On March 16, 2001, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a book in the mail entitled, "The Life and Work of Coadjutor Catholicos Papken Gulesarian." On the inside cover of this book there was a message posted from the people who afforded me this courtesy. It read as follows: "We are pleased to share this translation of some selected writings from the early 20th century of our great-Uncle whose thoughts, wisdom, and foresight are still pertinent today. With respect. Mary & Nerses Bergoudian, Walter Gulesarian, Edward Gulesarian." It was translated and edited by Vatche Gazarian. And even more surprising, when I started reading this book, I became aware of the tremendous amount of foresight and insight that Coadjutor Catholicos Papken Gulesarian possessed. It was so in tune with what we’re seeing and witnessing today that if we weren’t aware of the person and the time in which he expressed them, we wouldn’t believe that they came from a man who was born well over a century ago. For whatever the reasons that motivated this great man’s descendant families into sending me this wonderful book, I want to thank them not only for their generosity, but also for laboring to keep the memory of this great man’s accomplishments from falling through the cracks and into obscurity. And to all those who would surely be interested, I will try to present a brief outline of some of the translated documentation therein. I found this man’s insight and foresight updated, accurate, and compelling. Though the achievements of his life’s work are expertly defined, I will leave the details to those who get to read this book in its entirety. Coadjutor Catholicos Papken Gulesarian was born in Aintab, Cilicia on April 5, 1868 to Avedik Gulesarian and Sophie (nee Nazarian) Gulesarian. He was named Harutiun at birth. He attended and received his religious education under the tutelage of Bishop Malachia Ormanian at the new Seminary in Armash. During Harutiun’s ordination on June 28, 1895, Bishop Ormanian renamed him, Papken. During his religious calling, Coadjutor Catholicos Papken held positions in many of the Patriarchates, libraries, monasteries, churches, and schools throughout the Middle East, including Turkey. While in Turkey during the latter part of the nineteenth century, he was imprisoned by the Turkish government for speaking out against the atrocities he witnessed. He wrote numerous books and journals, many of which are still mainstays in the Armenian Theological libraries throughout the world. He received acknowledgment and a decoration for his work from Catholicos Khrimian and also a medal of the Third Order of Medijien from, (would you believe it?), the Ottomans. From 1914-1922, he served in America. Together with Vahan Kurkjian and friends, he helped establish the Knights of Vartan. He was part of the 1918 Armenian Diocese National Representative Assembly in Worcester, Massachusetts which granted Armenian women the right to vote and to hold elected office. Because of the inconsistencies of liturgies presented by varying-minded clergy throughout America, he helped to standardize its presentation for the Western Diaspora faithful. He did not believe in celibacy as a prerequisite for higher office. He placed more value in dedication and ability rather than in timeworn, archaic, religious standards. In a memorandum to the newly appointed Primate from Etchmiadzin in 1920, he noted assimilation as the biggest enemy of Armenian permanence in the Diaspora. For America, he suggested offering part of the Armenian liturgy in English so that the young could better understand and voluntarily become a part of the Armenian Church community. He suggested celebrating all of the religious holidays on the new calendar, such as Christmas on December 25th rather than on the closest Sunday to January 6th when the spirit of the holiday had dissipated. He cautioned practicing Armenian clergy, no matter how articulate, not to sermonize unless they totally believed every word of the sermon they were preaching. He believed that all Armenian Churches, whether Apostolic, Catholic, or Protestant, should always be genuinely respectful of each other. Noting the rise of opposing political tensions in America, he stated that all Armenians, regardless of political leanings, had the right to the sanctity of the Armenian Church as long as they kept their politics at bay. And, judging from the many progressive things that this great man did, I would have to believe that if he were alive today, he would be one of our strongest advocates for church unity. On or before May 28, 1928, Catholicos Sahag II of Cilicia, selected Bishop Papken to be his newly designated "co-adjunct and successor." But Bishop Papken who was teaching seminarians and editing the Patriarchates publication of Sion at the time, asked to be allowed two years to lead his present students to priesthood. Catholicos Sahag agreed and in April 1931, he elevated Bishop Papken to Archbishop and thereafter to Coadjutor Catholicos. Though Catholicos Sahag, who was then eighty, wisely selected Bishop Papken in 1928 to be his successor, fate unfortunately intervened. Coadjutor Catholicos Papken Gulesarian died peacefully on July 9, 1936. He was sixty-eight-years of age, but in dedication he was eternal. For more information concerning this book, contact: W & E Gulesarian Bergoudian Families 16 Garden Street Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 Joseph Vosbikian