Armenian Catholic youth from 9 countries unite in prayer and service in Lebanon
From Anjar, the Lebanese town known among Armenians as “Little Armenia,” the voices of young Armenian Catholics rose this week “with one heart in Christ” (Acts 4:32).
The gathering, held from July 28 to Aug. 3, brought together participants from Europe, the Middle East, and North America. More than simply a youth event, it offered a space for prayer, service, fellowship, and a renewed understanding of what Christian witness means in an increasingly complex world.
Catholicos-Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian of the Armenian Catholic Church presided over a festive Mass on Sunday at the Monastery of Our Lady of Bzommar. In his homily, Minassian noted that the participants came from different countries and dioceses, bringing with them diverse cultures, experiences, and hopes, yet they had gathered under the banner of "Christ the Savior.”
The patriarch said the people of the Middle East live amid recurring crises and suffering while continuing to long for peace, freedom, and dignity. The young people’s gathering, he said, sent a clear message: The final word belongs not to pain and division but to hope, love, and fraternity.
Minassian stressed that the gathering should not…
