His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided over the latest Supreme Spiritual Council meeting, which convened at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from October 31 to November 3.
Pontifical Legate of Western Europe Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and Chancellor of Holy Etchmiadzin Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan chaired the meeting sessions, which brought together high-ranking clergy from the church’s worldwide jurisdictions.
Among those attending was Primate of the Eastern Diocese Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, joining his fellow church leaders for the first time as a bishop of the church.
While the meeting received reports on the Mother See’s ongoing activities in education, outreach, and ecumenical relations, much of the meeting revolved around the topic of Artsakh and its people. The bishops discussed current initiatives by the Mother See to provide spiritual care, psychological support, and job training to the resettling refugees from Artsakh, in addition to providing for their physical sustenance and lodging. Pathways to preserve Artsakh’s spiritual and cultural heritage against desecration and destruction were also addressed.
It was also announced that the Diocese of Artsakh will continue to maintain its status under the present conditions, with Bishop Vertanes Abrahamyan continuing to serve as Primate. “Tragically, the state of Artsakh is dissolved; but the dissolution of the Artsakh Diocese will not take place,” said Bishop Abrahamyan in a report to the council. “His Holiness’ announcement to this effect was met with the greatest joy. Naturally, its functions will change; but the Diocese of Artsakh will continue to serve its people, and we will hold in our hearts the hope to return to our land again.”
A tender expression of concern for the people of Artsakh came on November 2, when Catholicos Karekin II led members of the council to a camp in Armenia’s Kotayk diocese, where 38 families forcibly displaced from Artsakh have been sheltered. As the visiting clergy blessed the families and children, His Holiness stressed to the refugees that their Armenian brothers and sisters across the world are engaged in the critical work of taking care of their spiritual, humanitarian, and social needs.
Click the following links to watch a video digest of the Supreme Spiritual Council meeting, and to view photos on the Facebook page of the Mother See.
Pictured here: Catholicos Karekin II and members of the Supreme Spiritual Council—including Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan—visit with refugees from Artsakh.