PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: jakeg@armeniandiocese.org
Website:
August 24, 2005
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GROUP OF 30 SENIORS MAKE PILGRIMAGE TO JERUSALEM
By Jake Goshert
It is a trip Margaret Azarian has only dreamed about: Traveling as an
Armenian pilgrim to the Holy Land.
“I’m looking forward to walking in the footsteps of our Lord. This is
where He first appeared and where everything happened. It is the
birthplace of Christianity. Everything happened there,” said the
parishioner of the Church of the Holy Ascension in Trumbull, CT.
“Traveling to the Holy Land has been in the back of my mind for a long
time, for years. Jerusalem is still part of our culture and religion;
and 2,000 years later it is still going strong.”
Azarian and her husband, Nazareth, are part of a group of 30 “avak”
senior citizens headed to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage organized by Fr.
Mardiros Chevian, dean of New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral. They
leave on Tuesday, August 23, 2005, and return on August 31.
“The seniors of the cathedral expressed an interest in traveling to the
Holy Land, and several other seniors from throughout the Diocese joined
us on this trip. I think what they’ll find is that by going to
Jerusalem they will become stronger Christians,” said Fr. Mardiros, who
helped lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000. “To actually see and
touch the places where Jesus worked is a life-altering experience.”
That’s exactly the type of experience many of the participants are
looking for.
“Hopefully we will be spiritually nourished and renewed, that’s what I
feel will come of it. Other pilgrims have said that going there creates
a wonderful feeling that doesn’t happen everywhere,” Azarian said. “I’m
looking forward to being with Armenians who are faithful Armenian
Christians and then we’ll see where the trip takes us, spiritually.
Maybe the pilgrimage will encourage me to do something else; you never
know how the Holy Spirit will move you.”
The participants will meet with His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom
Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, on several occasions during
the tour, which includes stops in the Armenian Quarter of Old Jerusalem.
On the day of their arrival, they will attend a vespers service at the
St. James Cathedral, and later in the trip will have dinner with members
of the Brotherhood of St. James.
The pilgrims will also visit spiritual sites such as Bethlehem, the
Mount of Olives, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, and Jericho.
“This pilgrimage is a special opportunity for us all,” Fr. Mardiros
said. “Not only will we be visiting Biblically important locations, but
we will also be delving deep into our Armenian heritage and history.
But more important is the connections we will be making with our fellow
pilgrims. This week will truly create new, lasting friendships.”
Several parishes are planning pilgrimages to Armenia and the Holy Land
in the coming years. Check with your local parish to see if anything is
being planned. The Diocese also plans trips to both the Holy Land and
Armenia. If you would like to receive notices when such trips are
organized, e-mail your contact information to info@armenianchurch.net
with “trip info” in the subject line.
— 8/24/05