2025 | YEAR OF THE REVITALIZATION OF TRADITIONS
CATHOLICOSATE OF THE
GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA
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YEAR OF THE REVITALIZATION OF TRADITIONS
MESSAGE
OF HIS HOLINESS ARAM I, CATHOLICOS
OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA
ANTELIAS
ARAM I,
CATHOLICOS OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA
To the Prelates of the Prelacies,
The Clergy,
and the Community Leaders
of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia,
and to the daughters and sons of our people,
At the threshold of 2025, from the Mother See of Antelias of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, we extend greetings to the beloved daughters and sons of our people with fatherly love, pontifical blessings, and warm national feelings. We especially greet our Prelates, Community Leaders, organizations, and associations active within the Armenian world, as well as community, educational, charitable, cultural, social, and athletic structures, and we wish everyone a year rich in new accomplishments. We pray to Almighty God that the New Year, revealed through His Son’s incarnation, may become a year filled with divine blessings and grace for our people.
Since 2003, following our tradition of dedicating each year to a value, concern, or event related to Armenian life and highlighting it, we have devoted the last three years, as you know, to the Diaspora. We emphasized the urgent imperative of reorganizing and revitalizing the Diaspora. We specifically addressed issues of identity, restructuring of institutions, preparation of human resources, unification around national values and ideals, reaffirmation of Christian and Armenian education, engaging the youth, proper utilization of technology, reorganization of educational life, restoration of the Armenian family, the importance of enhancing the Armenia-Diaspora relationship, and other contemporary issues that encompass the Diaspora and the Armenian nation.
We are pleased to affirm that our communities, media, as well as intellectuals and organizations, have given ample response to the directives and path outlined in the Pontifical Proclamations, following them. Articles have been written, lectures delivered, and public debates held on the mentioned topics. In other words, our communities have started serious attempts at self-examination and self-evaluation in order to develop appropriate reorganization programs.
In recent years, during our pastoral visits to the prelacies, we prioritized the reorganization of the Diaspora. In our meetings with the clergy, community leaders, sister organizations, and the youth, as well as in our messages to the people, we emphasized that discussions regarding the Diaspora should continue with the same intensity, while simultaneously urging the communities to engage in efforts leading our collective life toward reorganization and renewal.
Where is the Diaspora today? What does it mean to be Armenian in the Diaspora? How can the structures of the Diaspora, with their agendas, regulations, practices, and mindsets, become more robust, modern, and communicative? How can values, traditions, and ideals that ensure national identity be preserved while remaining integral and inseparable from the society of the host country? How can consistent and planned cooperation be developed between the Diaspora and Armenia, moving beyond mere relations? How can a comprehensive Diasporan agenda be formulated to contribute to the development of an all-Armenian agenda and rally around it? These questions are not theoretical but profound, timely, and existential.
Therefore, it is imperative to examine these issues comprehensively and pragmatically, drawing, on the one hand, from the rich experiences of the older generation, and on the other, incorporating the perspectives of the new generation.
The points raised above carry one clear message and purpose: the chapter on the reorganization of the Diaspora has not been closed and must not be closed. The purposeful process of reorganizing the Diaspora must continue with renewed momentum within each community, naturally employing different methods, priorities, and emphasis. Otherwise, the Diaspora may face the danger of wearing itself out.
Indeed, this is a serious concern that we frequently address both through our messages and during our visits to the communities. We wish to consistently emphasize that the Diaspora is not an end in itself; its reorganization is directed toward strengthening Armenia, while the strengthening of Armenia, in turn, must contribute to the reorganization of the Diaspora.
As part of the efforts aimed at reorganizing and strengthening the Diaspora, alongside language and culture, and in our endeavors to firmly preserve the Armenian identity, we consider the imperative of renewing and revitalizing our religious and national traditions to be of great importance. Therefore, based on this firm conviction, we declare 2025 THE YEAR OF THE
REVITALIZATION OF TRADITIONS.
What do we understand by the term “tradition”? In general, tradition encompasses the beliefs, values, ideals, goals, visions, lifestyles, ways of thinking, practices, and customs associated with a particular nation, religion, or organization, as well as their transmission from generation to generation.
As it is closely tied to the life and historical process of a given nation, religion, or organization, tradition plays a decisive role in safeguarding its identity, protecting its integrity, strengthening its existence, and ensuring its continuity.
Therefore, nations and religions have always been zealous about preserving their traditions intact as they consider them essential for the strengthening and developing self-knowledge and self-assertion, independent existence, and self-expression.
THE CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF TRADITION
When we take a broad look at the Bible, which forms the foundation of Christian life and faith, we often encounter references to the importance of tradition in both the Old and New Testaments.
