On 16-17 September, the Supreme Spiritual Council held a wide-format assembly under the direction of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Catholicos of All Armenians brought his patriarchal blessing to the gathered and wished them success. His Holiness welcomed the presence of new members of the SSC, including Prelate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany, Father, Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan, patriarchal delegate of India and the Far East, Prelate of the Armenian Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, Father, Bishop Haigazoun Najarian and Prelate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain, Father, Bishop Vahan Hovhannisyan.

The agenda included the upcoming Diocesan Representative Assembly (18-20 September), the Muron Blessing Ceremony (27 September 2015), the organizing of events ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, as well as issues related to the process of introducing the Guidelines for Dioceses in the statutes of Dioceses, problems concerning dioceses and parishes and disciplinary issues.

Father, Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan delivered a report on the preparations ahead of the Diocesan Representative Assembly to be held at the Mother See, reflecting on the activities carried out by the organizing committee and underlining the fact that the Mother See is ready to host the 155 representatives from the Hierarchical Sees and all Dioceses. Afterwards, the Supreme Spiritual Council expressed its appreciation of the organizing committee.

The participants of the assembly also discussed the draft of the statute for the Diocesan Representative Assembly, which was presented by head of the standing committee for the statute of the Diocesan Representative Assembly, Prelate of the Diocese of Tavush, Father, Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan. The draft, which was modified based on the recommendations, was set on the agenda for the Diocesan Representative Assembly.

The members of the SSC also listened to the report on the procedure of introducing the guideline in the statutes of dioceses by Chair of the Committee on Modification and Editing of Statutes of Dioceses, Prelate of the Diocese of Shirak, Father, Bishop Mikayel Ajapahyan. The Supreme Spiritual Council expressed appreciation of the work that had been done and urged to continue and finish the process of introducing the statutes of the dioceses. Attaching importance to the glory of the Armenian Church and the regulation for effective implementation of the Church’s mission, the Council assigned the Dioceses to finish the process of introducing the adopted document.

Member of the committee, head of the divan of the Mother See, Father, Bishop Arshak Khachatryan presented the recommendations of the committee in relation to making amendments to the guiding statute of the dioceses of 2009. The purpose of the proposed amendments is to engage more mundane people in the governance of dioceses, as well as specify and regulate the relations between the Mother See and the Dioceses.

The Supreme Spiritual Council also took notice of Father, Bishop Arshak Khachatryan’s report on the preparations for the Muron Blessing Ceremony.

Chairman of the organizing committee for the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, Prelate of the U.S. Western Diocese, Father, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian delivered a report on the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide to be held in Armenian-populated centers by the Mother See. During the discussion, Derderian also reflected on the commemoration ceremonies to be held by the Dioceses of the Armenian Church around the world and attached importance to the participation of spiritual leaders of Sister Churches, ecumenical organizations and representatives of other religions in the events to be held in 2015.

During the assembly, the members of the SSC also listened to the report by General Secretary of the Bible Society of Armenia, Father, Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan on the proofreading of the “Holy Etchmiadzin” translation of the Bible. The Holy Father said the translation of the Holy Book done from classical Armenian (grabar) by the late Supreme Patriarch Vazgen in 1985 has been proofread by the Bible Society, with the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians and with support from the congregates of the Mother See. The Supreme Spiritual Council commended the work that had been done and expressed appreciation of all thoseo who had made their contributions to the important task of proofreading the “Holy Etchmiadzin” translation of the Bible.