Last week, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I presided over the Holy Liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Church in Abu Dhabi temporarily offered to the Armenian community.
In his sermon he spoke of the three moments of the Holy Liturgy: remembering the Last Supper of Jesus, participating in the Holy Eucharist and witnessing for the faith by living the Gospel message and serving the community.
At the end of the Liturgy, His Holiness greeted and blessed the faithful individually and then moved with his entourage to the location of the future Church. The Catholicos was accompanied by the Catholicosal Vicar of the Diocese of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates Bishop Shahe Panossian, the Ambassador of Armenia to the Gulf Region, the Honorary Ambassador of Armenia to Der Zor, and the representatives of the Armenian communities in Abou Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar. The Scout’s band of the pan-Armenian Sports Organization (HOMENETMEN) from Lebanon had also come for the occasion.
According to the tradition of the Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholicos Aram I blessed the 16 stones of the 16 columns of the church’s foundation that were carried by 16 benefactors and witnesses. His Holiness named the Church The Holy Martyrs to comemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armeian Genocide. At the end of the ceremony, the Catholicos thanked the Emir of Abu Dhabi, the benefactors of the new church and the members of the community.
While in Abu Dhabi, His Holiness Aram I also met with the Executive Committee of the church, the board of the One-Day A Week school, the members of the women’s association and the youth organization and thanked them for their commitment to the community.
