Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide & Consecration of Holy Myron: A Foretaste of Pan-Orthodox Unity

Helen Bader – (Special Corespondent in Lebanon)
OCP News Service – July 2015

The Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide and the Consecration of Holy Myron at the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church: A Foretaste of Pan-Orthodox Unity.

Beirut:The Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide and the Consecration of Holy Myron in the Great See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church: A Foretaste of Pan-Orthodox Unity

The Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church meaningfully brought together the Centennial Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide and the Consecration of the Holy Myron of the Church. The events have taken place in Antelias, at the Headquarters of the Church and at the Monastery of the Church in Bikfaya in the Republic of Lebanon over the weekend of 18-19 July 2015. In the morning of 18 July, in Byblos, north of the city of Beirut, a new Genocide Museum was inaugurated. This was followed by the Consecration of the Holy Myron in the Monastery of the Church in Bikfaya, in the evening. Both the events were presided by the primate of the Great House of Cilicia, Catholicos His Holiness Aram I. On Sunday, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Catholicosate in Antelias. This was followed by a brief commemoration Service of the Genocide.

The highlight of these events was the notable presences of the Oriental and Byzantine Orthodox Traditions. From the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Primates from the Alexandrian, Indian and Ethiopian and from the Byzantine Orthodox Churches, the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria have participated. The Holy See of Etchmiadizin and the Holy See of Antioch from the Oriental Orthodox Traditions were represented by significant prelates. Again, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, have been represented by high level delegations. Every single primate or representative of a primate has spoken over the lunch time gatherings where they have wholeheartedly acknowledged the significance of the remembrance of the Genocide. Many of the prelates have expressed their hope in the future fellowships.

The Primates standing together in a Semicircle facing the Altar in the Eucharistic Service was a festal view for the Pan-Orthodox fellowship anticipators. Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE would consider this as a foretaste of the expected fellowship of the Orthodox Churches across the globe, for which it would always stand.

Source:
OCP News Service