Supreme Spiritual Council Meets in the Mother See
20/3/2010
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
The Supreme Spiritual Council convened its regular meeting in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on March 19, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
The meeting opened with the Lord’s Prayer. On the agenda for this meeting were issues related to the hierarchal sees of the Armenian Church, intra-Church and ecumenical relations.
First, the 2009 administrative and financial reports for the Mother See were presented to the members of the Council.
A summary report on the visit (March 16-18) to Holy Etchmiadzin of His Holiness Kirill I, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, was presented during the meeting. His Holiness Karekin II reflected with satisfaction on the visit of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, which once again confirmed the warm and fraternal relations and close cooperation that exist between the two Churches. The Supreme Spiritual Council expressed its appreciation to the organizing committee in receiving the report on the Patriarch’s visit. His Holiness Karekin II also informed the members that Patriarch Kirill had presented to him a joint invitation from Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, spiritual leader of the Muslims of the Caucasus, and His Holiness Kirill I, to travel to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the summit of religious leaders from the CIS and Baltic states, from April 26-28. In this regard, His Holiness informed the Supreme Spiritual Council that he would make a final decision on whether to attend the summit following receipt of clarifications on the agenda of the meeting.
Also discussed was the recent visit (February 17-19) of His Holiness Karekin II and a delegation of high-ranking clergymen to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The visit coincided with the 91st birthday of His Beatitude Patriarch Abp. Torkom Manoogian, the 70th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood and the 20th anniversary of his election as Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. During the visit to the holy city, His Holiness presented to Patriarch Torkom the St. Mesrop Mashtots medal awarded to him by the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsian. The Supreme Spiritual Council discussed a number of issues related to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and welcomed the proposal made by His Holiness to Patriarch Torkom, to convene a general meeting of the Patriarchate’s Brotherhood of Saint James.
The Supreme Spiritual Council also received the report on the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, provided by His Eminence Abp. Aram Ateshian, Chairman of the Religious Council of the Patriarchate. Abp. Ateshian provided information regarding the progress on the election of a coadjutor patriarch, and confirmed that the necessary applications have been made to Turkish authorities seeking permission to hold elections for a coadjutor patriarch. The Armenian community of Turkey awaits a reply from the authorities on their request.
The members of the SSC were further informed that Rev. Fr. Hakob Apresian of the Diocese of Artsakh has been defrocked for his uncanonical behavior. From this point on, he shall be regarded as a member of the laity and known by his baptismal name, Mirza Apresian.
The agenda for the meeting also included discussion on the proposed plans for administrative-structural improvements and reformations to diocesan and intra-church life.
The meeting concluded with the remarks of His Holiness, his blessings to all of the member and a closing prayer.
