On May 16 and 18, 2017, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council was convened at the headquarters of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan (Moscow, Russia). The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Supreme Spiritual Council member, also participated in the meeting.

Following the Lord’s Prayer, the members offered a prayer to God for the blessed memory of Academician and Supreme Spiritual Council member Vladimir Barkhudaryan.

The Catholicos of All Armenians conveyed his Pontifical blessings to the clergy and lay members of the Supreme Spiritual Council. His Holiness expressed satisfaction that the Supreme Spiritual Council was convening their regular meeting in Moscow, as 2017 marks the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Armenian Diocese in Russia. After being informed on the jubilee year main events to be held in September, His Holiness congratulated the Diocesan Primate on behalf of members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the service of the Armenian Church in the blessed country of Russia, asking that the Lord keep strong the friendship between the Armenian and Russian peoples, and the cooperation between the two countries and churches.

Expressing his wish for productive session for the spiritual council, the Catholicos of All Armenians also asked for God’s support to all Armenians worldwide, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and its devoted servants.

During the three-day meeting the Constitutional charter, and items related to diocesan, national and social issues were discussed.

During the meeting, the Supreme Spiritual Council discussed the Constitutional Project of the Armenian Church National-Ecclesiastical Assembly. The current constitution for the assembly has been in use since 1945. Following a detailed examination, the Supreme Spiritual Council accepted the report of the completed works and with the blessings of His Holiness, advised the committee to submit the draft during the Armenian Church Representative Assembly which will be convened in June. A report was submitted by His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, on the preparation of the convening of the Armenian Church Representative Assembly from June 6 to 9 in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The SSC members expressed their appreciation for the work that has been completed and also made changes they want implemented.

A report was submitted by His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Bekchian, Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, presenting the current difficult situation in the Patriarchate. The Supreme Spiritual Council expressed concern over the situation created in the Armenian Patriarchate, as the Patriarchal Locum Tenens is unable to initiate the implementation of his duties. The SSC expressed support to the Patriarchal Vicar, urging to him to exert efforts in finding better solutions to the situation with the state structures.

The SSC also discussed programs associated with the celebrations of the 2018 Youth Year. In 2016, during the SSC meeting held in New York, it was decided to declare 2018 as the Year of Youth.

It was noted that in 2018 youth gatherings and events are planned in separate regions. With the participation of youth from the dioceses around the world, a three-day pilgrimage will be organized to Armenia and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in July 2018. The three-day gathering will conclude with a Divine Liturgy.

At the end of SSC three-day meeting, His Eminence Archbishop Yezras Nersisyan presented a report on the Diocese of Russia and New Nakhichevan, expressing gratitude to the Catholicos of All Armenians for convening the regular SSC session in the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhichevan. Giving a brief historical overview on the establishment of the Armenian Diocese in Russia, Archbishop Yezras presented the current activities of the diocese. The Supreme Spiritual Council members accepted the report with gratitude, expressing their appreciation for the various patriotic programs implemented by the Diocese.

The SSC members asked God’s support to His Eminence and the clergy in their dedicated and beneficial service. The meeting was concluded with the blessings remarks of His Holiness Karekin II.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by Supreme Spiritual Council members and the diocesan clergy, visited the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral. They toured the Armenian monastery complex, which through its structures has become not only religious, but national and cultural center of Armenians living outside of their homeland.

The guests attended an exhibition of works by famous Armenian artists, devoted to the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Armenian Diocese in Russia, which was opened in the “Tapan” (Ark) Museum of the Armenian church complex of Moscow. The exhibition featured 24 paintings and 4 sculptures by famous Armenian artists, donated to the Diocese. The Catholicos of All Armenians conveyed his Pontifical blessings to the attendees, on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition.

The Catholicos of All Armenians was bestowed with the Golden Star of Bethlehem by the Presidium of the Academy of Russian Language and Literature; the highest award of the Academy. The Academy established the award in the year 2000, with the blessings of the late Russian Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. The award ceremony was held in the headquarters of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan. In attendance were Supreme Spiritual Council members, the Diocesan clergy and representatives of the Academy of Russian Language and Literature.