Catholicos Aram I Visit Embassies of Armenia and Lebanon in Abu Dhabi

10 December 2014. On Wednesday, His Holiness Aram I and his delegation visited the Embassy of Armenia in Abu Dhabi. Ambassador Kegham Gharibian and the staff welcomed the Catholicos. After the blessing of the bread and salt, they led the Catholicos to the garden to plant a tree in order to memorialize his visit.

In his welcoming speech, the Ambassador thanked the Catholicos for his efforts to strengthen the Armenian Republic through his international and ecumenical work. In his response, His Holiness thanked the ambassador and asked him to transmit his greetings to the President of Armenia, adding that Armenia has a special place in the heart of every Armenian, not only as the land, but also as the symbol of its centuries-old civilization. The Catholicos said that the Catholicosate of Cilicia, its dioceses and the faithful are dedicated to working with the embassies to strengthen and sustain their homeland, their culture and their civilization. He then blessed the ambassador and his staff and left to meet with the members of the Church Council of Abu Dhabi.

On Thursday, 11 December, in the evening, His Holiness will consecrate the Armenian Church in Abu Dhabi, according to the ancient tradition of the Armenian Church. In the ceremony, the Catholicos will be assisted by the Catholical Vicar of the UAE, the prelates of the dioceses of Tehran and Isfahan, the dean of the seminary and the staff bearer.

8 December 2014. On Monday, Catholicos Aram I arrived at the Lebanese Embassy accompanied by the Catholical Vicar for the UAE, the prelate of Isfahan (Iran) and representatives of the Armenian Community in the Emirates. After his warm welcome, Ambassador Hassan Saad thanked the Catholicos and the Armenian community for promoting the national interests of Lebanon.

In his response His Holiness thanked the ambassador for his kind words and said that Lebanon has a special place for the Armenians in the diaspora. The Catholicos then expressed his gratitude to the Arab people and to Lebanon, which welcomed the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and embraced them as co-citizens.

After the formal exchange of gifts, His Holiness and his delegation joined the luncheon organized by the Ambassador in his honour.

Source: OCP