PRESS RELEASE

Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: armenian@idx.com.au <mailto:armenian@idx.com.au>

13 September 2005

COMMEMORATING THE FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS AND ARRIVAL OF
THE NEWLY APPOINTED CLERGY TO THE DIOCESE

Sydney, Australia – It was one of the five major feast days of the
liturgical calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church on Sunday, the Feast of
the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and in union with Armenian Apostolic
Churches worldwide, in the Church of Holy Resurrection in Sydney, His
Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Australia and New Zealand celebrated a glorious Holy Mass
empowering his congregation with Christ’s love and message of hope.

In his sermon, the Primate rationalised the significance of the Holy Cross
for those of Christian faith. “Before Christ, the cross was a symbol of
persecution and adversity” he said, “but in Christ the cross became a symbol
of love and sacrifice ~ Christ’s love for mankind and Christ’s sacrifice for
the salvation of all mankind.” The cross bears for all Christians, a mark
of hope that is found in the resurrection and the promise of life eternal
with our Maker.

Following Holy Mass, the traditional Antasdan ceremony took place ~ the
blessing of the four corners of the world seeking God’s provision for Church
authorities, civil authorities, monasteries, cities, land and produce of the
world.

The feast day was ever so special for the Diocese of Australia with the
arrival of Very Reverend Father Vardan Navasardyan, appointed to serve the
Diocese by His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, who arrived from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin early the
same morning. Father Vardan, baptised Arsitakes, was born 4 August, 1979 in
Yerevan. He commenced his seminarian studies at Shirak Theological Seminary
and attained his Bachelor of Theology from Gevorkian Theological Seminary in
St Etchmiadzin. Fr Vartan was ordained a celibate priest in February 2003.
He was appointed Deputy Grand Sacristan in June 2002, served as a Lecturer
in Theology at both Gevorkian and Shirak Seminaries and was a theological
radio broadcaster at St Etchmiadzin.

Reverend Father Vardan will celebrate his first Divine Liturgy in Australia
and deliver the day’s sermon on Sunday, 18 September, 2005.

In attendance for the Divine Liturgy and partaking in Holy Communion, were
28 Year 11 students from the Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun School and
their Principal, Mr Kaylar Mikaelian. The students and their Principal will
depart Sydney on Sunday for a 3-week pilgrimage to Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabagh visiting the many historical sites, churches and monuments
that form part of the students’ Armenian studies. The pilgrimage offers
students the wonderful opportunity to connect with their ancestral homeland
and illuminate their souls with their cultural heritage.

During Holy Mass, the Primate offered prayers to the Almighty for the safe
passage of the group and blessed the pilgrims in their journey of
enlightenment.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress