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 – January 20, 2005
BIBLE SEMINAR AT ST. SARKIS CHURCH
The subtle religious and linguistic beauty of the Holy Bible will be the
subject of a seminar at St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, New York, on
Saturday, January 29, co-sponsored by the Christian Education Committee
(CEC) of St. Sarkis Church and the Armenian Religious Education Council
(AREC) of the Prelacy. Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC, will
conduct the seminar.
Deacon Shant will present a brief overview of the Bible and its use in
the Armenian Apostolic Church. He will also explore the differences between
the Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic versions of the scriptures, and will
discuss Bible study aids.
The seminar will begin at 10 a.m. at St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th
Street, Douglaston, New York, and conclude at 3 p.m. A light lunch and
coffee will be served. All are welcome.
For information contact the St. Sarkis Church office, 718-224-2275.
ST. STEPHEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
GALA IS SATURDAY, JANUARY 29
St. Stephen Armenian Elementary School (Watertown, Massachusetts) will
celebrate its 20th anniversary with a gala celebration on Saturday, January
29, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The event is under the auspices His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
who will attend the gala to bring his congratulatory words on this occasion.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie
Corporation of New York.
Visit the school web site for information about the school
and the 20th anniversary gala on January 29.
SIAMANTO ACADEMY STUDENTS HEAR GUEST LECTURERS
Following an edifying lecture on Gomidas Vartabed in December by
ethnomusicologist Krikor Pidedjian, the Siamanto Academy students will
participate in the second lecture/workshop by renowned actress and writer
Nora Armani on Saturday, January 29. The first lecture by Ms. Armani
included an overview of Armenian theatre and a workshop that captivated the
students attention. The roster of other recent guest lecturers has included:
Major Aram Sarafian, Ara Jigarian, artist Kevork Mourad, Associated Press
photographer Harry Koundakjian, NK Arts Neery Melkonian, Tony Vartanian of
the ANCA, and art historian Dr. Sylvie Merian.
SERIES OF MEETINGS IN ANTELIAS
A series of meetings, presided by His Holiness Aram I, have taken place
this past week at the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon.
The agenda of the meeting of the Religious Executive Council covered reports
pertaining to Christian Education, Ecumenical Relations, and the Youth, as
well as programs and concerns related to different spheres of religious
life.
The meeting of the Lay Executive Council studied questions and projects
related to finances, social services, and public relations.
During the joint meeting of the Religious and Lay Committees, diocesan
primates and lay representatives, a number of issues about the overall
activities of the Catholicosate were discussed. In his remarks, His Holiness
emphasized the importance of responsibility, accountability, and
self-critical assessment, in the work of the Catholicosate on a global and
diocesan level.
PRELATE OFFERS DAILY MORNING PRAYER SESSIONS
DURING CARIBBEAN CRUISE
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan offered Morning Prayer services during the
one-week cruise in the Caribbean. His Eminence was gratified by the number
of people who attended the daily service each morning to participate in the
service and hear the message of the day, before beginning the activities of
the day.
Archbishop Oshagan said it was a good experience to see so many
Armenians coming together to enjoy a very well organized and planned
vacation.
PRELATE WILL GO TO FLORIDA TOMORROW
Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Florida tomorrow, January 21, to
preside over meetings with the architects for the St. John Church in Boynton
Beach.
PRELATE WILL ATTEND MEETINGS IN VATICAN
Archbishop Oshagan will travel overseas to attend meetings at the
Vatican from January 24 to 30. The meetings are between the Oriental
Orthodox Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Papers will be presented on various aspects of communion, the meaning of
sister churches, the meaning of church families, and common ecumenical
goals.
The Cilician See will be represented by Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop
Nareg Alemezian, Ecumenical Officer of the Holy See of Cilicia.
22nd MUSICAL ARMENIA CONCERT SERIES:
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW
The 2005 Musical Armenia concert, the 22nd performance in the series,
will take place Sunday, January 30, 2 pm, at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie
Hall, New York City. The concert will feature the baritone Oshin Gregorian
and the works of the composer Eric Hachikian, performed by the Motyl Chamber
Ensemble.
Mr. Gregorian will perform works by Gomidas, Mozart, Donizetti, Puccini,
Ravel, Ganatchian, Gregorian, and Sayat Nova.
The Motyl Chamber Ensemble will perform some works of Eric Hachikian,
including Voyage to Amasia and Saint Sarkis Suite.
Reserve your tickets now by contacting Sophie at the Prelacy,
212-689-7810.
GHEVONTIANK CLERGY CONFERENCE
WILL CONVENE IN MONTREAL
The annual Gevontiank Clergy Conference will convene in Montreal,
Canada, January 31 to February 2. Participating in the conference will be
the clergy of the Eastern, Western, and Canadian Prelacies. The theme of the
conference will focus on the past, present and future mission of the
Cilician Seminary.
PRELATE WILL VISIT ST. SARKIS CHURCH THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday, January 23, Archbishop Oshagan will officiate the Divine
Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, in observance of the
name day of the church. His Eminence will be assisted by the pastor of the
church, V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian. The morning services begin at 10
am followed by the Badarak at 10:30 am.
