during these days of
his first pontifical visit to Istanbul.
His Holiness also extended his appreciation to the ranks of clergy of
the Armenian Patriarchate, to all administrative lay council members
and committees, the devoted choir members of the churches, national
organizations and associations, charitable institutions, teachers,
artists, and representatives of the Armenian press, for their fidelity
to national values and their brave and selfless devotion.
At the conclusion of his fatherly message to the Armenians of Istanbul,
His Holiness bestowed His Beatitude Mesrob with two panagias and a
pectoral cross from Holy Etchmiadzin as a symbol of the Pontiff's
appreciation for the years of service and dedication of the Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople.
According to the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, following the Liturgy, a reception was hosted in the hall
of the Patriarchate in honor of His Holiness. During his remarks,
the Pontiff of All Armenians expressed his thanks and appreciation
to the chairman and all members of the Pontifical Visit committee
of the Patriarchate for their efforts in successfully planning and
implementing a well-organized and most enjoyable visit.
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
ISTANBUL, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. On Sunday, June 25,
as the culmination of the first Pontifical Visit of the Catholicos
of All Armenians to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople,
His Holiness Karekin II celebrated a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in
the St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Cathedral of Istanbul. In
attendance for the Divine Liturgy were Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, high-ranking
archbishops and bishops of the Armenian Church from Armenia and the
Diaspora, among them the primates of the dioceses of North America,
Germany, Damascus, Romania and Bulgaria, the Vicar General of the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese, the Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, representatives of sister Churches, Mr. Karen Mirzoyan
(Representative of the Republic of Armenia in Turkey), and hundreds
of Armenian faithful.
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and His Grace Bishop Vicken
Aykazian, Diocesan Legate for the Eastern Diocese and President of
the National Council of Churches of America, assisted His Holiness
at the Holy Altar during the Liturgy.
During the sacred Divine Liturgy, His Holiness addressed his message
to the faithful, using as the theme of his sermon, the words of Christ:
"Because I live, you shall live also." (St. John 14:19). The Catholicos
of All Armenians first offered thanksgiving and glory to the Almighty,
for granting him the gift of visiting the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople in this pontifical visit, and for the opportunity
to offer the liturgy under the cherished and prayer-filled arches
of the historic cathedral with His Beatitude Mesrob and his beloved
faithful flock.
As he continued his message, the Pontiff of All Armenians stated,
"Christ is alive, as are all who believe in Him - the Savior of the
world Who was crucified for us, buried and rose again on the third
day. Our people were taught and raised in this manner. With this
belief and by the vision of the Illuminator, our people built Holy
Etchmiadzin on our native soil, received the letters of Mashtots as a
heavenly gift, became firmly established in their Christian identity,
and when the time came, accepted 'death with meaning' in the name of
that faith, while living and creating with God at their side.
"Truly, our people did not desire to live without God. The
testimony of this spiritual reality is presented in its most
compelling manner through the six-century history of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople. The names of the great patriarchs
are immortal, who selflessly cared for the people entrusted to them;
and protected, raised and strengthened them with the light of faith,
transmitting the noble virtues of their graceful minds and faithful
souls to the generations. Immortalized also are the names of those
in the arts, education and science, as well as their works and
contributions. Treasures created with faith, which draw a wide path of
illumination upon the pages of our history, shaped a path of creation
and progress. With the power of faith, the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople continues to carry the lamp of illumination...
"Being with you during these past few days, we once again had the
experience that our people always keep and protect the sacred mystery
of a renewing life in their deepest inner spaces. Not even the Armenian
Genocide was able to extinguish that light, when it appeared that
life itself would end within the borders of the Patriarchate. In the
trials of our people, the spirit alive with faith found the strength
to be reborn and live yet again, to do good works, create goodness
and aspire towards goodness. The greatest inheritance we received
from our forefathers was faith in God, in our Lord Jesus Christ. You,
dear ones, and your parents kept and nurtured the faith in your souls,
transforming it into love for one another, laboring for each other
and for the glory of our Apostolic Holy Church.
"...Glory to you O Lord, that you directed our footsteps here
from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and we became the witness
to the blossoming national and ecclesiastical life, and faithful
and traditional spirit of our people. We came from our cherished
cradle of faith, so that together, Pontiff and people, through the
commemorations, exhortations and traditions of our holy fathers,
could testify with our unified prayer under the halls of this holy
church - that our Armenian nation is steadfast and unshakeable in its
oath sealed with God. It is loyal to the holy legacy of its forebears
and with its oath of unity with Holy Etchmiadzin."
The Catholicos of All Armenians continued by exhorting the Armenians of
Istanbul to continue to create and flourish with the same dedication
and love, keeping all of their national institutions strong and
vibrant. His Holiness addressed words of thanks to His Beatitude
Mesrob and the members of the Religious Council of the Patriarchate
for the warm reception which had been prepared during these days of
his first pontifical visit to Istanbul.
His Holiness also extended his appreciation to the ranks of clergy of
the Armenian Patriarchate, to all administrative lay council members
and committees, the devoted choir members of the churches, national
organizations and associations, charitable institutions, teachers,
artists, and representatives of the Armenian press, for their fidelity
to national values and their brave and selfless devotion.
At the conclusion of his fatherly message to the Armenians of Istanbul,
His Holiness bestowed His Beatitude Mesrob with two panagias and a
pectoral cross from Holy Etchmiadzin as a symbol of the Pontiff's
appreciation for the years of service and dedication of the Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople.
According to the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, following the Liturgy, a reception was hosted in the hall
of the Patriarchate in honor of His Holiness. During his remarks,
the Pontiff of All Armenians expressed his thanks and appreciation
to the chairman and all members of the Pontifical Visit committee
of the Patriarchate for their efforts in successfully planning and
implementing a well-organized and most enjoyable visit.