On the day of his arrival from Toronto, Canada, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I paid his first Pontifical Visit to St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church in Hollywood. A large crowd of the faithful was awaiting the arrival of their Pontiff. Those present to greet His Holiness also included members of the Central Executive Board, the Prelacy’s Executive Council, clergy, and representatives of various communal institutions.
Following a special church ceremony, the Prelate, warmly welcoming the Catholicos to the Western Prelacy on behalf of the people, said: “The pontifical visit of His Holiness is not only a blessing, but also a source of spiritual growth, renewal, and vitality—an inspiring occasion that strengthens our resolve, uplifts our spirit, and illuminates our national life. Today, the faithful of our Prelacy have the honor of celebrating and experiencing this historic day with deep reverence. Each visit of the Catholicos fills us with new energy and motivates us toward greater achievements. This particular visit of His Holiness is especially historic and profoundly blessed, as the Catholicos is among us while marking the 30th anniversary of his ascension to the Armenian Church Holy See of Cilicia. On behalf of the faithful members of our Prelacy, Your Holiness, we extend our warmest congratulations and heartfelt wishes. May God keep your Pontifical leadership ever flourishing and grant you many more fruitful years upon your throne.”
His Holiness first addressed the faithful in Armenian, then he said: “Let me share with you at least the summary of my message in English. I want to develop my message around three key words, and these are: faith, faithfulness, and unity. In fact, these three dimensions of our common life constitute the core of who we are as a church and community.
I cannot imagine our life which is not sustained and guided by faith in God. We are challenged to preserve the values and imperatives of our Christian faith.
Faith without faithfulness is an empty notion. Faith must be translated into action and a quality of life driven by values, principles, and traditions that ensure the identity and integrity of our faith.
And finally, we should bear in mind that we are not a collection of unrelated individuals and organizations; we are a community of faith belonging to a church and a nation. Therefore, this sense of belonging to a church and a community needs to be manifested through our unity and togetherness and by participating in the life of the church and community.”
Following this guiding message from His Holiness, the faithful were given the opportunity to approach their Pontiff and receive his Pontifical Blessing by kissing his hand.
