Brotherhood Conference Concludes
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
On June 5, members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin traveled to the Monastery of Khor Virap to participate in the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Deliverance from the Dungeon. The Brotherhood members had gathered together in Armenia for their 2010 Conference. The celebrant of the Liturgy was Rev. Fr. Narek Avagian, Abbot of the Church of Khor Virap. On the occasion of the feast, the reliquary of the Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator was taken from the Cathderal of the Mother See to Khor Vitrap.
Prior to the service, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided over the closing session of the conference in the Pontifical Residence.
The session opened with the Lord’s Prayer. Very Rev. Fr. Komitas Hovnanian, Conference Chairman and Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian, Conference Vice Chairman presented a report on the results of the conference. Rev. Fr. Dajad Tsaturian, a Member of the Organizing Committee, read the minutes of the meeting.
At the conclusion, the Armenian Pontiff extended his blessings and appreciation to the members of the Brotherhood. His Holiness expressed his joy and stated that the meeting provided the members with an opportunity to unite in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and renew their oaths. The Catholicos of All Armenians noted that the members were able to discuss issues and problems of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and the nation, in an atmosphere of friendship and brotherhood. “We stress the importance of these meetings as a means of strengthening the bonds of friendship, while discussing, seeking and finding solutions to current issues”. His Holiness expressed his pleasure that representatives of the hierarchal sees of the Armenian Church had also attended the conference.
The final agenda item was the election of members of the planning committee for the next conference. After approval by the Catholicos of All Armenians, the following members were elected to the new committee: Rev. Fr. Narek Berberian – pastor of St. David Armenian Church of Boca Raton, Florida, USA; Rev. Fr. Nerseh Khalatian – Deputy Director of the Museums of the Mother See; Rev. Fr. Mushegh Babayan – Director of Administrative-Economic Department of the Mother See; Rev. Fr. Ruben Zargarian – Administrator of the Publishing Department of the Mother See; and Rev. Fr. Maghakia Amiryan – Assistant Dean of Gevorgian Theological Seminary of the Mother See.
