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 3, 2005

JOINT COMMITTEE ISSUES PRESS RELEASE ABOUT
90th COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS IN NEW YORK
The Joint Commemorative Committee for the 90th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide issued a press release this week providing information
about the upcoming commemorative events in New York City on April 24, 2005.
To read the release go to:
Information about bus transportation will be forthcoming.

PRELACY JOINS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN URGING
PRESIDENT BUSH TO RECOGNIZE 1915 MASSACRES AS GENOCIDE
The Eastern Prelacy has joined with other major Armenian organizations
in a letter urging President Bush to recognize the 1915 massacres and
deportations as Genocide.
In recent meetings with Armenian American groups, as well as in private
meetings with Armenian American leaders in various parts of the country,
including a private meeting at the Prelacy on February 11, U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Evans characterized the massacres of 1915 as genocide.
Subsequently, he clarified his statements by referring to them as his
personal opinion and not official U.S. policy.
The letter, signed by ten Armenian American organizations, said: Mr.
President, in this the 90th Commemorative Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, we urge that you join President Ronald Reagan and so many other
leading American public officials in reaffirming the facts of history you
have already proclaimed with the correct name-Armenian Genocide.
To read the entire letter go to:

ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL IN WATERTOWN
MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH GALA
Four hundred supporters of Armenian education attended the 20th
anniversary gala for St. Stephen Armenian Elementary School in Watertown,
Massachusetts. The gala, under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, was also the official beginning of a capital campaign for
the expansion of the school.
For details and photographs go to:

CATHOLICOS ARAM SPEAKS ABOUT LEBANON
His Holiness Aram who was in Geneva last month chairing the meetings of
the Central and Executive Committees of the World Council of Churches, spoke
about the situation in Lebanon during a press conference. He strongly
condemned the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri,
describing it as an act targeting the whole country. His Holiness said the
assassination was an attempt to disrupt Lebanon’s internal unity and to
weaken Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty. He emphasized that now more
than ever the Lebanese people need to strengthen their internal unity and
dignity.
Speaking about the Armenian community His Holiness said: As a
constituent member of Lebanese society, the Armenian community also has been
deeply shaken by the assassination and is concerned about the current
situation. He urged that the Armenians of Lebanon with their community and
political leadership to actively and fully participate in all efforts
leading to the strengthening of the internal unity, independence and
sovereignty of Lebanon.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
We are in the period of time when most of our parishes hold their annual
membership meetings.
This Sunday, March 6, membership meetings are scheduled at the following
parishes:
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City.
Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey
St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan
St. Gregory Church, North Andover, Massachusetts

DEADLINE FOR NEW YORK LIFE SETTLEMENT NEARS
Descendants of New York Life policyholders who were among the 1.5
million Armenians massacred during the Genocide, have until March 15, 2005,
to make a claim for a portion of the settlement that was made with the New
York Life Insurance Co.
Details, including a list of the names, addresses, and occupations of
the policyholders, are available at
The total settlement is valued at $20 million. The first distribution of
funds totaling $3 million was made to Armenian charitable organizations in
January.

PASSION NARRATIVES FOR LENT CONTINUE
The Prelacy Lenten Program will continue next Wednesday, March 9, with
the focus on the Burial. Yesterday, the Bible study, led by Deacon Shant
Kazanjian, focused on the Crucifixion. The final session on March 16 will be
a study of the Resurrection.
The six-week Bible study of the Passion narratives is sponsored by the
Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) and the Prelacy Ladies Guild.
The sessions take place at St. Illuminator Cathedral, 221 E. 27th
Street, New York City, beginning at 7:30 pm with a Lenten service, followed
by the Bible study and fellowship around a Lenten meal. All our welcome.

MUSICAL ARMENIA APPLICATIONS FOR 2006
Young Armenian musicians are invited to submit applications for the 2006
Musical Armenia concert series. The application can be downloaded from the
Prelacy web page
To read about the 2005 concert and view photographs go to:

FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTIA
This Saturday, March 5, the Armenian Church commemorates the memory of
the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia.
Although the background and identity of the forty young soldiers are not
known for sure, it is believed that they came from Lesser Armenia. They
served in the Roman army in the regions of Cappadocia.
In a general purge of Christians from the ranks, it became rumored that
in Sepastia there was an elite military unit whose members were Christians.
Forty youths of the unit confirmed being Christians and remained steadfast
to their faith.
The young soldiers were tried and condemned to stoning. Miraculously,
when the sentence was being carried out, the stones would not reach the
intended targets, but rather came back striking those throwing the stones.
The young soldiers were then thrown into a frozen lake and forced to stay
there, with the admonition that should they renounce their faith they would
be allowed to come out of the cold water and into a warm bath. Of the forty,
one chose to accept this offer, but he died nevertheless. As one by one the
youths died, halos came down upon them. Seeing this, one of the guards threw
himself into the lake and joined the thirty-nine bringing the number to
forty again.
Subsequently some of our great church fathers like Basil, Gregory of
Nyssa, Ephraem the Assyrian, and Sisian of Sebastia, wrote panegyrics about
the forty martyrs.
Their memory is commemorated each year during Lent on the Saturday
following the Median day of Lent (Meechink). The Armenians have also built
and named churches in their memory in various areas of the world.

SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE
This Sunday, March 6, the fifth Sunday of Lent, is the Sunday of the
Judge (Datavori Kiraki).
The Gospel read on this day describes the parable told by Jesus about a
widow and a judge (Luke 18:2-5). In a certain city there was a judge, who
neither feared God, nor had respect for people. In that city there was a
widow who kept coming to him and saying, Grant me justice against my
opponent. For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, Though I
have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps
bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by
continually coming before me.
Jesus told the parable of the stubborn widow to encourage his followers
to persevere in prayer and to never cease to struggle against injustice.
Through this story Jesus assures us that God will do justice in the end.

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