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
June 23, 2005
PRELATE WILL BE IN RACINE THIS SUNDAY;
ATTEND ARMENIAN REPORTER’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY SATURDAY
Archbishop Oshagan, who will return from Lebanon tomorrow evening, will
visit the St. Hagop Armenian Church community in Racine, Wisconsin, this
Sunday, June 26.
On Saturday evening, June 25, His Eminence will attend the 40th
anniversary gala for the Armenian Reporter in New Jersey.
MORE THAN 70 STUDENTS WILL ATTEND
ST. GREGORY OF DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
Over seventy students (ages 13-18) from thirteen parishes, and ten
clergymen will gather at the St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson,
Pennsylvania, on Sunday, July 3, for the 19th annual weeklong St. Gregory of
Datev Institute Armenian Christian Studies Program, under the directorship
of Very Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian, the Vicar General of the Eastern
Prelacy.
A few days ago-Monday, June 20 to be exact-“Datevatsies” from the New
York New Jersey metropolitan area came to the Prelacy to help put together
program material for the participants of the weeklong St. Gregory of Datev
Institute. “Datevatsies” who came to help are: James Haddad, Taleen
Kupelian, Mardo Piramian, Lousine Galoyan, Mgo Piramian, and Mary Gulmezian.
GERMAN PARLIAMENT PASSES ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, adopted a unanimous resolution last
Thursday condemning the massacres and deportation of Armenians in Ottoman
Turkey ninety years ago. The petition, endorsed by all German political
parties, urges Turkey to “take historic responsibility” for the massacres
and expulsion of Armenians by the Ottoman government. The Bundestag also
regretted the “inglorious role” of the German Reich, which in spite of
information about the “organized expulsion and extermination of Armenians
did not try to stop the atrocities.” Germany is the ninth European Union
nation to issue a resolution on the Armenian Genocide. The Bundestag also
criticized Turkey’s continued denial noting, “This Turkish position
conflicts with the idea of reconciliation that guides the community of
values of the EU.”
REPRESENTATIVE OF ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
VISITS CILICIAN CATHOLICATE IN ANTELIAS
Fr. Anthony Ball, the representative of Archbishop Rowan Williams of
Canterbury in the Middle East, visited the Catholicate of Cilicia on June
17. He was greeted by Bishop Nareg Alemezian, Ecumenical Officer for the
Catholicate.
Bishop Alemezian and Fr. Anthony consulted on various ecumenical issues
of interest to the Armenian and Anglican Churches. They discussed the
possibility for the continuation of the official theological dialogue
initiated between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Church.
Fr. Anthony was part of an Anglican delegation that visited Deir Zor in
April on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
NORA BAIRAKDARIAN APPOINTED CHAIR OF CATHOLICATE’S
ECUMENICAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Dr. Nora Bairakdarian-Kabakian was appointed chair of the Ecumenical
Relations Committee of the Catholicate of Cilicia by His Holiness Aram I,
during a recent meeting of the committee. Dr. Bairakdarian is a professor of
international law and political science at Lebanese University. During
recent years she has been very active in ecumenical relations and has
represented the Cilician Catholicate at various international meetings. Also
announced was the appointment of two new members to the committee:
Archbishop Sebouh Sarkisian, Primate of the Diocese of Tehran, and Mrs. Teny
Pirry-Simonian, Executive Secretary of the Relations Department of the World
Council of Churches.
Ecumenical Relations officer Bishop Nareg Alemezian reported on various
ecumenical conferences and meetings during the past few months. The
Catholicos identified the significant aspects of the current ecumenical
landscape and the specific role of the Catholicate of Cilicia. His Holiness
praised the commitment of the delegates who represented the Armenian Church
in various ecumenical activities.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS CITES BEASTS ON THE MOON
AS ONE OF FIVE “MUST-SEE” PLAYS
Drama Critic Howard Kissel has named Beast on the Moon as one of “Five
Must-See Plays” currently running in New York. Writing in today’s edition of
the New York Daily News, Mr. Kissel notes, “There is a surprising amount of
serious theater in New York now.. There are exciting dramas in theaters all
over the city, from the West Village to the upper East Side to what has
become Off-Broadway’s busiest thoroughfares, 15th Street, just off Union
Square.”
About Beast he writes: “Richard Kalinoski’s Beast on the Moon, at the
Century Theater (111 E. 15th St.), is about a woman who survived the 1915
Armenian genocide and has arrived in Milwaukee five years later as a
mail-order bride. The play moves from tragedy and turmoil to a profound
sense of promise, a journey director Larry Moss captures powerfully.”
Crossroads learned today that for the month of July David Grillo, the
producer of the play, will play the lead role of Aram Tomasian, while Omar
Metwally takes a leave of absence to work in a new Steven Spielberg film.
The part is not new to Grillo who has played Aram in a production in Boston
in 1999. Grillo said: “I first fell in love with Beast on the Moon when I
played Aram in the Boston production. I knew then that this was a play that
had to reach New York audiences. I have been standing-by for Omar since we
began previews this spring. While Omar is off filming, I am looking forward
switching hats and revisiting Richard Kalinoski’s beautiful play from an
actor’s perspective.”
For information about tickets and performances,
REMEMBERING THE TWELVE APOSTLES AND PAUL
This Saturday, June 25, the Armenian Church remembers the Twelve
Apostles and Paul, often referred to as the “thirteenth disciple.”
The word apostle is Greek meaning “one who is sent out.” In the New
Testament the word is used to describe Jesus’ disciples, who were selected
by Him to accompany Him, follow His instructions, and continue His work.
Although not one of the “twelve,” Paul is considered to be the most
effective apostle of early Christianity and the church’s “first theologian.”
More than one-fourth of the New Testament consists of his writings.
FAST OF TRANSFIGURATION
This Sunday, June 26, begins the Fast leading to the Feast of the
Transfiguration which is on Sunday, July 3-fourteen weeks after Easter.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the
close of the age.”
The Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter 28, Verses 19-20.
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