[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 23, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S5489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       GUEST CHAPLAIN KAREKIN, II

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I know I speak for all of my colleagues 
in thanking His Holiness, Catholicos Karekin the Second, the Supreme 
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, for leading the Senate in 
prayer this morning. His prayer, I must say, was inspiring. I hope all 
of us took to heart particularly his admonition that we should show 
wisdom in our dealings with one another.
  His Holiness is the world leader of the Armenian Church, which traces 
its roots to the first century preaching of Jesus' Apostles, Saint 
Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew. The Armenian Church is among the 
Orthodox churches, which, along with the Catholic and Protestant 
Churches, constitutes one of three branches of Christianity.
  The Catholicos was elected democratically by an assembly of clergy 
and lay delegates from around the world in October 1999. He is the 
132nd in a continuous line of catholicoi. He sits in Armenia and 
administers the Armenian Church from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin 
and has authority over Dioceses on five continents.
  In the United States, there are well over 1 million Armenian 
Americans who live in all parts of our country. They have made very 
important contributions to all aspects of American life.
  His Holiness is well known not only for his spiritual leadership but 
his charitable works to help the needy, his educational programs, and 
his management skills. He is also recognized in the international 
religious community, where he sought to draw churches closer together. 
He has met with John Paul II and will be meeting in September with Pope 
John Paul II when he comes to visit Armenia.
  The Catholicos is visiting the United States to celebrate the 1700th 
anniversary of the conversion of Armenia to Christianity. He is meeting 
with U.S. religious leaders and the Armenian-American communities. The 
theme of his visit is ``Walking Together in the Light of the Lord.''
  Mr. President, we are pleased and honored that he is here with us 
today.




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