His Holiness Karekin II: 12 Years of Leadership
07 November 2011
The festive program began on Friday, November 4, with a Pontifical Prayer Service in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. Archbishop Grigoris Bouniatian, the Primate of the Diocese of Ukraine, presided over the service. Bishop Arshak Khatchatrian offered a message of congratulations to His Holiness. In addition to clergy and dignitaries, the Republic of Armenia's President, Serge Sargsyan, was present, as were other government officials. A reception followed.
On Friday evening a gathering was held at the Opera House in Yerevan. The evening featured performances of Armenian classical, folk, and spiritual music, as well as words of congratulations from high-ranking clergymen and dignitaries.
President
Sargsyan was a special guest at the Opera House event and expressed his
good wishes in formal remarks.
"Today, both in our motherland and in the diaspora, His Holiness Karekin II is the leader of church-building efforts. New churches are rising up and old treasures are being renovated," President Sargsyan said. "Man's spiritual and moral improvement, and a return to the Mother Church, comprise His Holiness' vision."
Also present was the President of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic, Bako Sahakyan.
In his own address to the crowd of well-wishers, His Holiness expressed gratitude to the Armenian people, and spoke about his continuing commitment to serve the Armenian Church.
"We will apply whatever years God grants us, and whatever strength and ability He delivers, to the greater glory of the Armenian Church," His Holiness said. "Our church will continue its effort to ensure a peaceful and flourishing life in our homeland."
On Sunday, November 6, at the cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness elevated six priests to the episcopate of the Armenian Church.
The consecration ceremony was preceded by an evening service on November 5, during which the six candidates gave an oath expressing their commitment to the Armenian Church and its Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Expressing his profound joy, His Holiness noted that the decimation of the ranks of clergy during the Armenian Genocide and the Soviet era is being reversed in the present day. Addressing the six new bishops, His Holiness urged them to continue serving the Lord, and to act as a steady light in their communities.
The new bishops include two distinguished clergy who formerly served the Eastern Diocese: Bishop Haigazoun Najarian, currently the Pontifical Legate for Central Europe, and Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, currently Primate of the Diocese of Great Britain.
The other four bishops are: Bishop Tatev Hakobyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania; Bishop Gevork Saroyan, dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary; Bishop Mushegh Babayan, director of the Stewardship Department at Holy Etchmiadzin; and Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, chancellor of the cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
This was the largest episcopal ordination in the Armenian Church in recent years. Attending the ceremony were diocesan leaders, including Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese.
