The Armenian community of San Francisco hosted an official banquet on Saturday evening, November 8, 2025, in honor of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, celebrating his pontifical visit and the 30th anniversary of his enthronement.
The event gathered a distinguished assembly of spiritual and lay leaders, including the Prelate of the Western Diocese, His Eminence Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian; His Eminence Archbishop Torkom Donoyan; His Grace Bishop Dajad Ashekian; the spiritual pastor of the church; clergy of the Cilician Brotherhood; as well as representatives from the ARF Bureau, the ARF Central Committee of the Region, the Diocesan Executive Council, and local community boards.
Master of Ceremonies Nanor Ekmekjian guided the evening’s program. The opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Matt Senekeremian, Chair of the Church Board of Trustees, who welcomed His Holiness with warm, filial love. Reflecting on the three-decade pontificate, Senekeremian noted that it has been defined by a profound faith in God and unwavering service to the nation. He stated that this very legacy made the Catholicos’s presence so vital, granting the community renewed strength and hope to advance its national mission.
The spiritual pastor of the church, Rev. Fr. Artsakh Badoyan, emphasized the historic nature of the visit. “Today, the entire Armenian nation looks to you as its Catholicos… a source of inspiration, a wise leader, and a courageous patriarch,” he said.
His Eminence Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian, conveying the sentiments of the community, assured His Holiness that his presence had ignited a renewed spiritArchbishop Khacherian expressed confidence that the community, greatly enriched by His Holiness’s presence and pontifical exhortations, would reorganize its life and become a more powerful Armenian presence.
In his pontifical address, His Holiness Aram I focused on the enduring mission of the Catholicosate of Cilicia. He powerfully articulated its role, stating, “Antelias is a renewable presence in Armenian life today through its work.”
“We are far from preaching about ourselves; it is our work that speaks of the immense work we have done,” the Catholicos affirmed. “The Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia is a radiant presence in Armenian life, with its work carried out in various regions.”
Looking to the future, His Holiness outlined key priorities, including the critical preparation of new human resources and the strategic reorganization of the Diaspora. Addressing the situation in the homeland, he noted, “Armenia finds itself at a critical juncture in modern history, gripped by internal polarization and uncertainty.” He called for unity, stressing the “necessity to bring Armenia out of the current dangerous situation by uniting around our structures and strengthening the unity of our nation.”
The evening concluded with the community joining in the singing of the “Cilicia” anthem and the “Cilician Covenant” pontifical hymn.
