Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

From June 19 to 20, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenian; a Supreme Spiritual Council meeting was held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The meeting was opened with the blessing remarks of His Holiness Karekin II.

Co-chairman of the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Parsamyan, Pontifical Delegate of Western Europe and His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of the Diocese of Tavoush.

During the sessions of the two-day meeting, issues relating the organization of the coming National-Ecclesiastical Assembly, and the national-church life in the Homeland and the Diaspora were discussed.

In particular, referring to the National-Ecclesiastic Assembly to be convened in 2020, the SSC members listened to the reports on the activities of the seven committees created for the preparation of the agenda issues.

Reports werepresented by His Eminence Archbishop Sepuh Chuljyan, co-chairman of the organizing Committee on Diocesan and Parish Life; His Eminence Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan, co-chairman of the Armenian Apostolic Church's Educational Mission Committee; His Eminence Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, co-chairman of the Social Service Committee; His Grace Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanyan, co-chairman of the Mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church in strengthening the Armenia-Diaspora ties and protecting national identity; His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, co-chairman of the Challenge Committee of the Christian Value System; Rev. Fr. Karekin Hambardzumyan, Secretary of the Clergyman preparation Committee and His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, co-chairman of the

Committee for the Improvement of the Financial-Economic Situation of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Discussing the presented reports and making the necessary dictations, the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, led by His Holiness, highly appreciated the work done by the committees.

The committees consisting of clergymen and representatives of the Homeland and the Diaspora will continue to elaborate on the agenda issues of the National Church Assembly and the documents to be examined within the framework of these issues. The members of the SSC listened to the report on the reconstruction of the Mother Cathedral, which was presented by His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan. The SSC members were also informed about the nationwide Fund Program, to be launched on the upcoming Feast of the Holy Etchmiadzin, which will be coordinated by the working group established by the blessings of the Catholicos of All Armenians, led by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderyan, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian church of North America.

The SSC the members welcomed the steps undertaken by attaching importance of the participation and contribution of every Armenian in the maintenance and restoration of the Holy Sanctuary of all Armenians.

During the meeting, His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See, conveyed information on the first meeting of the Working group of the relations of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church and the joint discussions, informing that the works are proceeding normally.

The meeting also referred to a number of canonical issues of the Church