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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
March 21, 2006
DIOCESAN LEGATE BISHOP VICKEN AYKAZIAN ELECTED BY DELEGATES AT ASSEMBLY OF
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES TO SERVE ON CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), was elected to two prestigious
leadership positions with the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Nearly 4,000 delegates voted in the election during the WCC's Assembly in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, from February 13 to 24, 2006.
Bishop Aykazian, along with another member of the delegation from the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Yn. Paula Devejian, were elected to the 150 member
Central Committee. They were each elected to seven-year terms.
"The Central Committee discusses the questions that concern the churches all
around the world: social, moral, religious, the questions of hunger,
genocide, massacres, injustices," Bishop Aykazian said.
The Central Committee is the body tasked with creating policies and
recommendations between WCC Assemblies, which happen every seven years.
The members of the Central Committee then elected 20 members for an
Executive Committee, which executes the decisions taken by the Central
Committee. Bishop Aykazian was elected to one of these 20 executive
positions.
"It's very important that an Armenian has been elected," Bishop Aykazian
said. "It is an important position within the World Council of Churches and
important for an Armenian to be a part of this committee."
This is the first time a representative of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin has been elected to the position. The Central Committee meets
twice a year, and serves as the executive body directing the work of the
WCC.
"CHANGING THE WORLD"
The WCC has members from 348 churches in 100 countries, and claims to
represent 550 million faithful. During this year's assembly the delegates
focused on the theme: "God in Your Grace, Transform the World."
"We mean transform the world, bring justice and peace, transform human
beings to be better morally, psychologically, religiously and humanly,"
Bishop Aykazian explained. "We are expecting the world will transform from
good to best."
The delegates tackled several varied issues, from terrorism to reform of the
United Nations to protecting vulnerable populations. Bishop Aykazian said
one of the highlights of the gathering was the attendance of 700 young
people.
"Youth involvement sent a very strong message saying that the youth are an
integral part of the ecumenical movement," he said. "Their voice needs to
be heard. Their attendance was a sign of the important role they play in
the life of our churches. They are going to be our future leaders of our
churches and countries and peoples."
STRONG INVOLVEMENT FROM ETCHMIADZIN
Leading the delegation of 12 clergy and lay leaders from Etchmiadzin was
Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, director of the Department of Inter-Church
Relations; it also included Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the
Diocese of Australia and New Zealand; Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of
the Diocese of Canada; and Fr. Mkrtich Proshian, dean of the Vaskenian
Theological Seminary in Armenia. The delegation was one of the youngest
orthodox groups in attendance.
The delegation from Etchmiadzin took an active role in the assembly.
Archbishop Baliozian served on the Committee for Consensus Decision-Making,
which worked to implement a new procedural method of voting, adopted for the
first time at the assembly. Bishop Aykazian served on the Message Committee,
which developed and presented a document that captured the experience and
hopes of the delegates. Bishop Petrosian served as a moderator during a
three-day workshop on emerging forms of ecumenism, and also served on the
Business Committee, which coordinated the daily business of the assembly.
Fr. Proshian presented a workshop titled "Through the Creation to the
Creator," which introduced a new concept of ecological education from a
theological perspective, referred to as "Green Theology."
Another representative from Etchmiadzin, Dr. Karen Nazarian, director of the
Armenian Round Table office, presented a paper titled "HIV/AIDS -
Involvement of clergy in counseling, stigma, and discrimination," and also
served on the assembly Nominating Committee, responsible for identifying
candidates for the election of presidents and new members of the WCC Central
Committee.
Yn. Paula Devejian served on the leadership team during a three-day workshop
on overcoming health threats to humanity in the context of HIV and AIDS, and
also spoke during the final general plenary session on the topic of "God in
Your Grace, Transform our Societies."
-- 3/21/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website, www.armenianchurch.net.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Delegates from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin attend
the World Council of Churches Assembly in Brazil from February 13 to 24,
2006.
