Lraper Church Bulletin 26/07/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
lraper@lraper.org
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COLLECTIVE BAPTISM ON KINALI ISLAND
Photos: ;NewsCode=N000000770&Lang=ENG
On the occasion of the Feast of Our Ancestor St. Gregory the
Illuminator’s sons and grandsons, 16 children were baptized at once in a
group ceremony held in the afternoon of Saturday, 16 July 2005.
In the ceremony, which was led by His Beatitude Mesrob II, the Patriarch
first spoke generally about the inner meaning of baptism and then
described how the 16 children belonged to Armenian families who had
emigrated to Istanbul from remote rural areas and thus had not yet been
baptized. With permission from the parents, their teachers had prepared
the children for baptism and had found them godfathers. After the
children and their godfathers said together the Nicene Creed and
listened to the reading of the Holy Gospel, they processed to the
baptismal pool in the church garden.
His Beatitude the Patriarch poured Sacred Myron into the baptismal pool
to the accompaniment of the hymn, “Arakelo Agavno.” He then asked the
godfathers what they wished from God and from God’s Holy Church. The
godfathers declared in unison that they wanted faith, hope, love, and
baptism, to be baptized and to be justified, to be cleansed of sin, to
be saved from evil powers, and to serve God.
The children one by one then entered the baptismal pool from the West
and were baptized by Father Tatul Anusyan. As they emerged from the
pool, His Beatitude anointed them one by one with the Holy Myron.
The baptised children then dressed in new white clothes, and the
ceremony continued. Father Garabed Terziyan brought the children to the
Holy Altar where they prostrated before the sacred elements and took
Holy Communion.
The group baptism concluded with a blessing from Patriarch Mesrob and
the Lord’s Prayer said in unison. After the ceremony the group baptism
was celebrated with tea and the sharing of a baptismal cake, which all
the children joined.
The baptised children and their godfathers are as follows:
Minas Demirci (b 1992) – Aras Nalbantgazaroglu
Lori Demirci (b 1992) -Daniel Antikacioglu
Yeraz Kaz (b 1992) – A. Murat Emirzeoglu
Ani Kaz (b 1992) – Aram Kalenderoglu
Azad Demirci (b 1994) – Khacik Tasci
Srpuhi Kaz (b 1994) – Raffi Bilal
Sant Demirci (b 1995) – Sant Markaroglu
Meline Matosoglu (b 1996) – Isak Tahmincioglu
Mane Ebrahamoglu (b 1996) – Isak Tahmincioglu
Talar Kaz (b 1997) – Levon Sadyan
Zulal Ebrahamoglu (b 1997) – Sercan Akdag
Markrid Alyanak (b 1998) – Herman Toros
Burak Yigitkurt (b 2000) – Sarkis Erlevent
Naira Alyanak (b 2000) – Rupen Dervogormyaciyan
Jbid Yigitkurt (b 2001) – Yeprem Gez
Hagop Kaz (b 2002) – Raffi Sadyan