Bzommar, Lebanon

Under the presidency of His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Catholicos Patriarch Of Cilicia for  Armenian Catholics, on Tuesday, the 25th of September 2007 at 8:00 am, 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 Council of the Holy Synod which will conclude on the 5th of October, 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 and the Patriarchal Vicar of the Partriarchal Clergy Institute of Bzommar.

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.-  The Clergy Seminar which was held on the 31st of July till the 2nd of August in the Convent of Bzommar, and the discussion of the propositions that it rose.
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.- Preparation of the 3rd Patriarchal Congress.
h.- Translation and  publishing of the Catechism of the Catholic Church into modern Armenian.

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.
At last, referring to the issue of the present presidential elections in Lebanon, the bishops of the Synod raise their prayers to the Almighty God, to the miraculous Our Lady of Bzommar and to the Blessed Ignatius Maloyan, to inspire all the leaders to guide Lebanon’s fate with wisdom and sense of responsibility and to adopt a courageous and conscientious attitiude 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.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”.
 
Bzommar, September 25, 2007
Secretariat
Armenian Catholic Bishop Synod