Over the years, the Armenian Diaspora has leaned on the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and its successive Catholicoi to provide spiritual leadership and unify our national identity prior to and since the establishment of Armenia’s independence. The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is emblematic of this relationship. Since its establishment in 1906 in Cairo, Egypt, AGBU and its members and donors have provided critical support to Armenia and contributed to the homeland in the areas of education, socioeconomic development, culture and — of course — humanitarian support. It has been foundational to the building of essential infrastructure, and the growth and success of key institutions.
As members of the AGBU Council of Trustees and Central Board of Directors, representing a broad constituency of Armenians from around the world, we echo the recent thoughtful sentiments of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak II Mashalian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, and His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church to the Vatican, calling for the unity of all clergy in support of the integrity and autonomy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Mother See, and the respect of the present hierarchy for its self-governance in accordance with its canon laws.
