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 25, 2004

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN RETURNS
FROM MEETINGS IN LEBANON
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan returned from Antelias, Lebanon after
attending a conference bringing together representatives of the Eastern,
Western, and Canadian Prelacies. Joining Oshagan Srpazan as representatives
of the Eastern Prelacy were two members of the Executive Council, Richard
Sarajian, Esq., (chairman) and Noubar Megerian. The Prelacy representatives
met with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, and members of the Religious and
Executive Councils of the Catholicosate.
The discussions centered on the need for advancement in Christian
education; Armenian language and culture education; recruitment and training
of clergy as well as deacons, choirmasters, teachers, Ecumenical Relations,
Charitable work in Armenia, and various other issues of mutual concern.

CILICIAN CATHOLICATE PARTICIPATES
IN ECUMENICAL SEMINAR
Rev. Fr. Magar Ashkarian, Assistant to the Dean of the Cilician
Theological Seminary, Antelias, Lebanon, participated in a seminar on the
nature and purpose of the Church in the Orthodox and Evangelical tradition.
The seminar is a follow-up to two earlier seminars, which brought together
Orthodox and Evangelicals in Bossey, Switzerland, to strengthen the World
Council of Churches initiatives to build meaningful relationships between
the two traditions.
The seminar focused on the nature and the mission of the church. The
theme of the seminar was the understanding of salvation and the role and
place of the Bible in the two traditions. The participants sought ways of
reconciliation, better common understanding and mutual support. The findings
of the seminar will contribute towards the conference on World Mission and
Evangelism in 2005.

FIFTH LENTEN LECTURE GIVEN
BY PROFESSOR VIGEN GUROIAN
The fifth Lenten Lecture, delivered by Dr.Vigen Guroian, professor of
theology and ethics at Loyola College, in Baltimore, Maryland, took place
last night. Professor Guroian spoke about the Christian Family Under Fire.
Professor Guroian began by speaking about Aldous Huxley’s book Brave New
World, written in 1932. What seemed totally impossible and far-fetched 72
years ago is becoming real. He described the forces of society that are
nearly destroying marriage and the family as we know it. We are not far from
Huxley’s world, he said, where human beings are manufactured in laboratories
rather than through the physical union of a man and a woman. Professor
Guroian spoke about the role that the Church must play in challenging these
forces. The Christian Church is under fire, he said. Recognizing the
difficulties of challenging these forces, nevertheless, he said, the Church
will be abdicating her duty if she does not stay true to her beliefs.
A lively question and answer period followed the lecture well beyond the
time allotted. The conversation continued during the fellowship hour while
sharing a Lenten meal prepared by the Prelacy Ladies Guild and the Ladies
Guild of St. Illuminators Cathedral. The Lenten Lectures are sponsored by
the Armenian Religious Education Council and the Prelacy Ladies Guild.

DEACON SHANT KAZANJIAN WILL DELIVER
FINAL LENTEN LECTURE ON MARCH 31
Deacon Shant Kazanjian, the Executive Director of the Armenian Religious
Education Council will be the featured speaker on March 31 at the sixth and
final Lenten lecture. Deacon Shant will explore The Family as the Household
of Faith.
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.
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.

JEOPARDY TOURNAMENT THIS SATURDAY
The Mid-Atlantic Jeopardy Tournament will take place on Saturday, March
27, at Sts. Vartanantz Church, 461 Bergen Blvd., Ridgefield, NJ. Armenian
school students from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC,
will compete in the tournament organized by the Armenian National Education
Committee (ANEC).
For information contact Gilda B. Kupelian, Director of ANEC,
212-689-7810. ANEC is co-sponsored by the Eastern Prelacy and the Armenian
Relief Society, Eastern Region.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES
ARMENIA IN MARCH ISSUE
The March issue of the National Geographic magazine has a feature
article on Armenia. Titled The Rebirth of Armenia, the 22-page article is
written by Frank Viviano with photographs by Alexandra Avakian.
We have learned that the magazine has received criticism from Turkish
sources. We urge you to purchase the issue, if you haven’t already done so,
and contact the editor and congratulate him on the article. You may write
to:
William A. Allen, Editor-in-Chief
National Geographic Society
P.O. Box 98199
Washington, D.C. 20090-8199
E-mail: ngsforum@nationalgeographic.com
Fax: 202-828-5460

SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT:
ADVENT SUNDAY
This Sunday, March 28, is called Advent Sunday (Galstyan Kiraki). During
Lent the faithful are encouraged to meditate on the mystery of salvation.
Christ came to this world for the Salvation of Humankind, and particularly
on Advent Sunday the faithful are asked to think about Christ’s second
coming. Advent Sunday has its own special hymn, in which it is said that the
mystery of Christ’s advent was known to the apostles, who were filled with
awe and anxiously awaited Christ’s arrival to save humankind. In the hymn,
the story of the expulsion from paradise is repeated, and an appeal made to
Christ to ask the Heavenly Father to establish peace on earth.
Saturdays during Great Lent are dedicated to the saints of the Church.
This Saturday, March 27th, is in remembrance of St. Gregory the Illuminator
and his descent into the deep pit (Khor Virab).

MUSICAL ARMENIA CONCERT IS NEARLY SOLD OUT
At this date there are only a few tickets remaining for the 21st Musical
Armenia concert this Sunday, March 28, 2 p.m.
The concert, which will take place at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital
Hall, is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild each year and features young
Armenian talent. The featured artists this year are Ani Kalyjian, cello and
Karine Poghosyan, piano. Barbara Podgurski will accompany Ms. Kalayjian on
the piano.
Call the Prelacy office, 212-689-7810, immediately if you wish to
purchase tickets.

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