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THE ARMENIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
The official schism of the Armenian church in the VIth century did not prevent many bishops, along centuries, to remain in communion with the Universal Church. Henceforth, since the XIth century, the Armenians united their efforts to those of the Crusaders for the re-conquest of the Holy places, and entered in relation with the church of Rome. However, this union did not materialize.
The birth of the Armenian Catholic Church did not take place until late 1742. It was recognized as such by the Pope Benoit XIV, and having at its head the patriarch Abraham-Pierre 1st ARDZIVIAN. Its residence was first at the Kreim, close to Harissa, then the patriarch bought land at Bzoummar where his successor built a convent and placed the first patriarchal ecclesiastical community which became thereafter a center of radiance for Lebanon, Cilicia, Mesopotamia and Egypt.
The Catholic Armenians have dioceses in countries of the Middle East, Europe and in the American continent. Three congregations or masculine religious institutes and a congregation of Catholic Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception share the monastic life.
SITUATION IN LEBANON
From 1928, the Armenian Catholic Church was again reorganized to the administrative, scholar, cultural and social level. The number of its supporters is evaluated at approximately thirty thousand, served by about thirty priests and monks, spread over eight parishes.
The Armenian Catholic Church is present in the religious, cultural, political and social Lebanese scene. Although the Armenian people are scattered, they maintain a sense of their national, cultural and religious identity
ABRAHAM-PIERRE ARDZIVIAN (1679-1749)
At all times, and in every community, there were men who yearned more for science and truth than their contemporaries were. The Abbot Mekhitar (founder of the Mekhitarists Monks) and Abraham Ardzivian, founder of the Catholic Armenian Patriarchate belonged to this quality of men in the XVIIth century.
Born at Aintap in 1679, ordained priest at Sis in 1706, designated bishop of Aleppo in 1710, Abraham Ardzivian was banned from his church because of his attachment to Catholicism.
Expelled from his Aleppo seat by the secular arm of the Ottoman Empire, four times jailed and once condemned to galleys, in exile at the Island of Rouad, Abraham Ardzivian did not stop preaching his faith, to win other adepts everywhere he went, harassed by the emissaries of the Sultan.
Hated by some, venerated by others, he was the head of spear of the movement of religious emancipation, that refused people to be taxed according to their adherence to the "millet" which was created by the ottoman authorities. In order not to grant to minorities of the empire their religious liberty except if centered in a determined "millet".
This movement of emancipation ended at Aleppo, the stronghold of Mgr. Ardzivian, who had in the meantime, taken refuge at the convent of Kreim after his liberation of the island of Rouad. He was summoned to rejoin his faithful to Aleppo, where they had succeeded in appropriating one of the two Armenian churches of the city.
Mgr. Ardzivian arrived there in 1739. There he consecrated three Armenian Catholics bishops, attended by two Greek Catholic bishops. The three new bishops in their turn consecrated Patriarch Mgr. Ardzivian elected by his people on November 26, 1740.
Yet the creation of an Armenian Catholic Patriarchate within the Universal church required the approval of the Chief of this same Church. Mgr. Ardzivian embarked then to Rome, where he was received heartily by Benoit XIV (1740-1758), September 5, 1742. The 8th December of the same year, the Holy Father granted him the Pallium. Then he wrote to the Maronite Patriarch Simon Rouad: "We want to ask you to have for our Venerable Brother Pierre, Patriarch, of Cilica for the Armenians Catholics, all considerations and the most cordial friendship. This to be agreeable to us. Because we have for him the highest consideration" (P. Raphael, "The Role of the Maronites in the return of the Oriental Churches ", Beirut 1935, p. 40).
The official recognition by Rome of the patriarchal election of Mgr. Ardzivian made only more poisonous the already tense relations between the Sublime Door and the Western Powers accredited to Constantinople. Patriarch Ardzivian saw that he was forbidden to all harbors of the empire. He took refuge in his convent of Kreim, where the Maronite hierarchy received him with open arms on October 6, 1743. Henceforth he dedicated himself entirely to the consolidation of his Patriarchate and to the organization of St-Antoine's Armenian Monks. After an illness he died on October 1st, 1749. "The Maronites arranged magnificent funeral ceremonies. One does not see something similar, said the chronicles." (P. Raphael, op. cit. p. 41).
Before his death, his last will was the transfer of his Patriarchal Seat to the Convent of Bzoummar, of which he ordered the construction, but saw it only with the eyes of the heart.
