HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE CONFERENCE ON THE SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL LEGACY OF THE SYRIAC CIVILIZATION
On 8 November 2012, theologians and specialists on Syriac spirituality, who were in Beirut to participate in a conference, visited His Holiness Aram I.
After welcoming the participants, His Holiness said that this was indeed an important conference, and he remarked that “the achievements of the past should not be forgotten; they should be assessed and revived in the present.” Speaking of the spiritual legacy of the Armenian Church, he noted that during the Kingdom of Cilicia, the theology of the Armenian Church developed along with the discourses of the Syriac, Greek and Latin theologians. Then, as now, the Armenian Church affirmed its own specificity, while remaining open to dialogue.
During a brief discussion period, the participants asked the Catholicos to speak of the challenges to the ecumenical movement today. He said that theological dialogue among churches should continue because of past misunderstandings and differences. However, he added, “These dialogues today should also take into consideration the social issues societies are facing, because those issues are also linked to the life of the churches.
