PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Dania Ohanian
Armenian Prelacy of Canada
3401 Olivar Asselin
Montreal, QC, H4J 1L5
Tel: (514) 856-1200
Fax: (514) 856-1805
Email: daniao@armenianprelacy.ca

Breaking Ground and Blessing Ceremony
performed on New Armenian Prelacy of Canada Site

A rainy day marked the ground breaking and blessing ceremony for the new
Prelacy building, conducted under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop
Khajag Hagopian, Prelate, on Sunday October 17, 2004.

The main donors, Mr. Hagop Pastermadjian ($150 000) and Mrs. Betty Minassian
Heller ($100 000), as well as the former and current presidents of the
Prelacy’s Executive Council, Mr. Yetvart Froundjian, Vartkes Chamlian, Esq.,
Dr. Girair Basmadjian, Mr. Krikor Kouyoumdjian (current president) placed
the founding rocks on the future site of the building.

Mrs. Heller, Herman Kalaydjian (standing in for Mr. Pastermadjian) and the
presidents also buried a time capsule which included, among other things,
soil from Armenia, issues of Horizon Weekly, pictures of the community, a
cross and a bible.

The ceremony was continued inside the community centre, in the Aharonian
Hall, where the spiritual art exhibit, featuring the works of Vatche
Arakelian and Vartan Jiftjian was coming to a close.

The construction of the Prelacy is a momentous and pivotal event for the
Canadian Armenian community, whose identity and culture is entrenched in the
Armenian Church.

Its importance was further symbolized by Manoug Khatchadourian, a
102-year-old Genocide survivor, who donated $5000 in memory of his wife
towards the construction of the Prelacy.

His Eminency, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate, concluded the ceremony by
blessing the columns and foundation of the Prelacy, scheduled to be
completed in January 2005.

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