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
September 22, 2005
CATHOLICOS ARAM I BEGINS HIS VISITS
TO CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, began his
pontifical visits to Canada and the United States. His Holiness arrived in
Canada today, September 22, where he will visit Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto,
and St. Catharines.
From Canada the Catholicos will travel to California where he will
arrive in Los Angeles on October 5. In addition to the Los Angeles area, His
Holiness will visit Fresno and San Francisco.
From California His Holiness will travel eastward to New York where he
will arrive in the evening of October 19 to begin his visit to the Eastern
Prelacy through to November 1. His Holiness will make a number of visits in
the greater New York metropolitan area, as well as visits to Washington,
D.C., Boston, and Chicago.
The main focus of the visit is the 75th anniversary of the establishment
of the Theological Seminary at Antelias, Lebanon, and the 10th anniversary
of His Holiness’s enthronement.
The Prelacy’s web site has detailed information about the Pontiff’s
visit to the Eastern Prelacy.
PRELATE WILL BE IN NORTH ANDOVER THIS SUNDAY
FOR 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF MERRIMACK VALLEY CHURCH
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan will travel to Massachusetts this weekend
where on Sunday he will be at St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley in
North Andover. His Eminence will preside over the Divine Liturgy on Sunday
beginning at 9:30 a.m. and will ordain Stole Bearers (Ouraragirs). A banquet
and program will follow in the afternoon at the Wyndham Andover in
celebration of the 35th anniversary of the parish. The Prelate will preside
over the anniversary banquet and be the main speaker during the program
which will include a musical interlude and recognition of parishioners.
ST. STEPHENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
COLLECT FUNDS FOR GULF COAST RELIEF
The Eastern Prelacy has been collecting money to help the victims of
Hurricane Katrina. This week a check for $135.00 was forwarded to the
Prelate from St. Stephen Elementary School, Watertown, Massachusetts. The
money was collected by the students of the elementary day school. Archbishop
Oshagan received the donation with gratitude and praised the students for
reaching out and helping those who need help. “The amount is not as
important as the thought these students have put into this effort,” the
Prelate said. “It is a lesson about the responsibilities we all share for
each other.”
The Prelacy is continuing to accept donations for hurricane relief.
Donations may be sent to the Prelacy, 138 E. 39th Street, New York, NY
10016.
CATHOLICOS ARAM I PRESIDES OVER WCC MEETINGS
His Holiness Aram I presided over the meetings of the Executive
Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) held in Switzerland last
week, in preparation for the WCC’s 9th Assembly, which will take place in
Brazil in February 2006. As moderator of the WCC’s Executive and Central
Committees, His Holiness stressed the importance of keeping up with the
modern world and introducing drastic changes to the WCC’s structures and
projects.
The 25-member Executive Committee met at the Bossey Ecumenical
Institute, near Geneva. Some of the topics discussed besides the upcoming
assembly included: Gun violence, situation in Haiti, hurricane Katrina, new
membership, and new global ecumenical platform for development.
At the conclusion of the four-day meeting, the WCC General Secretary,
Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, expressed his thanks to the officers and members of
the executive committee and especially to the moderator, Catholicos Aram I,
for his “wise counsel, theological depth and grasp of global issues,” which
have guided the WCC over the last seven years.
SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES WILL BEGIN
AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL THIS SUNDAY
The 2005-2006 Sunday School term will begin this Sunday, September 25,
at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City.
Classes, with age appropriate instruction and activities, are available for
children ages 3 to 13. Classes begin each Sunday at 11 a.m. and continue to
12 noon. For information: 212-689-7810, Ext. 21.
ST. GEORGE THE COMMANDER AND
HOLY CROSS OF VARAG
This weekend the Armenian Church commemorates St. George (Kevork) and
the feast of the Holy Cross of Varag.
On Saturday, September 24, we remember St. George the Commander.
Although we do not have extant records about St. George, he remains a
popular hero among all Christian people. He is considered to be the patron
saint of soldiers and boy scouts. As in so many other instances, the
Armenian people have given St. George an Armenian national character. The
name George (Kevork) became popular beginning in the 5th century. There are
many large churches named in his honor. Perhaps the one best known to us
here at the Eastern Prelacy is Sourp Kevork of Moughni, the monastery in
Armenia that the late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian adopted and restored with
the help of his generous friends in the United States and Canada. The
monastery was founded in the 13th century by the brotherhood at
Hovhannavank, bringing with them the relics of St. George, a third century
Roman general who defied the policy of persecuting Christians and urged
others to follow his example. The dome is visible at a distance because of
its black and orange stripes and the interior murals date back to the 17th
century. It was at this monastery that Simeon the Elder produced a
beautifully decorated Gospel in 1280 that is known as the Moughni Gospel.
Each year on this day the Gospel is brought from the Matenadaran (Manuscript
Museum) to Moughni for a special service. The entire Moughni complex stands
today in tribute to our ancestors and as a living testimony to the
dedication and patronage of the late Archbishop Ashjian.
On Sunday, September 24, we observe the Holy Cross of Varak, a feast
unique to the Armenian Church. The Hripsimiantz Virgins, after coming to
Armenia, lived near Mount Varag. Hripsime always carried a small wooden
cross, believed to be made from a piece of the true cross. One day, in order
to escape persecution, she found refuge on the mountain where she hid the
cross among the rocks before fleeing to Vagharshapat. According to
tradition, in the year 653, a hermit named Todik found the hidden cross. He
followed a brilliant light that illuminated the mountain that guided him
inside the church to the altar where he found a fragment of the cross. The
guiding light shone for twelve days. In memory of this event, Nerses
Catholicos established the Feast of the Cross of Varag.
Mount Varag is located in the southeastern region of Van in historic
Armenia. There, in honor of the Cross, the monastery of Saint Nishan was
built on the site where Hripsime hid her cross. It was a popular destination
for pilgrims. Some of us have been fortunate enough to make that pilgrimage
to Varaga Vank. It is a moving experience regardless of the fact (or perhaps
because of it) that the once thriving monastery today is ruins and stones. A
small stone retrieved from the rubble sits on our desk as a constant
reminder of the faith of our ancestors.
AUTUMN BEGINS TONIGHT
The official beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere is ushered
in tonight, September 22, with the autumnal equinox at 6:23 p.m. (Eastern
daylight time). Today the Sun rose due east and will set due west, with an
equal number of daylight and nighttime hours. Hereafter, our daylight hours
will become increasingly shorter until the winter solstice in December.
‘Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone.
The Last Rose of Summer
by Thomas Moore, 1830
Calendar of Events
September 25-35th anniversary of St. Gregory Armenian Church of North
Andover, Massachusetts, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan.
For more information, 978-685-5038.
September 26-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, will host its second annual golf tournament at the Raceway
Golf Club in Thompson, Connecticut, to benefit the church’s Capital Fund.
For information: 508-872-9629.
October 19-November 1-Visit of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, to the Eastern Prelacy, commemorating the 75th anniversary
of the establishment of the Cilician Seminary in Antelias, Lebanon.
October 28-29-Mashtots Conference celebrating the 1600th anniversary of the
founding of the Armenian alphabet, at Harvard University. Jointly sponsored
by the Eastern Prelacy and Harvard University Mashtots Chair, Department of
Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.
November 6-St. Stephen Armenian Apostolic Church of Hartford-New Britain,
Connecticut, will celebrate its 80th anniversary. Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan will be the keynote speaker. The program will include a slide show
presentation two non-Armenian Peace Corps volunteers who recently returned
from serving in Armenia.
November 11-13-Mini-Datev program for the Midwest parishes.
December 31-New Years Eve dinner-dance, Sts. Vartanantz (NJ) and ARF Dro
Gomideh, Parsippany Hilton. Information: 201-943-2950 or 201-945-0011.
March 5-Sts. Vartanantz (NJ) 2006 membership meeting.
March 17-19, 2006-Sunday School Teachers’ Conference at the Wonderland
Conference and Retreat Center in Sharon, MA.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their
major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
info@armenianprelacy.org
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress