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 – September 30, 2004
REGISTER NOW FOR FIVE SESSION
COURSE ON THE LITURGY
The mini course on the Soorp Badarak (Holy Eucharist) will start on Monday,
October 18, and continue on the first and third Mondays of the month, for a
total of five sessions. The course is presented by Dn. Shant Kazanjian,
Executive Director of the Armenian Religious Education Council.
NEW ENGLAND AREA RETREAT: WE ARE FAMILY
WILL TAKE PLACE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23
The New England area Retreat, We Are Family, will take place on Saturday,
October 23, at the E. Kent Swift Estate, Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN ATTENDS
ORDINATION OF TWO BISHOPS
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan attended the episcopal ordination of two bishops
at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick on September 21, by invitation of His
Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, the Bishop of New York. The Most Reverend
Gerald T. Walsh and The Most Revered Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, were
ordained Auxiliary Bishops of the Archdiocese of New York.
ARCHBISHOP WILL TRAVEL TO RACINE
This weekend, October 2 and 3, Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Racine,
Wisconsin, to be with the parish of St. Hagop Armenian Church. His Eminence
will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and officiate at the ordination of
acolytes and the ordination of Dr. Levon Saryan to the office of Deacon. He
will also preside over a banquet celebrating the 66th anniversary of the
parish. Accompanying His Eminence will be Michael Hagopian, vice chairman of
the Executive Council.
PRELATE WILL BE IN ATLANTA FOR
WCC CONFERENCE
Archbishop Oshagan will be in Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the World Council
of Churches U.S. Conference next week, October 5 and 6.
The Power and Promise of Peace is the theme of the 2004 U.S. focus of the
WCC Decade to Overcome Violence. The U.S. Conference for the WCC is the main
platform of the 34 member churches of the WCC in the United States. The
annual meeting is expected to bring together hundreds of church leaders and
ecumenical activists from throughout the United States and other countries.
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN
A Memorial Tribute to Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, is
scheduled for Friday, October 15, at St. Peter Church, 619 Lexington Ave.
(at 54th Street), New York City, at 7:30 pm, sponsored by the New York
Hamazkayin.
PILLARS OF THE PRELACY RECEPTION
IN DETROIT ON OCTOBER 10
The Pillars of the Prelacy reception in the Midwest area will take place on
Sunday, October 10, hosted by St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan. The
Pillars of the Prelacy is an annual giving program, which since its
inauguration last year has been growing. The money raised through this
program goes to important programs like clergy recruitment and training as
well as Prelacy youth programs.
Most recently the Sts. Vartanantz community of Providence, Rhode Island,
hosted a very successful reception.
FEATURED MUSICAL ARMENIA ARTIST OF 2003
IS PERFORMING AT METROPOLITAN OPERA THIS SEASON
The outstanding baritone, Rodion Pogossov, who was one of the featured
artists in the Musical Armenia concert in 2003, is performing with the
Metropolitan Opera this season. He is appearing in the role of Papageno in a
new production of Die Zauberflote, (The Magic Flute) conducted by James
Levine.
This is a good time to remind you to mark your calendar for the 2005 Musical
Armenia concert, which is earlier than usual. The concert will take place on
January 30, 2005, at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City.
Watch for details.
CATHOLICOS ARAM I DEPARTS
FOR SWEDEN
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, left Antelias
this morning, September 30, for Sweden, where he will be a guest of the
Lutheran Church of Sweden. On Sunday, October 5, His Holiness will deliver a
Sermon at the Cathedral of Uppsala. He is also scheduled to deliver lectures
at universities in Uppsala and Helsinki. The Catholicos will also
participate in ecumenical meetings during his stay in Sweden.
72 HOLY DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
COMMEMORATED THIS SATURDAY
This Saturday, October 2, the Armenian Church commemorates the 72 holy
disciples of Christ. The reference comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter
10, verse 1: After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on
ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to
go. (Some versions of the Gospel say 72, rather than 70).
The tradition of the church confirms that the seventy (or seventy-two)
disciples remained true to the Lord and their calling, and spread the
Gospel. They were not random choices, but rather true disciples whose labors
carried the message of the Lord throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. All
of the saints are remembered individually in the calendar of the Church, but
this day is set aside to remember them collectively. The number 70 is also
considered to be an allusion to Genesis, which speaks of 70 nations of the
world.
Incidentally, the number seven appears often in Christianity. Consider just
a few examples: Seven Churches of Asia; Seven Councils; Seven Days of
Creation; Seven Deadly Sins; Seven Last Words; Seven Sacraments.
AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN
It is now officially autumn. Of course, we need not look at the calendar to
know this. Our garden, with its sleepy and weepy look, tells us that another
planting season has come to an end, at least for us here in the northeast.
The tomatoes, though late in ripening, were the best tasting in many a
season. The vines are yellow and withered, but still full of green tomatoes
that hold the promise of ripening before the first frost wipes them out. All
of the other vegetables have long since completed their cycle and the garden
awaits to be cleaned, plowed, and prepared for the winter sleep and the
promise of renewal in spring.
AND FINALLY, TONIGHT IS THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Tonight, beginning at 9 pm, the first of the three presidential debates will
take place. We here at Crossroads will be watching. We hope you will also,
as President Bush and Senator Kerry present their hopes and dreams for the
next four years.
We leave you with this prayer delivered by Thomas Jefferson, the third
president of the United States, on March 4, 1801.
Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly
beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy
favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound
learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion,
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and
fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many
kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name
we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace
at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise
among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with
thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to
fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress