Under the presidency of His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Catholicos Patriarch Of Cilicia for Armenian Catholics, on Wednesday the 17th of September 2008 at 7:30am, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Our Lady of Assumption church in Bzommar, as an opening ceremony for the Annual Synod of Bishops of the Armenian Catholic Church. The bishops of the Synod raised their prayers to the Almighty God, to the miraculous Our Lady of Bzommar and to the Blessed Ignatius Maloyan, to bless them with the grace to work for the Armenian Catholic Church and also to inspire the newly elected president of Lebanon Michel Sleiman as well as all the leaders to guide Lebanon with wisdom and sense of responsibility and to adopt a courageous and conscientious attitude in order to confront the arousing challenges, for the sake of  the afflicted people who expects a bright dawn following the lasting critical and situation.

The Council of the Holy Synod which will conclude on the 26th of September, is attended by the emeritus Catholicos Patriarch Hovhannes Bedros XVIII Kasbarian, the eparchs of Lebanon, Armenia, Eastern Europe, Damascus, Aleppo, Kamishli, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, France, Western Europe, USA, Canada, Latin America, Greece, Jerusalem and Jordan, as well as emeriti bishops, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Partriarchal Clergy Institute of Bzommar, the General Vicar of Mekhitarist Order and the Mother Superior of the Congregation of the Armenian Sisters of Immaculate Conception.

The fathers of the Synod will discuss the following issues.-
a. - The administrative, religious, pastoral, social and cultural status of the eparchies.

 b. - The relations of the Armenian Catholic Church with other churches as well as religions. Moreover, the role of the Armenian Catholic Church in Lebanon, Armenia and other diasporic countries.

c. - Preparation of the 3rd Patriarchal Congress which will be held in 2009 in the convent of Bzommar
d. - Discussion of canonical matters.

e. - Reform of liturgical rites and validation for further liturgical publications.

f. - Discussion of the undertakings and evaluation of the accomplishments of the different patriarchal committees.
g. - Discussions on the translating of the Holy Bible into modern Armenian. 

h. - Translation and publishing of the Catechism of the Catholic Church into modern Armenian.

i.- Discussions around the preparations for  “The Compassion of Christ” seminar.

The Fathers of the Holy Synod will also reflect upon the harsh and worrisome social, political and economical current situations in Armenia and Artsakh, as well as in the Middle East, in particular the Holy Land, Iraq and Lebanon, in order to assist effectively in the process of restoration and re-establishment, and to put an end to emigration, especially those of the educated youth.

Bzommar, September 17, 2008
Secretariat

Armenian Catholic Bishop Synod