Supreme Spiritual Council Meeting in Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

September 2014

On September 16-17 under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Supreme Spiritual Council meeting was held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, with new members. At the beginning of the meeting Catholicos of All Armenians offered his blessings to the participants, wishing them a productive meeting. His Holiness welcomed the presence of the new Supreme Spiritual Council members; His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany; His Grace Bishop Haigazun Najarian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Australia and Pontifical Legate of India and the Far East; and His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain.

The SSC agenda included the Armenian Church Representative Assembly, being held from September 18-20, the Blessing of the Holy Chrism service, scheduled for September 27, 2015, event planning and organization for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide, and issues concerning the implementation process for the Diocesan Bylaws Guidelines of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, and liturgical and disciplinary problems. A report was submitted by His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian, on the preparation of the convening of the Armenian Church Representative Assembly, referring in detail to the work implemented by the organizing committee and highlighting that Mother See is ready to host the 155 representatives from the Hierarchical Sees and Dioceses around the world who are arriving for the meeting. Hearing the report, the Supreme Spiritual Council expressed appreciation to the organizing committee.

The participants also discussed the draft charter project of the Armenian Church Representative Assembly, which was presented by the chairman of the Charter Drafting Committee, His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, Primate of the Diocese of Tavush. Based on the completed recommendations, the revised draft was scheduled to be discussed in the upcoming Armenian Church Representative Assembly.

The SSC members also listened to the report by the Primate of the Shirak Diocese, His Grace Bishop Mikael Ajapahian, Chairman of the Drafting and Editing Committee for the Diocesan Bylaw Guidelines, about the progress of individual Dioceses in implementing of the guidelines in their respective Diocesan Bylaws. The Supreme Spiritual Council, expressing appreciation for the work that has been completed, urged that the completion of the process continue in the Dioceses. The Council, noting the importance of the effectiveness of standardized bylaws within the Armenian Church, advised the dioceses to zealously complete the implementation process of the adopted document. Chancellor of the Mother See, His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatrian, presented the SSC members the Committee proposals on amended changes to the Diocesan Bylaw Guidelines adopted in 2009. The proposed changes are aimed to expand the participation of lay members in the Dioceses management process, as well as to clarify and regulate the relationship between the Mother See and the dioceses.

The Supreme Spiritual Council took into consideration the report of His Grace Bishop Arshak Kahachatrian, about the preparatory activities being undertaken for the Blessing of the Holy Chrism service.

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, presented a report as Chairman of the Mother See’s organizing committee for events dedicated to the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. During the discussion of the report, a review was made of the Memorial events planned by the Armenian Church dioceses worldwide. The participation of Sister Churches Religious Leaders, ecumenical organizations, and representatives of other religions was highlighted in the 2015 planned events.

During the meeting the SSC members also heard the report of His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Armenia regarding the Bible’s translation and proofreading of the “Holy Etchmiadzin”. His Eminence informed the Council that through the initiative of the His Holiness Vasken I of Blessed Memory, the classical Armenian (grabar) translation of the Holy Bible was implemented in 1985, and with the blessing of Karekin II, the book has been proofread over the last 10 years by the Bible Society, with the support of the members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Supreme Spiritual Council, welcomed the completed work, and expressed appreciation to all those who had given their contributions in the important activities of the Bible’s “Holy Etchmiadzin” translation and proofreading.

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