wfn.org | [ENS] Multimedia: Presiding Bishop visits Armenia,

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Multimedia: Presiding Bishop visits Armenia, world's 'first Christian
nation'

ENS 071905-1

[ENS] -- At the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch
and
Catholicos of All Armenians, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and a small
delegation of Episcopalians visited the Church in Armenia in early July.

"Centered in Yerevan, the delegation's mission was to celebrate more
than a
century of friendly relations between the two churches, to experience
the
contemporary reality of the Armenian Church in the post-Soviet era, and
to
explore new areas of potential partnership in the Gospel for the 21st
century," said Bishop Christopher Epting, the Presiding Bishop's deputy
for
ecumenical and interfaith relations.

Since the church dates from the 4th century, Armenia is recognized as
the
world's 'first Christian nation.'

The Presiding Bishop's visit included time with church and civic
leaders,
and prayer at Armenia's genocide memorial that recalls the mass killings
of
1915.

In addition to Epting, Griswold was accompanied by the Rev. Peter
Casparian,
rector of Christ Church, Oyster Bay, in the Diocese of Long Island; the
Rev.
Canon J. Robert Wright, professor of ecclesiastical history at the
General
Theological Seminary and canon historian for the Episcopal Church; and
Barbara Braver, the Presiding Bishop's assistant for communication.

A reflection of the visit, offered by Bishop Epting, is printed below
and
available at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_63710_ENG_HTM.htm.

A photo gallery, including the full text of a prayer Griswold offered
while
visiting the genocide memorial in Armenia, can be found online at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_63619_ENG_HTM.htm.

Digital photos and an audio stream of Griswold's experiences can be
found
online at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_63622_ENG_HTM.htm.

Podcast in development

As ENS continues to explore new communication tools and technologies,
future
podcasts of news, events and items of interest will be offered online at
www.episcopalchurch.org/ens. Meanwhile, the Presiding Bishop's narration
in
MP3 format can be downloaded at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_63622_ENG_HTM.htm

A "podcast" is an audio files, most commonly in MP3 format, made
available
online in a way that allows software to automatically download the files
for
listening at the user's convenience. Further information about
podcasting
can be found online at: http://www.apple.com/podcasting.

- - - - -

Presiding Bishop visits 'first Christian nation'

By Christopher Epting

At the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, the Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold,
Presiding
Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, and a small delegation,
visited
the Church in Armenia July 4-9, 2005.

Centered in Yerevan, the delegation's mission was to celebrate over a
century of friendly relations between the two churches, to experience
the
contemporary reality of the Armenian Church in the post-Soviet era, and
to
explore new areas of potential partnership in the Gospel for the 21st
century.

After an initial audience with the Catholicos, the delegation visited
the
monasteries of St. Gayane and St. Hripsime as well as Khor Virab where
St.
Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for some thirteen years. The
lives
and witness of saints and martyrs led to Armenia becoming the first
Christian nation in the world in 301 A.D.

"I have been profoundly moved by the faithfulness of this ancient church
which has survived centuries of martyrdom and subjugation to foreign
governments," stated Bishop Griswold. "Even through the darkest days it
has
managed to endure, sustained by the power of Christ's resurrection. Its
unwavering sense of tradition has given it the capacity to adjust itself
to
the realities of the present moment with a graceful and open-hearted
confidence." The Presiding Bishop laid a wreath and offered a prayer at
Tzitzernakaberd, the memorial to martyrs of the Armenian Genocide at the
hands of the Turks in 1915. After that, Bishop Griswold answered
questions
posed to him by a large youth group in Yerevan.

The Presiding Bishop welcomed ongoing theological dialogue between
Anglicans
and the Oriental Orthodox churches, noting particularly the Agreed
Statement
on Christology reached by the Anglican -- Oriental Orthodox
International
Commission in November 2002. "Its articulation of the perfect union of
divinity and humanity in the incarnate Word is consistent with the
teaching
of the Episcopal Church," he said.

As a follow-up to the visit, the delegation hopes to encourage joint
mission
trips for youth and young adults from both churches engaging either in
the
very successful Habitat for Humanity program in Armenia or to assist in
the
rebuilding of historic churches and monasteries which had fallen into
disrepair during the Communist era. There will also be action to
encourage
the United States government to recognize formally the genocide of 1915
so
that a process of genuine healing can begin for Armenians and Turks
alike.

In addition to the Presiding Bishop, members of the Episcopal Church's
delegation were Barbara Braver, assistant to the Presiding Bishop for
communication; the Rev. Peter Casparian, rector of Christ Church, Oyster
Bay, in the Diocese of Long Island; Bishop Christopher Epting, the
Presiding
Bishop's deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations; and the Rev.
Canon
J. Robert Wright, professor of ecclesiastical history at the General
Theological Seminary and canon historian for the Episcopal Church.

Their hosts included His Holiness Karekin II; Bishop Vicken Aykazian,
legate
to the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, USA; Bishop Navasard
Kchoyan,
vicar of the Araratian Diocese in Yerevan; and Bishop Yeznik Petrossian,
general secretary for inter-church relations of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadsin.

-- Bishop Christopher Epting is the Presiding Bishop's deputy for
ecumenical
and interfaith relations.

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