PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: info@armenianprelacy.org
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER: March 18, 2004
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN ATTENDS
PREVIEW AND DINNER AT
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan attended a special preview and
dinner on Monday, March 15, representing His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of
the Great House of Cilicia, ushering in the official opening of the exhibit
Byzantium: Power and Faith (1261-1557). Included in the extensive exhibition
are three pieces from the museum of the Cilician See in Antelias, Lebanon.
Overall there are 10 or 11 Armenian pieces of art included in the 350 pieces
from thirty nations. Most of the pieces in the exhibit are rarely seen and
some have never been shown outside of the churches and monasteries that have
preserved them for the past seven centuries.
Representatives of countries who contributed works of art to the
exhibit, as well as sponsors and special guests including His All Holiness
Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch, attended the black tie dinner.
The magnificent 656-page book that accompanies the exhibit is a bargain
at $75 for the hardcover edition. The back cover of the jacket is a
Reliquary Triptych of the Skevra Monastery, Armenian Cilicia, 1293. It is on
loan from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The exhibit will open to the public Tuesday, March 23 and continue
through July 4, 2004. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located at Fifth
Avenue and 81st Street, New York City.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING
WILL CONVENE IN MID-WEST
As part of a program to bolster communications with parishes, the
Executive Council has been scheduling some of its monthly meetings in areas
outside of New York. The next such meeting is scheduled for next weekend,
March 26 and 27 at All Saints’ Armenian Apostolic Church, Glenview,
Illinois. The Prelate and Executive and Religious Councils will meet
individually with pastors, boards of trustees, and delegates to the National
Representative Assembly of each area parish. The representatives of all the
parishes will have lunch with the Councils and also participate in a joint
meeting following lunch. The parishes participating are: All Saints Church,
Glenview, Illinois; St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan; St. Gregory
Church, Granite City, Illinois; St. Paul Church, Waukegan, Illinois; and St.
Hagop Church, Racine, Wisconsin.
FOURTH LENTEN LECTURE EXPLORES
THE FAMILY AS A SMALL CHURCH
The fourth Lenten Lecture, delivered by Rev. Fr. Khatchadour Boghossian,
pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, took place last
night. Rev. Fr. Boghossian spoke about the Family as a Small Church.
Rev. Fr. Khatchadour began his lecture by going back to creation and
viewing the relationship between God and human beings. He described various
families in the Bible beginning with Adam and Eve, describing their problems
and showing that sin has always existed in families. Coming to the New
Testament he described the Holy Family, and presented the admonitions of the
Apostles, especially Paul, concerning the family. He also offered the advice
given by Armenian Church Fathers (Nerses Shnorhali, Hovhaness Yerzingatzi,
and Krikor Narekatzi) concerning the Christian education of children and the
responsibility of parents.
A question and answer period followed the lecture. Everyone enjoyed a
time of fellowship while sharing a Lenten meal prepared by the Prelacy
Ladies Guild and the Ladies Guild of St. Illuminators Cathedral. Discussions
on various topics of interest to the Church continued in small groups
following dinner. The Lenten Lectures are sponsored by the Armenian
Religious Education Council and the Prelacy Ladies Guild.
FIFTH LENTEN LECTURE WILL FEATURE
PROFESSOR VIGEN GUROIAN
Professor Vigen Guroian will be the featured speaker on March 24 at the
fifth Lenten lecture. Professor Guroian is a professor of theology and
ethics at Loyola College, in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the author of many
books and articles, many of which have appeared in Outreach, the publication
of the Prelacy.
The year 2004 has been proclaimed the Year of the Family by His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I, and the Lenten lectures have all focused on an aspect of
the family. Professor Guroian will speak about The Christian Family under
Fire.
The lectures take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th
Street, New York City. Lenten service begins at 7:30 p.m., in the Sanctuary,
followed by the lecture and fellowship in Pashalian Hall. All are welcome.
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I WILL TAKE PART IN COMMEMORATION OF
10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GENOCIDE IN RWANDA
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has been
invited to participate in the 10th anniversary commemoration of the genocide
in Rwanda, in April.
Dr. Charles Murigande, Foreign Minister of Rwanda, invited His Holiness
noting: You stood by the people of Rwanda as they struggled to deal with the
terrible consequences of genocide. It therefore gives me pleasure, on behalf
of the people and government of Rwanda, to invite you to the ceremonies
marking the 10th anniversary of the 1994 genocide. Join us to reflect on how
to prevent and banish genocide forever through active universal solidarity.
A high-ranking delegation will accompany His Holiness including Dr. Sam
Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Dr. Andre
Karamagali, the director of the Department on Africa Affairs; Bishop
Dandala, General Secretary of All Africa Council of Churches, Ms. Teny
Pirri-Simonian, Director of Church Relations Department of the WCC; and Rev.
Krikor Chiftjian, Director of Information and Communications for the
Cilician Catholicate.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE
WILL CONVENE IN ANTELIAS, LEBANON
An International Conference-Genocide, Impunity and Justice-will take
place in Antelias, Lebanon, April 22-23, 2004. Initiated by His Holiness
Aram I, the conference will focus on the question of impunity, which will be
analyzed from juridical, religious and political perspectives. The Armenian
Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th Century (1915) and the Rwandan
Genocide, the last genocide of the 20th Century (1994) will be presented as
two different cases of impunity. An international body of scholars,
politicians, and academicians will take part in the conference.
The question of impunity has become a critical issue on the agenda of
the world community. The conference will provide a framework for people
coming from different religions and backgrounds to discuss this question in
a spirit of creative dialogue.
PRELACY BIBLE STUDIES GROUP WILL DISCUSS
“THE PASSION OF CHRIST” THIS MONDAY
The Prelacy’s Bible Study group will discuss the Mel Gibson movie, “The
Passion of the Christ”, this Monday evening, March 22, 7:15 p.m. to 8:45
p.m. The discussion will be led by Deacon Shant Kazanjian, Director of the
Armenian Religious Education Council, at the Prelacy offices, 138 E. 39th
Street, New York City.
In preparation to see the movie and the subsequent discussion, Deacon
Shant suggested reading at least two accounts of the passion of Christ, the
Gospel of John and one of the other Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke),
or better yet all four Gospels.
If you have seen the movie and would like to join the group for this
discussion, contact Deacon Shant at 212-689-7810.
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT:
SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE
We have now come to the fifth Sunday of Lent, which is the Sunday of the
Judge (Datavori Kiraki). The reading on this day is from the Gospel of St.
Luke, chapter 18, verses 1-8, which tells the parable of the judge. The
judge in this parable is seen as hard-hearted without principles, fear of
God. or regard for people. A widow of the same town has been ill-treated and
she has come to the judge for justice. Although her cause is just, he does
not pay attention to her case. However she persists in coming with the same
appeal until at last the judge decides to see that she gets justice. He does
this not because he cares for justice, but in order to get rid of the widow.
The moral teaching of this parable is that in life one must persevere
and pursue righteousness relentlessly with confidence that perseverance will
be rewarded. In particular the parable teaches perseverance in prayer.
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