In this sense, two points are noteworthy: — a) the warnings issued by the prophets and apostles to the people not to stray from God’s commandments and to cling to human customs (Mark 7:13, 1:3); b) the recommendation to adhere to traditions and remain faithful to those transmitted by the prophets and apostles to the people (2 Thessalonians 2:14).
As with all Christian peoples, also in the case of our people the roots of traditions must be connected to the Bible, Christian life, testimony, mission, and history, as well as to all those teachings, values, and principles that constitute the essence and identity of the Christian faith.
Indeed, more than any other church or Christian people, in the case of our nation and church, this reality has been stressed so strongly. We were not only the first people to adopt Christianity, but also, by entering Armenian life, Christianity has become Armenianized, and, in turn, Armenian life has been Christianized.
This firm blending of Christianity and Armenianness has led our people to give a Christian character to old pagan traditions and, at times, even to remove them from Armenian life and establish new ones.
From Saint Gregory the Illuminator to the present day, our traditions—be they religious, cultural, national or social—have been shaped by biblical teachings and values.
TRADITION AND TRADITIONS
At the end of His worldly mission, the Only Begotten Son of God instructed His disciples to go to the four corners of the world and preach His teachings. Christ did not establish a church but entrusted a mission to his disciples. Religious groupings and communities emerged in different parts of the ancient world as the mission commanded by Christ was being fulfilled.
They gradually began to organize by arranging gatherings, conducting collective worship, appointing leaders, and developing relationships. At that time, the Bible, the liturgy, or the hierarchies still did not exist. The Church was organized around a living Tradition, which included all the testimonies and teachings transmitted from Christ by way of his apostles and disciples.
Hence, the Tradition led to the composition of the Bible from the end of the first century, as well as to a series of doctrinal and liturgical traditions.
The Church makes a clear distinction between the Tradition and the traditions. In the case of the Tradition, the Church considers it essential and unmodifiable as it includes the Bible, fundamental doctrinal and theological principles, patriarchal encyclicals, and spiritual and moral teachings; in other words, elements that constitute the foundation of the Church. When it comes to the traditions, these have been established by churches over time, generally have a local character, and may be subject to change. Such traditions are also important, as long as they have direct or indirect connection to the fundamental truths, teachings, and beliefs of the Christian faith.
TRADITION, CULTURE, LITURGY, AND ENVIRONMENT
The traditions are directly connected to the evolution of human life and the circumstances, and therefore they are always subject to the influence, change, renewal, and even loss, of their setting.
The traditions are closely tied to culture because culture shapes and forms a tradition, giving it its unique identity and expression. The traditions are also linked to the liturgy, which forms the axis of church life. On the one hand, the fusion of the liturgy and the tradition has preserved the traditions intact; on the other hand, the traditions have firmly maintained the peculiarity of the liturgy.
The relationship between the tradition and the environment has always been existential, as traditions express themselves through their environment and are always influenced by it.
The phenomena we are pointing out are intensely visible in the case of our people. Indeed, when we take a moment to consider the historical development of our nation and church, internal upheavals, displacements, setting changes, and particularly the dominant presence of culture, we clearly recognize the important role of the traditions.
In the life of our people, permanently subject to displacements, we can also clearly see the loss or fading of some of our traditions and the emergence of new ones. And today we also witness the different expressions of the same traditions in the Middle East and Western communities as a consequence of the influence of the surroundings. These developments should drive us, on the one hand, to stress once again the irreplaceable importance of traditions, and, on the other hand, when called for, to the imperative of reviewing and reforming inherited traditions.
WE HAVE TO REEMPHASIZE THE CENTRAL IMPORTANCE OF TRADITION WITHIN ARMENIAN LIFE
As we have seen, tradition holds vital significance and special importance in the lives of all peoples and religions. The same is true, and even more so, for us as a relatively small people with a history of suffering, and a widespread diaspora. Therefore, we have to make the following statements in the light of our historical experience.
a) Tradition is what strengthens the existence of our people.
It is true that faith, culture, the homeland, and language have been and remain the powerful pillars of our people’s existence. Nevertheless, it is tradition which preserves, strengthens, and guarantees their uniqueness, acting as a bridge for them, and transmits them from generation to generation.
b) Tradition is what links the present to the past.
In our collective memory, it is tradition that transcends the boundaries of time and space, preserving and maintaining the unbroken and continuous course of our nation’s history.
c) Tradition ensures the unity of our nation.
History eloquently testifies that amidst frequent migrations and varying paths of development, it has always been tradition that has kept the firm sense of national belonging among the fragments of our people.
d) Tradition expresses the uniqueness of our nation.
As with any nation, it is tradition that distinguishes our people, church, and culture from others. In other words, one of the important expressions of our nation’s unique identity is tradition.
e) Tradition preserves our values and vision, our faith and spirit, and serves as their gateway into our collective life.
f) Finally, in the Diaspora, tradition is one of the strongest factors in the preservation of Armenian identity.
