| The Catholicos-Patriarch of the See of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholics |
 |
 |
Just as the Pope of Rome sits on the throne of St. Peter, the Armenian Catholicos, according to the expression of the ancient historian St. Movses Khorenats'i, "sits on the throne of Thaddeus." Thus he is "father and head" of the Armenian Catholic Church. As such, he maintains the Apostolic Faith which was first preached in Armenia by Sts. Thaddeus and Bartholomew. As head of Armenian Catholics the Catholicos Nerses-Bedros, like St. Thaddeus and St. Gregory the Illuminator, is in Communion with the Patriarch of the West, Benedict XVI, Pope of Rome and with all the autonomous Churches of the Catholic Church. Just as St. Peter held a primacy among the other Holy Apostles so too does St. Peter's successor hold a primacy among the Apostles' successors: the Patriarchs and Bishops. Yet this should not diminish or alter their own God-given apostolic authority. The Second Vatican Council had some very important statements about the authority of and honor due the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thus the Council Fathers of Vatican II stated: "The patriarchate, as an institution, has existed in the Church from the earliest times and was recognized by the first ecumenical councils." "By the name Eastern Patriarch, is meant the bishop to whom belongs jurisdiction over all bishops, not excepting metropolitans, clergy and people of his own territory or rite, in accordance with canon law and without prejudice to the primacy of the Roman Pontiff." "By the most ancient tradition of the Church, the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches are to be accorded special honor, seeing that each is set over his patriarchate as father and head." "The Patriarchs with their synods are the highest authority for all business of the patriarchate, including the right of establishing new eparchies and of nominating bishops of their rite within the territorial bounds of the patriarchate, without prejudice to the inalienable right of the Roman Pontiff to intervene in individual cases." -Orientalium Ecclesiarum (The Eastern Churches) par. 7-9 |
| -Links- Other Articles, Eastern Christian Links, St. Vartan Parish Churches and Rites, Reform of the Armenian Catholic Church Looys Kreesdosee: An Ecumenical Site on the Armenian Church |
 |
| "Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." -St. Matthew 18:18 |
| Saints Gregory & Elias ACC Patriarchal Cathedral in Lebanon |
| Catholicos Nerses Tarmouni is the nineteenth Catholicos to be re-united with the successor of Soorp Bedros, Patriarch of Rome. He is thus titled: Nerses-Bedros XIX. |