YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–A meeting between heads of the Armenian and Artsakh dioceses and governors of Armenia was held in St. Etchmiadzin on December 3 upon the initiative of Catholicos of All Armenia’s Karekin II. The delegation of Armenian governors was headed by Minister of Territorial Governance Khosrov Haroutiunian.
His Holiness stressed the importance of Church-State cooperation in organizing public life and solving various social problems. The meeting called the joint work of clerics and lay officials the best guarantee of such cooperation.
It was decided to develop joint programs to see the Millennium New Year and Christmas in as the initial step of this cooperation. Primates and governors were instructed to submit their joint programs to the next meeting within ten days for approval.
During the meeting church officials also touched upon the question of sectarian spread in Armenia. Catholicos of All Armenia’s Karekin II believes the strengthening of the Church proper and Armenian education of the younger generation to be the best means of struggling against heterodoxy. Sharing the concern of the clergy–governors expressed readiness to assist in the Church’s educational activities.
The sides said they were satisfied with the results of the meeting. They expressed a desire to hold similar meetings more frequently in order to discuss a broader range of programs.