BEIRUT, Lebanon - Special funeral services were held recently at the See of Cilicia for the late Ara Yerevanian, a prominent successful businessman and former member of the Lebanese Parliament.

Mr. Yerevanian was born in Beirut in 1935 and received his elementary education at the Mekhitarian Brotherhood's school there and later at the French "Freres" school. He specialized in business administration.

In 1963 he was named honorary consul of the Republic of Gabon and, in 1972, he was elected to the Lebanese Parliament as an Armenian member. The same year, he established his own construction business specializing in the building of affordable housing for Armenians there.

During the civil war in Lebanon, Yerevanian chose to pack up and head for Montreal, where he lived till 1995. Then he decided to move back to Lebanon and help his people there. That year he was elected to serve on the Central Committee of the church administration.

In addition to serving in a number of church and civic groups, Yerevanian was also known for his philanthropy. He contributed to the construction of the Armenian church in Toronto and the construction of a library within the church complex in Paris.

For his services to the Armenians, Karekin II, then the Catholicos of the See of Cilicia, awarded him the "Prince of Cilicia" medal.