These aforementioned statements are not theoretical, but are important reminders drawn from the past and present history and life experience of our people. Sometimes, we notice a mistaken perception among our people, which considers tradition merely as something of the past—obsolete, unappealing, meaningless, and irrelevant to present times. Such a mentality and approach must be rejected. The people live and endure in history thanks to their traditions; it is thanks to their traditions that they become who they are and that they express themselves. By way of its traditions, it transmits its values and ideals to future generations. Tradition is neither past nor does it trap its followers in the past. To know a people, one must know its traditions.
WE HAVE TO HARMONIZE TRADITIONS WITH THE PRESENT
In today’s era dominated by global culture and intertwined with science and technology, we consider tradition more imperative than ever, particularly for our small nation, our church, and our culture.
Therefore, we need to preserve tradition, but not become traditionalists.
We have to be faithful to traditions but not to turn them into immutable and untouchable realities.
We are convinced that, amid a global culture that devours identities, undermines values and traditions, and alters uniqueness, tradition remains a key factor for self-preservation, self-assertion, and self-expression.
In order to make this factor more powerful and influential:
1) We need to review traditions of every nature that we inherited from the past.
Our traditions impacted by the environment in the course of history must be harmonized with the spirit and conditions of the present, as well as with our expectations and needs, without losing their essential elements and uniqueness.
In other words, it is necessary to preserve the core and reform the shell.
2) It is necessary to make traditions more attractive and accessible, and bring them to the people, reminding them of their importance for the preservation of the integrity and identity of our people, especially in the Diaspora situation.
3) It is necessary to develop new types of traditions, which are appropriate for the present times, to engage younger generations in our collective life. It is necessary, however, that the establishment of new traditions correlates to our spiritual, moral, and national values and ideals.
4) Finally, it is essential not only to preserve traditions but also to enrich them; not merely to turn them into a thing of the past, but to live them in the present, translating their spirit and message into our lives.
Paul the Apostle addresses Christians who have committed to following Christ, saying, “hold fast to the traditions that you were taught” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Today, borrowing the Apostle’s words, as a fatherly message to the children of our nation, we warmly advise:
Hold firmly to the traditions created, nurtured, established, lived, and preserved by our forefathers at the cost of every sacrifice, with the firm conviction and deep awareness that:
– Our traditions kept us strong in the face of the calamities of history.
– Our traditions safeguarded our identity against the currents of time that alter identities.
– Our traditions became the foundation of security, the anchor of existence, and the link of unity amid the upheavals imposed by the circumstances.
– Our traditions became living reminders of our universal and supreme values and ideals, as well as our just rights and demands, in the face of mankind’s silence.
Yes. This is how traditions have been for our people throughout their entire history.
This is how they are even in our turbulent world of today
During our visits to other churches and peoples, we have seen how they have remained steadfastly faithful to their traditions, even to those that may seem irrelevant or peculiar in the context of modern times, ranging from daily life to matters related to religion and culture. This strong connection to traditions goes beyond their outward forms and is linked to the values, spirit, ideals, identity, and vision they express. We must adopt the same approach and loyalty toward our religious and national traditions.
Superficial attitudes, neglect or indifference toward traditions need to change among our people. Indeed, we must be faithful and zealous towards traditions that connect our past to the present, reinforce the present, open doors to the future, and reflect our people’s spirit, faith, and vision.
THE REVITALIZATION OF TRADITIONS IS IMPERATIVE
This must become a fundamental priority for our church, institutions, leaders, and every Armenian.
There are many and diverse traditions that come from the past.
It is essential to prioritize our traditions based on their importance and relevance, work to restore, renew, and adapt them to present conditions.
There have been certain efforts towards this end in the past.
We have to undertake such an important work on a larger and comprehensive scale.
In this regard, the church, schools, and our intellectuals have an important role to play.
Therefore, we recommend:
1) The writing of articles by our clergy and intellectuals, stressing the importance of traditions.
2) The preparation of special booklets with an accessible and pedagogical approach, explaining the origin, development, and objective of traditions.
3) The reminding of the unique importance of our traditions by the clergy in their sermons and visits to families.
4) The organization by our institutions, especially the ladies’ guilds, of gatherings to explain traditions and highlight their role and relevance.
We are confident that these practical steps will encourage our people to restore, reexamine, and revitalize our beautiful and meaningful traditions in light of present times.
With these thoughts and expectations, we once again extend our fatherly blessings to the daughters and sons of our people and pray to the Almighty God to illuminate the life of our people with His heavenly grace in Armenia and in the Diaspora.
Prayerfully,
ARAM I,
CATHOLICOS OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA
January 1, 2025
Antelias, Lebanon