Karekin I facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Holiness Karekin I Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians |
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| Church | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| See | Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin |
| Enthroned | 1994 |
| Reign ended | 1999 |
| Predecessor | Vazgen I |
| Successor | Karekin II |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Neshan Sarkissian |
| Born | August 27, 1932 Kesab, Mandatory Syrian Republic |
| Died | June 29, 1999 (aged 66) Vagharshapat, Armenia |
| Buried | Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin |
| His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of Cilicia | |
|---|---|
| Church | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| See | Holy See of Cilicia |
| Enthroned | 1983 |
| Reign ended | 1994 |
| Predecessor | Khoren I |
| Successor | Aram I |
Karekin I was an important leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He was born on August 27, 1932, and passed away on June 29, 1999. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Catholicos of All Armenians. This is the highest spiritual leader of the Armenian Church. Before this, he was the Catholicos of Cilicia from 1983 to 1994. During that time, he was known as Karekin II.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Karekin was born Neshan Sarkissian in a village called Kesab in northern Syria. He went to an Armenian elementary school there. In 1946, he joined the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. He became a deacon in 1949.
After graduating with high honors in 1952, he became a celibate priest. He chose the church name Karekin. He then joined the order of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.
In 1955, he earned his doctoral degree. His thesis was about the theology of the Armenian Church. The next year, he taught at the theological seminary in Antelias, Lebanon. He also studied theology for two years at Oxford University. While there, he wrote a book called The Council of Chalcedon and the Armenian Church. This book was published in London in 1965. When he returned to Lebanon, he became the dean of the Antelias seminary.
Church Leadership and Ecumenical Work
From 1963, Karekin became an assistant to Catholicos Khoren I. In this role, he met with many different church leaders. He attended important meetings like the Second Vatican Council. He also went to the Lambeth Conference in 1968 and a meeting of Oriental Orthodox Churches in Addis Ababa. He gave lectures on theology, history, and culture at universities in various countries.
His career in the church moved forward quickly. In 1963, he became a senior archimandrite. On January 19, 1964, Catholicos Khoren made him a bishop.
In 1971, he was chosen to lead the Diocese of New Julfa in Isfahan, Iran. In 1973, he became an archbishop. He was also appointed as a special representative for the Armenian Church in America. By 1975, he became the main leader, or Primate, of the Eastern Prelacy in New York. While in the United States, he focused on helping young Armenians. He also helped raise money for Lebanon in 1976 and 1977.
Catholicos of Cilicia (1983–1994)
In 1977, Karekin was chosen to be the Catholicos Coadjutor of the Catholicosate of Cilicia. This meant he would help lead until the current Catholicos, Khoren I, passed away. When Khoren I died in 1983, Karekin became the full Catholicos. He was known as Catholicos Karekin II of the Great House of Cilicia.
As Catholicos, he paid special attention to religious education. He worked to make the theological seminary more modern and better. He traveled to many countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and the United States. He also visited Kuwait and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
Another important part of his work was building connections with other churches. He visited Pope John Paul II in Rome. He also met with Archbishop George Carey and Coptic Pope Shenouda III. He was elected as an honorary president of the Middle East Council of Churches in 1989.
Karekin wrote several books and small guides in Armenian, English, and French. He also published many articles on different topics. He often visited the Mother See of the Apostolic Church. In 1988, he visited the earthquake area in Armenia with Catholicos Vazgen I to show support.
Catholicos of All Armenians (1994–1999)
After Catholicos Vazgen I died in 1994, Karekin Sarkissian was chosen as the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. This was decided by a large church meeting with 400 delegates. He then became known as Karekin I. He was the first Supreme Patriarch to have this name. Even though he had been Catholicos of both main Armenian Church centers, he could not fully unite them.
In November 1998, Karekin I received cancer treatment in New York. He appointed Archbishop Karekin Nersessian to help lead the church. This Archbishop later became Karekin II. Karekin I passed away in June 1999.
See also
- List of catholicoi of all Armenians
- List of Armenian catholicoi of Cilicia