*Abraham-Pierre I Ardzivian was badly understood by his contemporaries. He was taxed of ambitions, of little realism. It was made fun to foresee the end of his Patriarchate, once the founder disappeared. All this beautiful people had to undeceive himself, because the human aims were absent from the soul of this Apostle, and because providence wanted otherwise. Since, 16 Patriarchs followed him on this throne, 50 bishops of his Institute dedicated themselves to this work and 500 members of that same Patriarchal Institute gave themselves body and soul to continue his work everywhere Armenian communities were established.
*Benoit XIV, his great friend, made this remark to him one day: "I strongly fear, that you will have troubles with the Patriarch of Etchmiadzine the day when he converts to the faith of his Fathers. That day would be the happiest of the mortals Holiness, and would serve him as the humblest of his servants".
THE ROLE OF THE PATRIARCHAL SEAT OF BZOUMMAR AT THE SERVICE OF LEBANON
The history of the Convent of Bzoummar identifies itself with certain chapters of the history of 'Lebanon' "declared the future President of the Lebanese Republic, Mr. Charles HELOU on the occasion of the Bicentennial of the Convent of Bzoummar, in 1949.
The Lebanese Mountain had adopted Mgr. Ardzivian, this man full of faith and courage, as well as his Patriarchate. Relations, since the beginning, full of cordiality and kindliness between Maronites and Armenians, had pushed the Patriarch Jacques Rouad to grant them the right to construct a convent at Kreim in 1720; the Patriarch Joseph El-Khazen welcomed Mgr. Ardzivian home for some time after h was rescued from he island of Rouad. He had forbidden all priests of other oriental communities to hear confessions of the maronites faithful but "this prohibition, did not concern, he wrote, our dear brother Abraham and his priests. They all have power to confess, to celebrate the Holy Mysteries and to preach everywhere they want in our churches" (P. Raphaël, Op. cit. p. 37). The utmost of Reciprocal confidence, Mgr. Ardzivian would attend sessions of the Lebanese Council in 1736 and will sign its Acts.
Mgr. Ardzivian in his turn interceded with Rome beside the Prefect of the Propaganda to push the request of Father Arsène Abd el-Ahad, Superior General of the Lebanese Religious who came to Rome to ask for financial aid in favor of his Order who were in debt. The Armenian Prelate named him Knight of the Church, using the privilege granted him quite lately by the Holy Father.
This Armenian Community adopted with love by Lebanon, did not stop rendering the same treatment. The three Armenian convents were as many centers of help at the service of peoples of Lebanon.
The high esteem that emir Béchir the Great had towards this Armenian Convent, made him consider Mgr. Jacques Holassian, General Vicar of the Patriarch and Gregoire-Pierre Vl, as one of the pillars of his government; whom he kept often at his home. Mgr. Jacques was at the same time the confessor of Hussni Gihane, the emir's wife, in whom he trusted in teaching her religious instruction and conversion to Christianism.
During the darkest days of his political career, the emir Béchir donated in that same convent his riches. He died in exile and the Armenians buried him in their church in St. Sauveur in Constantinople, from where he was transferred to Beiteddine in 1946.
These good relations heightened the prestige of this Convent and imposed the respect towards all Armenian names: honest people and devoted to the cause of Lebanon. Such were as well the first and the last of the "Moutaçarrif" or governors of the Lebanon: all two Armenians Catholics, Garabet Artine Daoud Pacha (1861-1868) and Ohannès Kouyoumdjian Pacha (1912-1915) worked for the interest of Lebanon, defending them against their hierarchical chiefs of Constantinople. But before assuming their new office, these, two valorous Armenians came to consult their Fathers of Bzoummar, of whom the secular cohabitation had proven to be useful for the guidance of this country, object of internal disputes.
These Fathers, while keeping their national physiognomy, had served Lebanon in the social, moral and cultural domains.
This Patriarchal Institute provided a generation devoted to Lebanon; it inculcated this same spirit to all students that passed by Bzoummar, of whom we will mention only Rizcalla Hassoun (1823-1880) one of the great names of Lebanese journalism and one of its pioneers. Father Antoun Khandji (member of the institute of Bzommar) published in Arabic "Tarikh el-Ermen" (History of Armenia), edited in Jerusalem in 1868. Another member of the institute, Father Sikias published in Beirut Matboukh el-Ermen (Armenian Chronicles ) for the greatest glory of reciprocal understanding.
Today, these centers of devotion at the service of Lebanon increased, thanks to the presence of 250.000 Lebanese Armenians, thanks also to the religious chiefs of these Communities established at Antélias, that came to shoulder the work of the Fathers of Bzoummar, enterprise at the service of Lebanon since two centuries.
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The Armenian Catholic Church
History
Patriarchs
Churchs
Prayer
Before Dawn
On Beginning Work
Thanks Giving Before Meals
Thanks Giving After Meals
Before Sleeping
Entering the Church
Leaving the Church
For Travel
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