# # #
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
March 21, 2006
DIOCESAN LEGATE BISHOP VICKEN AYKAZIAN ELECTED BY DELEGATES AT ASSEMBLY OF
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES TO SERVE ON CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), was elected to two prestigious
leadership positions with the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Nearly 4,000 delegates voted in the election during the WCC's Assembly in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, from February 13 to 24, 2006.
Bishop Aykazian, along with another member of the delegation from the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Yn. Paula Devejian, were elected to the 150 member
Central Committee. They were each elected to seven-year terms.
"The Central Committee discusses the questions that concern the churches all
around the world: social, moral, religious, the questions of hunger,
genocide, massacres, injustices," Bishop Aykazian said.
The Central Committee is the body tasked with creating policies and
recommendations between WCC Assemblies, which happen every seven years.
The members of the Central Committee then elected 20 members for an
Executive Committee, which executes the decisions taken by the Central
Committee. Bishop Aykazian was elected to one of these 20 executive
positions.
"It's very important that an Armenian has been elected," Bishop Aykazian
said. "It is an important position within the World Council of Churches and
important for an Armenian to be a part of this committee."
This is the first time a representative of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin has been elected to the position. The Central Committee meets
twice a year, and serves as the executive body directing the work of the
WCC.
"CHANGING THE WORLD"
The WCC has members from 348 churches in 100 countries, and claims to
represent 550 million faithful. During this year's assembly the delegates
focused on the theme: "God in Your Grace, Transform the World."
"We mean transform the world, bring justice and peace, transform human
beings to be better morally, psychologically, religiously and humanly,"
Bishop Aykazian explained. "We are expecting the world will transform from
good to best."
The delegates tackled several varied issues, from terrorism to reform of the
United Nations to protecting vulnerable populations. Bishop Aykazian said
one of the highlights of the gathering was the attendance of 700 young
people.
"Youth involvement sent a very strong message saying that the youth are an
integral part of the ecumenical movement," he said. "Their voice needs to
be heard. Their attendance was a sign of the important role they play in
the life of our churches. They are going to be our future leaders of our
churches and countries and peoples."
STRONG INVOLVEMENT FROM ETCHMIADZIN
Leading the delegation of 12 clergy and lay leaders from Etchmiadzin was
Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, director of the Department of Inter-Church
Relations; it also included Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the
Diocese of Australia and New Zealand; Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of
the Diocese of Canada; and Fr. Mkrtich Proshian, dean of the Vaskenian
Theological Seminary in Armenia. The delegation was one of the youngest
orthodox groups in attendance.
The delegation from Etchmiadzin took an active role in the assembly.
Archbishop Baliozian served on the Committee for Consensus Decision-Making,
which worked to implement a new procedural method of voting, adopted for the
first time at the assembly. Bishop Aykazian served on the Message Committee,
which developed and presented a document that captured the experience and
hopes of the delegates. Bishop Petrosian served as a moderator during a
three-day workshop on emerging forms of ecumenism, and also served on the
Business Committee, which coordinated the daily business of the assembly.
Fr. Proshian presented a workshop titled "Through the Creation to the
Creator," which introduced a new concept of ecological education from a
theological perspective, referred to as "Green Theology."
Another representative from Etchmiadzin, Dr. Karen Nazarian, director of the
Armenian Round Table office, presented a paper titled "HIV/AIDS -
Involvement of clergy in counseling, stigma, and discrimination," and also
served on the assembly Nominating Committee, responsible for identifying
candidates for the election of presidents and new members of the WCC Central
Committee.
Yn. Paula Devejian served on the leadership team during a three-day workshop
on overcoming health threats to humanity in the context of HIV and AIDS, and
also spoke during the final general plenary session on the topic of "God in
Your Grace, Transform our Societies."
-- 3/21/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website, www.armenianchurch.net.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Delegates from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin attend
the World Council of Churches Assembly in Brazil from February 13 to 24,
2006.
# # #