WCC NEWS: WCC general secretary visits Armenian churches

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World Council of Churches - News

WCC GENERAL SECRETARY VISITS ARMENIAN CHURCHES

For immediate release: 26 September 2011

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of
Churches (WCC), participated in the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s
independence, had extensive conversations with the Catholicos of All
Armenians, Supreme Patriarch Karekin II, visited the Armenian Apostolic
Church, as well as the Memorial to the Armenian Genocide at
Tsitsernakaberd, and spoke at a theological seminary at the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin. This was part of Tveit’s official visit to Armenia,
which took place from 21 to 23 September 2011.

At the memorial Tveit laid a wreath, offered a prayer, toured the museum,
and planted a tree in memory of the genocide victims.

Karekin told Tveit that some of the struggles of the Armenian churches
during the past years emerge from the genocide, which took place in 1915.

The church suffered a huge loss due to the genocide, and the community was
diminished. The influences of communism and the Soviet Union followed.
Yet, “in the hearts of people, the faith has prevailed,” Karekin
said.

Now, Karekin is leading rebuilding and expansion of the church for the
present and future. This is carried out with a hope that the church can
address new questions of the faithful.

Tveit said of his visit, “It is an honour to be here at this special
time. It has been a learning, as well as an inspirational time. It is
inspiring to see how the church can play a role in the destiny of a
people. Throughout the centuries, the Armenian Church has had a global
understanding, balancing a global expression throughout the Diaspora with
the nurturing of local expressions of faith.”

“The WCC is very grateful for the contributions and commitment of the
Armenian Apostolic Church,” Tveit added.

The visit included participation in the official audience with Karekin,
contacts with the government officials, including Armenian President Serzh
Azati Sargsyan, and visits to different diaconal, media, and social
branches of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

This week in the ecumenical prayer cycle (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=c25a18b463f62604c56a ), 25 September to 
1 October
2011, the WCC asks Christians to pray for the churches and peoples of
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The local hosts for the visit were Archbishop Dr Vicken Aykazian and Bishop
Hovakim Manukyan of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Tveit was accompanied
by WCC staff members, Father Dr Daniel Buda, programme executive for
church and ecumenical relations and Rev. Garland F. Pierce, senior
assistant to the general secretary.

WCC member churches in Armenia (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=eff55c2b284ffa5b53ae )

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the ecumenical prayer cycle
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=e280f77a7a0ca35a8c5f ) (25
September to 1 October)


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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