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

August 11, 2005

CROSSROADS August 11, 2005

STEERING COMMITTEE CONTINUES ITS
PLANNING FOR VISIT OF ARAM I AND
THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEMINARY
The summer months, especially August, are traditionally at a slower
pace. Not so for the members of the Steering Committee charged with planning
the upcoming visit of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia. This past Tuesday, August 9, the committee met under the presidency
of the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, and the chairmanship of Dr. George
Dermksian. Each member has been entrusted with specific duties.
His Holiness will arrive in New York on Wednesday, October 19 and
participate in various activities in commemoration of the 75th anniversary
of the Cilician Seminary at Antelias, which is the main focus of the
Catholicos’s visit.
During his visit to the Eastern Prelacy, His Holiness will visit New
York, New Jersey, Washington, DC, Boston, and Chicago. He will also attend
and participate in two symposiums. The first symposium in New York,
sponsored by the Prelacy and the World Council of Churches, will take place
Saturday, October 22 and will focus on ecumenical challenges. The second,
sponsored jointly by the Prelacy and Harvard University, will take place at
Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, October 29 and 30 and will be devoted to
the 1600th anniversary of the founding of the Armenian alphabet.
The reestablishment of the Seminary in Antelias is in itself a
fascinating story. The See of Cilicia, which had served the Armenian people
from the 12th to the early part of the 20th century in Cilicia, was forced
to leave its ancient Seat in Sis, the capital city of the Armenian Kingdom
of Cilicia, following the forced emigration of the Armenians in Cilicia
during the years 1920 and 1921. Many of the Armenians leaving Cilicia
relocated in Syria and Lebanon and the Catholicate followed its people.
After nine years of wandering in Syria, Lebanon, and Cyprus, the Holy See
was reestablished in Antelias, Lebanon, in 1930. The site had previously
been an orphanage where thousands of Armenian orphans were cared for by the
Near East Relief from 1920 to 1928. Thus, the former orphanage became an
ecclesiastical and educational center. The Armenian people, having lost
hundreds of priests as victims of the genocide, and having now been
dispersed all over the world, desperately needed leaders in their religious,
national and cultural life.
The fruit of the Cilician Seminary in Antelias has made a worldwide
impact through the services rendered by its graduates to the church and
nation. Its 75th anniversary is an occasion to celebrate its many successes
and assure its future growth and continued service.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL BE IN NEW JERSEY THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday, August 14, Archbishop Oshagan will be at Sts. Vartanantz
Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey, where he will preside over the Divine
Liturgy, deliver the sermon, and officiate over the Blessing of Grapes
ceremony.

NEW BOOKS PUBLISHED BY CATHOLICOSATE
The Holy See of Cilicia recently announced the publications of new
books.
In its continuous attempts to present the Armenian literary heritage, the
Catholicosate recently published the fourth and fifth volumes of ancient
Armenian literature, Madenakirk Hayots. The series was established two years
ago through the initiative of His Holiness Aram I, and through the support
of the Armenian Affairs Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of
Lisbon.
The latest volumes include the works of Armenian writers of the 7th
century. The fourth volume included the works of writers from Abraham
Aghpatanetsi to Anania Shiragatsi; the fifth volume includes works of
writers from Ananoun to Sahag Tsoroporetsi. Each work is preceded by
explanatory notes on the work and biographical information about the author.
Another new publication, History of Religion, is the work of Puzant
Yeghiayan who was a long-time professor and dean at the Seminary in
Antelias. The work of the late beloved educator was edited by V. Rev. Fr.
Krikor Chiftjian. In his Introduction he acknowledges a debt of gratitude to
one of his students, Meguerditch Ourfalian (the late Archbishop Dajad) who
had taken detailed notes of all his lectures, thus providing the nucleus for
this work. The 665-page book presents the evolution of religion in detail.
Yet another new publication is The Sources of Mesrobian Characters by
Dr. Armenag Yeghiayan. This volume has been published on the occasion of the
1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet.
For information on these as well as other books contact the Prelacy
Bookstore, Books@armenianprelacy.org or 212-689-7810. You can also visit the
Prelacy web site for a list of publications:

MEETING OF INTELLECTUALS IN ANTELIAS
A gathering of intellectuals began today, August 11 and will continue to
August 13, in Antelias, Lebanon. The meeting was organized under the
initiative and patronage of His Holiness Aram I. Intellectuals from Armenia
and the Diaspora are participating and will discuss contemporary
educational, cultural, economic, political and other issues within the
context of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation.
His Holiness delivered the opening remarks of the three-day meeting. A
summary of each session will be distributed to the press.

19TH ANNUAL ST. GREGORY OF DATEV INSTITUTE
The 19th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program concluded
very successfully with the participation of 75 students from fourteen
parishes. The Institute is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education
Council (AREC) and has become a recognized premiere youth program. To read
the full press release and view photographs from this year’s summer program
go to:

ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
AND THE BLESSING OF THE GRAPES
This Sunday, April 14, the Armenian Church celebrates the Assumption of
the Virgin Mary (Verapokhoumn Sourb Astvadzatzni) and the Blessing of the
Grapes.
According to tradition, Mary, mother of Christ, died and was buried by
the apostles. The apostle Bartholomew, who was not present at her funeral,
on hearing the news, wished to visit the grave, but when the gravestone was
lifted they were surprised to find that the body had disappeared. It was
believed that Christ had come and taken His mother to the Heavenly Kingdom.
Based on this event the Church Fathers established the Feast of the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is one of the five tabernacle
feast days in the Armenian Church. It is celebrated on the Sunday closest to
August 15. Traditionally it includes a week of fasting and a memorial day
the following day (Monday).
After the Divine Liturgy celebrating the Assumption, the Blessing of the
Grapes takes place. There is no relationship between the Feast of the Virgin
Mary and the Blessing of Grapes. Similar to other feast days, the Feast of
the Virgin Mary coincides with a pagan era festivity, which has been
incorporated into the church calendar.
First the hymn Park Sourp Khatcheet is sung, passages are read from the
Bible, followed by a prayer composed by Catholicos Nerses Shnorhali
specifically for this occasion. After the prayer, the grapes are blessed
three times with Orhnestsee Bahbanestsee and then distributed to the
faithful.
The Blessing of the Grapes ceremony is dedicated to the fruitfulness of
the earth. Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, and
according to biblical history, Noah planted a vineyard after disembarking
from the Ark. (Genesis, Chapter 9). And, of course, the wine of the Divine
Liturgy is derived from grapes.

“Bless, O Lord, the grape plants and vineyards from which these grapes are
taken and presented to the holy church, and make them bountiful and
fruitful; let them be like good and fertile land, protect the vineyards from
all kinds of misfortunes and destruction which come from above because of
our sins, from hail, from cold, from hot winds, and from destructive
insects, so that we may enjoy that which You have created in this world for
our enjoyment and for Your glory, and grant that we may be worthy to eat and
drink with You from the bounty of Your most fruitful vine at the table of
Your Father’s Kingdom, according to the just promise which You made, to the
honor and glory of Your coexisting Trinity, the Father, the Son and the most
Holy Spirit to whom is due glory, power and honor, now and forever. Amen.
>From prayer for the Blessing of the Grapes, written by Catholicos Nerses
Shnorhali

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