Letter of Congratulations to His Holiness Karekin II on His 75th Birthday

His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Your Holiness,

The Chairs of the Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe and the Vienna Club, together with members of the International Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church, extend their warmest congratulations to Your Holiness on the occasion of your 75th birthday.

The Armenian Apostolic Church holds a unique and profoundly important place in the history of Christianity as one of the world's oldest Christian churches and the first national church to adopt Christianity as a state religion. We hold Your Holiness in the highest esteem and profound respect for your service to the Armenian people, the Church, and the Christian faith.

We are deeply concerned by the anti-Christian and anti-religious developments taking place in Armenia and wish to express our firm support for the Armenian Apostolic Church in its efforts to defend the spiritual and moral foundations of Armenian society, as well as the values of Christianity and the Armenian national heritage.

We wish to emphasize, with the utmost respect, that our organizations are committed not only to supporting the Catholicos of All Armenians in this important mission, but also to raising awareness of these matters throughout Europe and internationally. We will continue our efforts to promote a fair and principled consideration of these issues and to contribute to the pursuit of justice.

On this significant anniversary, Your Holiness, we wish you strength, wisdom, perseverance, and success in carrying forward the important work entrusted to you. May you be blessed with good health and renewed strength in your service to the Armenian Apostolic Church and to the Armenian people.

With profound respect and warmest congratulations,

Ashot Grigorian
President of the Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe and the Vienna Club
Bratislava, Slovakia

Jan Čarnogurský
Co-Chair of the Vienna Club
Former Prime Minister of Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia

Guido Lombardi
Honorary Co-Chair of the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Advisor to US President Donald Trump

Robert Amsterdam
Co-Chair of the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Internationally renowned lawyer
London, United Kingdom

František Mikloško
Former President of the National Council of Slovakia
Council Member
Bratislava, Slovakia

Jan Figeľ
First Slovak Commissioner to the European Union
President of the European Forum for Religious Freedom
Bratislava, Slovakia

Monsignor Jean-Marie Gervais
Chairman of the Tota Pulchra Association
Rome, Italy

 

Alexander Rahr
Chairman of the German Eurasia Committee
Berlin, Germany