His Holiness Aram I
Scholarship and Formation
Born in 1947 in Beirut, Lebanon, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I studied at the Armenian Theological Seminary in Antelias, Lebanon; the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Geneva, Switzerland; the Near East School of Theology; the American University of Beirut; Oxford University; and Fordham University in New York.
He holds BA, M.Div., S.T.M., and PhD degrees, as well as several honorary degrees. His major areas of specialization are philosophy, systematic theology, Near Eastern church history, and ecumenism.
Back to TopPastoral Leadership and Renewal
His Holiness Catholicos Aram I was ordained as a celibate priest in 1968 and obtained the title of Vartabed, Doctor of the Armenian Church, in 1970. In 1978, he was elected Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Community in Lebanon and received episcopal ordination in 1980. In 1985, he became Archbishop. In June 1995, he was elected Catholicos by the Electoral Assembly of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, composed of 35 clergy and 115 lay representatives.
Called to serve as Primate of the Armenian Community of Lebanon from 1978 to 1995 during the Lebanese Civil War, His Holiness reorganized parishes and schools, restructured and reactivated church-related institutions, and renewed community leadership.
- Reorganized and revitalized the work of the Church in spiritual renewal, theological formation, Christian education, publications, communications, youth, Armenological studies, justice and peace, and human rights.
- Realized major construction projects in the Catholicosate, including the Cilicia Museum, the Armenian Genocide Orphans’ Aram Bezikian Museum, the Center of Archives and Manuscripts, residences, guest facilities, offices, youth centers, and spaces for university students.
- Supported major projects at the monastery of St. Mary, including seminary renovation, clergy apartments, the Catholicosal residence, guest house, open-air altar, Khoren I Center, choirs, youth center, and Bezikian Convention Center.
- Paid pontifical visits to dioceses in the Middle East, Europe, North America, and South America, bringing renewed dynamism to relations between worldwide dioceses and the Catholicosate in Lebanon.
- Emphasized the Church’s outreach through social service, including orphanages, homes for the elderly and blind, schools for the disabled, and apartments for low-income families.
- Strengthened ecumenical relations, developed close personal relations with world church leaders, organized ecumenical meetings, and met heads of state, political and religious leaders, and representatives of international organizations.
Teacher, Lecturer, and Theologian
For many years His Holiness Catholicos Aram I has regularly lectured on Armenological, theological, and ecumenical subjects at the Armenian Seminary and Haigazian University in Beirut. He has also given numerous public lectures in universities, academic and cultural centers, public events, and international gatherings.
Back to TopA Global Ecumenical Voice
His Holiness was appointed in 1972 as the representative of the Holy See of Cilicia for ecumenical relations, serving in this position until 1995. He has played a major role in the worldwide ecumenical movement.
- Founding member of the Middle East Council of Churches in 1974, serving on its Executive Committee and later as President for two successive periods, 2006-2010 and 2010-2016, before being elected honorary president.
- Delegate to World Council of Churches assemblies in Nairobi, Vancouver, Canberra, Harare, and Porto Alegre, as well as many international conferences.
- Elected to the Faith and Order Commission of the WCC in 1975, its Standing Committee in 1983, and the Central Committee of the WCC in 1983.
- Elected Moderator of the Central and Executive Committees of the WCC at the Canberra Assembly in 1991, the highest position of this global fellowship of churches. He was the first Orthodox and youngest person elected to the position, and was unanimously re-elected at Harare in 1998.
- Founding member of several theological dialogues, including Oriental Orthodox-Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox-Reformed, and Orthodox-Evangelical dialogues, with important roles in initiating Oriental Orthodox-Roman Catholic and Oriental Orthodox-Lutheran dialogues.
- Instrumental in creating, in 1996, the fellowship of the Three Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East: Coptic, Syrian, and Armenian.
In addition to membership in several ecumenical councils and committees, since 1969 His Holiness has participated in many ecumenical meetings, consultations, seminars, and conferences on regional and international levels.
Back to TopPromoting Mutual Understanding
As a strong supporter of inter-religious relations, dialogue, and cooperation, His Holiness Aram I has played a significant part in promoting common values, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence among religions.
- Worked as Primate to create tolerance and build mutual confidence between Christian and Muslim communities during the most critical times of the Lebanese Civil War.
- Frequently emphasized in his writings and public interventions the vital importance of dialogue and collaboration among the living faiths of the world.
- Initiated inter-religious dialogues and took active part in important regional and international inter-religious meetings.
- Played an instrumental role in reorganizing the Christian-Muslim Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches and in preparing the World Council of Churches’ International Inter-religious Conference in June 2005.
- Organized high-level meetings in Antelias with representatives of religions of Asia and the Middle East, and theological dialogues with centers for dialogue of religions and cultures in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Lectured at inter-religious meetings, universities, and public events throughout the world.
His Holiness is an honorary President of the World Religions Museum Foundation and the World Religions for Peace international organization.
Back to TopA Defender of Justice and Memory
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide and reparation, known as the Armenian Cause, has been integral to the ministry of His Holiness since his early years. Considering the Armenian Cause a cause of justice and a response to the violation of fundamental human rights, His Holiness has made it a vital dimension of his spiritual, intellectual, and ecumenical work.
Filing a case against Turkey, demanding the return of the historical seat of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Sis, Kozan, Turkey, is undoubtedly one of his signature achievements. For the first time after one hundred years of the Armenian Genocide, legal action was taken in the context of reparation with the filing of the case before the Constitutional Court of Turkey and then before the European Court of Human Rights.
In 2012, he organized an international conference titled “The Armenian Genocide: From Recognition to Reparation,” attended by renowned jurists and scholars. On the occasion of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, His Holiness gave a number of public lectures, and his interventions at commemoration ceremonies in the Vatican and Washington echoed widely.
Back to TopReflection, Dialogue, and Action
As a result of his strong commitment to peace with justice and human rights, His Holiness became a strong voice for mutual understanding among religions, cultures, and civilizations. He organized regional and international seminars and conferences at the Catholicosate in Antelias, and gave public lectures to university students, visiting academic groups, religious leaders, and non-governmental organizations.
With his vision, commitment, and hard work, His Holiness Aram I has made the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Church “a living center of reflection, dialogue and action.”
The CV of His Holiness appears in Who’s Who in the World, in the International Directory of Distinguished Leaders, and in many other regional and international directories, dictionaries, and publications.
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