An anniversary: Archbishop to make dedication
By Cathy Flynn / News Staff Writer

Dailynews.com
Sunday, October 3, 2004

FRAMINGHAM — When the town of Framingham built a park near the
Armenian Church of the Holy Translators, the church came through with
a nice gesture: extending the path that cut through the new park.

“We wanted to ensure that the area stayed welcoming and nice,”
said Dora Garabedian, a founding member of the church, which today
draws almost 200 members from around MetroWest and the Milford area.

When Armenian Church Archbishop Khajag Barsamian visits the
church today to dedicate its new stained glass windows, it will be an
occasion to celebrate the paths that the church has forged between its
members, their heritage, the community and the world.

“Our motto is ‘where faith, family and fellowship meet,'”
explained Father Krikor Sabounjian, pastor of the church, located at
38 Franklin St. in downtown Framingham. “We have a philosophy of
inclusion…of making people feel welcome.”

Many of the church’s 160 members are couples in mixed marriages
including non-Armenians, and children are always an important part of
Sunday services, Sabounjian said.

The new windows, donated by Tom and Dora Garabedian of Hopkinton,
show historic symbols of the Armenian Church. Designed by Worcester
artist Arthur Arakelian and built by Ken Paulson of Paulson Stained
Glass Window in Upton, they depict grapes and pomegranates, wheat
sheaves, the Armenian cross, andthe colors of the Armenian flag. The
angels hold a lyre and a harp to signify the church’s love of music.

“We wanted to make it a warm and welcoming symbol,” said
Garabedian, adding that the windows harmonize with the building’s more
modern architecture and the Byzantine touches added by the church.

The windows are the latest of many milestones celebrated by the
church in its 7-year history. The first was its birth around a kitchen
table in Hopkinton, where four Armenian couples, including the
Garabedians, decided to establish an Armenian Church in MetroWest.

“Our church has some wonderful roots in Worcester, Watertownand
Boston,” said Garabedian. “But MetroWest has many young families, and
it was tough for us to drive 40 minutes to a church for a three-hour
service.”

Through the Armenian Church of America, the new church was
established as a “mission parish,” a term for fledgling churches
without a permanent structure and priest. Sabounjian was its deacon.

From its original 25 members, the church quickly rose to 40
members and continued to grow. While the first worship services were
celebrated in members’ homes, the Sisters of St. Joseph later donated
their facilities onBethany Hill in Framingham for worship and Sunday
School. The church found its present location — once the home to
Brazilian and Baptist churches — in 2001.

Both Sabounjian and Garabedian said that Armenians have always
had strong faith, which in turn leads to a strong connection with
their own heritage.

“Whenever you have a commonality of ethic background and
religious purpose, it keeps the community strong,” said Garabedian.

About 45 church members made a pilgrimage to Armenia last summer,
visiting ancient monasteries, a monument to the one million Armenian
victims of the Ottoman genocide in the early 20th century, and the
capital city of Yerevan.

“We have a strong tie to Armenia, and our pilgrimage emphasized
that,” said Sabounjian. “It was the first time that many of our
members had been there. The biggest tie to Armenia is through the
church … it maintains both the religion and the culture.”

The church is also making its mark in other parts of the
world. Through the Merguerian family of Ashland, church members whose
son John spent a year in Iraq, the church sent care packages to
soldiers there.

Members also volunteer at the nearby Salvation Army soup kitchen.
Through the state Department of Social Services, the church also
donates turkeys, Christmas gifts and Easter baskets to local families
in need. Its youth group participates in the annual Walk for Hunger
sponsored by Project Bread.

Today’s service, which starts at 9:30 a.m., will be followedby a
coffee hour.

( Cathy Flynn can be reached at 508-435-8593 or at cathfly@aol.com. )

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress