The anointment ceremony of the new Armenian Church in Northern Iraq

By Ara S. Ashjian
An Iraqi Armenian settled in Yerevan, Armenia

The anointment ceremony of the new Armenian Church in Duhok in northern Iraqi Kurdistan region will take place on 4-5 September 2008.
It will be presided by the Primate of the Iraqi Armenian Diocese, H. E. Archbishop Avak Asadourian.
The ceremony will be held with the participation of H. E. Bishop Ashot Mnatsakanian, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Egypt, and H. E. Bishop Armash Nalbandian, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Damascus, Syria.
It is noteworthy to mention that the Primate of the Iraqi Armenian Diocese, H. E. Archbishop Avak Asadourian blessed 16 "vem-kar" stones of the Church in March 2007, according to the sacred traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church as prescribed in the Book of Rites (see Blessing of foundation for new Armenian Church in Northern Iraqi city of Duhok).
The Iraqi Armenian Diocese has four churches in Baghdad, one church in each of Basra, Kirkuk and Zakho, one in Avzroog (near Zakho), two in Mosul (one targeted by terrorists in 2004 while being under construction).

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