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Antelias: Important meetings are held in Antelias

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  • Antelias: Important meetings are held in Antelias

    PRESS RELEASE
    Catholicosate of Cilicia
    Communication and Information Department
    Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
    Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
    Fax: (04) 419724
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: http://www.cathcil.org/

    PO Box 70 317
    Antelias-Lebanon

    Armenian version: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Armenian.htm


    IMPO RTANT MEETINGS ARE HELD IN ANTELIAS


    During the last few days His Holiness Aram I held important meetings in the
    Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in light of the recent
    political developments in Lebanon.

    His Holiness received Gerges Saleh, the General Secretary of the Middle East
    Council of Churches (MECC), who wanted the Pontiff's views on the
    distribution of humanitarian aid to the refugees from South Lebanon.

    The Catholicos advised the general secretary about the importance of
    organised committee work through social workers on the local level. He also
    outlined the importance of accountability to those charity organisations
    that are providing humanitarian aid to Lebanon.

    His Holiness called on churches to contribute to the humanitarian aid
    efforts through their representatives as a tangible expression of the church
    's humanitarian mission.

    "This is the stage of immediate aid. The next stage should be carefully
    studied so that the physical and psychological consequences of the war can
    be remedied," he said.

    Dr. Sam Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC)
    and a number ecumenical committees and spiritual leaders of several churches
    contacted the Armenian Catholicos by email, phone and faxes to express their
    support in these times of war.

    Another important meeting the Catholicos held was with the head of the
    Christian-Muslim Committee of Lebanon, Mr. Hares Shehab. The representative
    of the Armenian community in that committee, Dr. Jean Salmanian was also
    present at the meeting.

    Shehab handed to His Holiness the invitation of Maronite Patriarch Mar
    Nasrallah Sfeir to a meeting of Lebanese spiritual leaders to be held within
    the next 24 hours.

    His Holiness Aram I stressed the importance of strengthening the internal
    unity of Lebanon: "When one of Lebanon's communities is hurt, Lebanon as a
    whole is hurt. When the lives of people belonging to a certain community are
    threatened, the lives of all the Lebanese are threatened. We should,
    therefore, be united in the conflict so we can overcome the threat."

    The dioceses of the Catholicosate of Cilicia are trying, within their
    capabilities, to bring their contribution to the humanitarian aid efforts to
    the refugees of South Lebanon.

    ##
    View photo here: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Pictures89.h tm
    *****
    The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
    the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
    activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
    the Catholicosate, http://www.cathcil.org/ The Cilician Catholicosate, the
    administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
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