His Eminence will also preside over the blessing of the veils of the
choir members. A luncheon will follow the church services. For information
and reservations contact the church office, 718-224-2275.
PARISHIONER IS HEADED TO AFGHANISTAN
A message from St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley (North Andover,
Massachusetts) informs us that a member of that parish, Felix Gregorian,
will be heading to Afghanistan next month. The message states:
As some of you may or may not know we have a fellow parishioner who is
in the process of heading to Afghanistan. Felix Gregorian is currently in
Texas and should be there until sometime in February before heading
overseas. Below is his mailing and email address where he can be reached.
Feel free to send him letters/emails to keep in touch and let him know what’s
going on in our church/community. He would love to hear from all of you,
regardless of whether you have known him forever or have never met him. Let
us give him our support and let him know that he and his family are in our
thoughts and prayers.
ILT Felix Gregorian
ANA ETT 3Bgde 5BN CSSI
650th ASG Bldg 4228
Ft. Hood, TX 76544
f.Gregorian@comcast.net
ZULAL TO PERFORM IN NEW YORK CITY
ZULAL, the Armenian a cappella folk trio, will perform next Wednesday,
January 26, 7:30 pm, at Satalla, 37 W. 26th St., New York City.
Zulal, which means clarity, is receiving raves and critical acclaim
following performances in various parts of the United States and Canada. The
three talented performers, Anais Tekerian, Teni Apelian and Yeraz Markarian,
keep true to the folk tradition while providing fresh perspectives and
harmonies. We saw them in their New Jersey performance last year and found
their performance to be exciting, informative, and entertaining.
PAPER ON STEPANOS SIWNECI IN JOURNAL
The latest edition of the scholarly journal, Le Museon, (Volume 117,
Issue 3), includes a paper entitled Origen’s Commentaries as Sources for
Stepanos Siwneci’s Commentary on the Gospels, by Michael Papazian.
Stepanos Siwneci (c. 688-735) was the author of some of the earliest
surviving Armenian biblical commentaries. Professor Papazian is chairman of
the Religion and Philosophy Department at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.
ST. SARKIS, ST. ADOM, ST. SOUKIAS
It is a busy week for the Armenian Church in the remembrance of saints,
including St. Sarkis the Warrior, Sts. Adom and Generals, and Sts. Soukias
and Martyrs.
ST. SARKIS THE WARRIOR
This Saturday, the Armenian Church remembers St. Sarkis the Warrior and
his son, St. Mardiros. It is a moveable feast day that generally occurs
between January 11 and February 15. It follows the five-day Fast of
Catechumens. Although the Fast is not connected to St. Sarkis, it has become
to be associated with this saint who enjoy a special popularity among the
Armenians. Sarkis lived during the fourth century and was from Cappadocia in
Asia Minor. He rose through the military ranks as a consequence of his
valiant campaigns on behalf of the Emperor Constantine. With the accession
of Emperor Julian, Sarkis took refuge in Armenia with his son, Mardiros.
Later he and his son went to Persia to join the Persian army in fighting
Emperor Julian. Both fought with exceptional bravery. The Persian king
(Shapur II) tried to convince them to abandon their Christrian faith and
embrace Zorastrianism. Both refused, and father and son were martyred.
Loyal Christian soldiers who went to retrieve the body, were killed as
well. Eventually, Christians found the body and sent it to Assyria, where it
remained until the fifth century, when Mesrob Mashdots received the remains
and moved them to the city of Garpi in Armenia. The famed Garpi Monastery,
erected over the site of the grave, stands to this day.
St. Sarkis is revered and there are many Armenian churches throughout
the world dedicated to his memory.
GEORGE W. BUSH INAUGURATED TODAY
George W. Bush was inaugurated to his second term of office as President
of the United States today at noon.
In his second inaugural speech to the nation, President Bush said,
freedom is not only the right of all people everywhere, and thus a
transcendent cause in itself, but an engine to help America secure. We are
led by events and common sense to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in
our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The
best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the
world.
The President struck an ecumenical tone in describing an America guided
by spiritual as well as secular precepts: Self-government relies, in the
end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in
families supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our
national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of
the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people. Americans move forward in
reaffirming all that is good and true that came before, ideals of justice
and conduct that are the same today and forever.
The U.S. Constitution has only two requirements for the inauguration:
1. That the president-elect take office at noon on January 20.
2. That the president-elect take a short 35-word oath: I,.do solemnly
swear to faithfully executive the office of president of the United States
and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States.
George Washington, the first president, added so help me God to the oath and
kissed the Bible. His swearing in took place in 1789 in New York City, which
was the temporary capital. His second inaugural address in 1793 was 135
words, the shortest inaugural address in history.
The longest inaugural address was given by William Henry Harrison in
1841. His 8,445-word address, delivered in cold blustery weather, lasted two
hours. He developed pneumonia soon after and died a month later.
Historians agree that the most eloquent second inaugural address was
delivered by Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1865. This is the with malice
toward none, with charity for all, speech that we have quoted here at other
times, but is worth repeating.
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the
right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work
we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have
borne the battle and for his widow and his orphans, to do all which may
achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all
nations.
Lincoln was assassinated a little more than a month later.
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