Lraper Church Bulletin 12/07/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
patriarchate@post.com <mailto:haybad@superonline.com>
lraper@lraper.org
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PASTORAL VISIT TO THE SAINT SANDOUKHT PARISH IN RUMELIHISAR

On Saturday 9 July 2005, the Armenian Church celebrated the feast of
Saints Thaddeus and Sandoukht. His Grace Archbishop Shahan Sivaciyan,
Patriarchal Vicar, presided over the Divine Liturgy in the Saint
Sandoukht Armenian Church in Rumelihisar, on a hill on the western bank
of the Bosporus Strait. Numerous pilgrims from the other 37 parishes of
Istanbul attended the festivity.
On Sunday 10 July 2005, His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of
Istanbul and All Turkey, presided over the festivities in the same
church. The Reverend Archpriest Myuron Ayvazyan celebrated the Divine
Liturgy, while the Reverend Deacons Vartkes Pestilciyan, Sevan Civanyan,
Harutyun Mkhitaryan and Hayk Koparyan served at the altar. The
liturgical hymns were sung by the Gomidas Choir of Kurucheshme. The
small church and the surrounding garden overlooking the Bosporus were
full of pilgrims.
In his homily, His Beatitude retold the story of Saint Sandoukht and
emphasized that the follower of Christ must not only keep faith and live
accordingly, but he or she must also profess it. “As Christians, we are
called to bear witness confidently to the faith of our forefathers and
pass it on to the new generations. Faith that is not witnessed to and
spread is weakened,” said the Patriarch and reminded the faithful of the
words of the Saviour: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I
also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever
denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in
heaven” (Mt. 10:32-33).
At the end of the Divine Liturgy in Rumelihisar, as in all the other
parish churches in Istanbul, a special Service was held for the repose
of the souls of the victims of the 7 July terrorist attacks in London.
Condemning such criminal acts of terrorism and violence in general, the
Patriarch reiterated that religions are for peace, and so should be the
followers.
A festive luncheon was then held in the church garden in honour of
Saints Thaddeus and Sandoukht, attended by all those who were present. A
short annual report of the activities of the parish council of
Rumelihisar was read out by the Chairperson, Nouritsa Yasulkal.
Armenian folk songs were sung by all. The Patriarch concluded the
occasion with pastoral remarks encouraging the parishioners of
Rumelihisar and with prayers.
His Beatitude the Patriarch then visited the home of Ebruhi Kanaryan,
one of the most senior residents in Rumelihisar. The whole family had
returned from the church services and relatives were getting ready for a
family reunion the same evening on the occasion of the annual feast of
Saint Sandoukht. The Patriarch took coffee with the family and was
present when the Kanaryans’ daughter Satenik Nshanyan cut her birthday
cake. Satenik is the director of the Esayan High School in Taksim, while
her husband, Hayk Nshanyan, is the director of the Holy Cross (formerly
Tbrevank) High School in Uskudar.
Finally, the Patriarch visited the Armenian cemetery in Rumelihisar,
overlooking the intercity motorway leading to the Bosporus Bridge, about
twenty minutes away from the church. His Beatitude took a stroll in the
cemetery, checked the condition of the early 18th century gravestones,
and said a prayer for the repose of the souls of all who were buried in
Rumelihisar. There are some sixty local Armenian parishioners presently
living in Rumelihisar, which used to be a small fishing village in the
past, populated mostly by Armenians and Greeks.
St. Thaddeus is one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. After the
ascension of Jesus Christ, Thaddeus began his mission preaching in
Edessa and then continued in Armenia. He was able to evangelize the
royal palace where he baptized Sandoukht, the daughter of King
Sanatrouk. She embraced Christianity and became a disciple of Thaddeus.
The king was displeased, and tried to bring his daughter back into the
fold of the old pagan faith. Sandoukht remained loyal to her Christian
faith. As a result, she was imprisoned and subjected to torture,
deprivation and finally death, thus becoming the first saint of the
Armenian Church. She is also considered to be the proto-martyr, the
first witness for Christianity, amongst the Armenians and an apostle
because of the role she played in converting others.