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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
Contact: Karine Abalyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
July 30, 2010
________________________________________________
PRIMATE OF THE DIOCESE OF THE Armenian Church of Iraq Leads Country's
Council of Christian Church Leaders on Visit to U.S.
Archbishop Avak Asadourian, the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Iraq, led representatives of the country's recently formed
ecumenical organization on an official visit to the United States this
month, where they met with members of Congress to discuss the situation of
Christians in Iraq.
While on the East Coast, Archbishop Asadourian also had the opportunity to
participate in the July 11 ordination of the Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan,
at St. Mary Church of Washington, D.C., and to visit the Eastern Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America in New York City, where he met with Diocesan
Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.
Archbishop Asadourian is the general secretary of the Council of Christian
Church Leaders of Iraq, which was established last February to address the
growing safety concerns of Iraqi Christians and to facilitate dialogue with
the country's Muslim communities. The council represents the 14 Christian
traditions officially recognized by the Iraqi government in 1982, including
Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant
churches.
>From July 12 to 15, the delegation visited Washington, D.C., meeting with
members of Congress, as well as representative of the Heritage Foundation.
They spoke about ways to safeguard the Christian communities of Iraq, which
have come under threat amidst the sectarian violence of the country's Muslim
population.
About half of the estimated 1.2 million Christians living in Iraq prior to
the start of the Iraq War in 2003 have left the country in the past seven
years. And Christian families continue to leave Iraq in the face of attacks
on clergy and lay people.
At the conclusion of the meetings in the nation's capital, Archbishop
Asadourian traveled to New York, where he met with Archbishop Barsamian and
visited St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, his alma mater.
A native of Baghdad, Archbishop Asadourian has served as the Primate of
Iraq's Armenian Church Diocese since 1980. Today, the Iraq Diocese has
jurisdiction over parishes in Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk, Mosul, Zedakho, Erbil,
and Duhok, as well as the villages of Adzroog and Havresk. The Diocese runs
Sunday Schools, a youth association, and other educational and cultural
programs.
"The Armenian community of Iraq is a vibrant community dedicated to
maintaining the message of our Lord, as well as the Armenian heritage,"
Archbishop Asadourian said. At the same time, he added, Armenians, just like
other Christian communities of Iraq, face a major challenge in ensuring
future growth.
Archbishop Asadourian studied philosophy at Benediction University in
Illinois and at Tulane University in Louisiana. He also earned a Master of
Divinity degree from St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, N.Y.,
and a Ph.D. from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy.
He was ordained as a celibate priest in 1977 at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, and was elevated to the ranks of bishop and archbishop in 1982
and 1993, respectively. Prior to his work in Iraq, he served briefly as a
pastor in the Eastern Diocese.
Archbishop Asadourian has been active in a number of ecumenical
organizations worldwide, including the World Council of Churches. Last
February he hosted the meeting that established the Council of Christian
Church Leaders of Iraq at St. Garabed Armenian Church in Baghdad.
###
Photo attached: Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian,
and Archbishop Avak Asadourian on a visit to St. Nersess Seminary in New
Rochelle, N.Y.
From: A. Papazian
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
Contact: Karine Abalyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
July 30, 2010
________________________________________________
PRIMATE OF THE DIOCESE OF THE Armenian Church of Iraq Leads Country's
Council of Christian Church Leaders on Visit to U.S.
Archbishop Avak Asadourian, the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Iraq, led representatives of the country's recently formed
ecumenical organization on an official visit to the United States this
month, where they met with members of Congress to discuss the situation of
Christians in Iraq.
While on the East Coast, Archbishop Asadourian also had the opportunity to
participate in the July 11 ordination of the Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan,
at St. Mary Church of Washington, D.C., and to visit the Eastern Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America in New York City, where he met with Diocesan
Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.
Archbishop Asadourian is the general secretary of the Council of Christian
Church Leaders of Iraq, which was established last February to address the
growing safety concerns of Iraqi Christians and to facilitate dialogue with
the country's Muslim communities. The council represents the 14 Christian
traditions officially recognized by the Iraqi government in 1982, including
Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant
churches.
>From July 12 to 15, the delegation visited Washington, D.C., meeting with
members of Congress, as well as representative of the Heritage Foundation.
They spoke about ways to safeguard the Christian communities of Iraq, which
have come under threat amidst the sectarian violence of the country's Muslim
population.
About half of the estimated 1.2 million Christians living in Iraq prior to
the start of the Iraq War in 2003 have left the country in the past seven
years. And Christian families continue to leave Iraq in the face of attacks
on clergy and lay people.
At the conclusion of the meetings in the nation's capital, Archbishop
Asadourian traveled to New York, where he met with Archbishop Barsamian and
visited St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, his alma mater.
A native of Baghdad, Archbishop Asadourian has served as the Primate of
Iraq's Armenian Church Diocese since 1980. Today, the Iraq Diocese has
jurisdiction over parishes in Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk, Mosul, Zedakho, Erbil,
and Duhok, as well as the villages of Adzroog and Havresk. The Diocese runs
Sunday Schools, a youth association, and other educational and cultural
programs.
"The Armenian community of Iraq is a vibrant community dedicated to
maintaining the message of our Lord, as well as the Armenian heritage,"
Archbishop Asadourian said. At the same time, he added, Armenians, just like
other Christian communities of Iraq, face a major challenge in ensuring
future growth.
Archbishop Asadourian studied philosophy at Benediction University in
Illinois and at Tulane University in Louisiana. He also earned a Master of
Divinity degree from St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, N.Y.,
and a Ph.D. from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy.
He was ordained as a celibate priest in 1977 at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, and was elevated to the ranks of bishop and archbishop in 1982
and 1993, respectively. Prior to his work in Iraq, he served briefly as a
pastor in the Eastern Diocese.
Archbishop Asadourian has been active in a number of ecumenical
organizations worldwide, including the World Council of Churches. Last
February he hosted the meeting that established the Council of Christian
Church Leaders of Iraq at St. Garabed Armenian Church in Baghdad.
###
Photo attached: Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian,
and Archbishop Avak Asadourian on a visit to St. Nersess Seminary in New
Rochelle, N.Y.
From: A. Papazian