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: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
APRIL 27, 2006
GENOCIDE OBSERVANCE ON CAPITOL HILL
Archbishop Oshagan attended the 11th annual ANCA Armenian Genocide
Observance on Capitol Hill, yesterday. Wednesday, April 26. Armenian
Americans from around the United States joined with members of Congress to
mark the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
In his message and invocation to the gathering, His Eminence remembered
the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “In the End, we will remember not the
words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” His Eminence said:
“To this day the genocide of the Armenians is denied not only by the
perpetrators, but also by own government here in Washington. The same
government in whose archives are thousands and thousands of documents that
attest to the annihilation of the Armenians. The denial by our government is
the most difficult for us to comprehend and fills our hearts with grief
because denial is another assault-another genocide.”
“Our faith in You never waivers,” the Prelate continued. “Our hope in
You is steadfast. We believe that through You truth will prevail, because
You have told us, ‘Truth endures and remains forever and ever.’ (I Esdras
4:38)”
APRIL 24th IN ANTELIAS
Thousands of Lebanese Armenians assembled at the Catholicosate of
Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon, on April 24 to commemorate the Armenian
genocide. Divine Liturgy was offered at the Cathedral of St. Gregory the
Illuminator, celebrated by Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, Primate of the Diocese
of Lebanon. Thousands of the Faithful then proceeded to the Martyrs’ Chapel
where a Requiem Service was offered.
His Holiness Aram I said: “Today is a day of national struggle and
accountability. This is how I characterize April 24 on our nation’s
calendar. We are gathered with the spirit of accountability and demands.
Struggle means accountability. Our martyrs demand explanation from us
today.. April 24 is not a single day in our calendar. Every day is April 24
for the individual who considers himself Armenian and lives as an Armenian.
Today we renew our pledge from Armenia to Antelias gathered around the
remains of our martyrs. In all the corners of the world we renew our pledge
to walk down the path of our martyrs, remaining true to their legacy; walk
down the path that will lead us to justice, because that is the road that
leads to the truth.”
THE ‘G’ WORD
Even with strong support from more than 200 House and Senate leaders,
asking President Bush to properly acknowledge the Armenian genocide, the
President’s annual message failed to use the “G” word, instead words like
“horrible tragedy,” “mass killings,” and “forced exile” were used.
In contrast to this, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper,
issued a statement on April 19 acknowledging “the terrible suffering and
loss of life” in “the first genocide of the twentieth century.”
VICAR IS ATTENDING PRAYER FOR PEACE IN D.C.
V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan, Vicar General of the Prelacy, attended the 2006
International Prayer for Peace yesterday and today at Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
The gathering, which is sponsored by the Community of San’ Egidio, the
Archdiocese of Washington, Georgetown University, and The Catholic
University of America, marks the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s
historic interfaith gathering for peace in Assisi. This is the first time
that this annual event, the largest regularly held interfaith gathering in
the world, is taking place in the United States.
PRELACY LADIES GUILD MOTHERS DAY LUNCHEON
WILL TAKE PLACE MONDAY, MAY 8
The Prelacy Ladies’ Guild’s Mothers’ Day Luncheon will take place on
Monday, May 8, at The St. Regis, 2 East 55th Street, New York City. The
event, which has become an anticipated event for women in the metropolitan
area and beyond, will take place in the beautiful St. Regis Roof with
reception beginning at 11:30 am, followed by luncheon at 12:30 pm. A special
Musical Interlude, “Voices of Spring,” will provide entertainment and the
“Mother of the Year” will be announced and honored.
For more details about the luncheon click here:
NATIO NAL ASSEMBLY WILL CONVENE IN NEW JERSEY
The Eastern Prelacy’s National Representative Assembly will convene May
17 to 19, at the host church, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey.
The concluding reception and banquet will take place Friday evening, May
19, at the Fort Lee Hilton, Route 4 East, Fort Lee, New Jersey. During the
banquet program a number of individuals will be honored including “Persons
of the Year,” “Spirit of Armenia,” and “Youth Leadership” awards.
“Certificates of Merit” will be presented to deserving members of the local
host community. To make reservations for the banquet ($75. per person)
contact any of the following: Sts. Vartanantz Church, 201-943-2950; Bea
Movsesian, 201-445-6867; Sonia Setrakian, 201-313-7157; Lynn Mahlebjian,
201-440-3018.
Full details about this and other public events during the NRA will be
included in next week’s Crossroads and will also be on the Prelacy’s web
page.
PASHALIAN FUND TRUSTEES MEET
The annual meeting of the trustees of the Pashalian Family Education
Fund took place Tuesday, April 18, at the Prelacy offices in New York. The
trustees reviewed the financial reports of the Fund and then discussed the
distribution of funds for the current year. The recipients of the 2006
grants will be announced shortly.
The Pashalian Fund was created in 1992 by gifts in memory of John
Pashalian by his family and friends. The Fund supports Armenian Schools and
Prelacy educational programs.
The trustees of the Fund are: H.E. Archbishop Oshagan (exofficio), Ms.
Gloria Tarsy, Dr. George Dermksian, and Michael Derian.
REGISTER NOW FOR DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM
Early registration deadline for the St. Gregory of Datev Summer
Institute is May 1. Act now to take advantage of the early deadline
discount. The weeklong program will take place July 2 to 9 at the St. Mary
of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. This year the Institute is
marking its 20th anniversary and all kinds of commemorative events are being
planned. We will provide full details in the coming weeks.
For registration information as well as information about the Institute
click here:
THE ART OF EMMA GREGORYAN
TO BE EXHIBITED AT THE PRELACY
The works of noted artist, Emma Gregoryan, will be shown beginning on
Friday evening, May 12, at the Prelacy’s Vahakn and Hasmig Hovnanian Hall,
138 E. 39th Street, New York City. The opening reception will take place
Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m. The artist will be present to welcome guests.
Refreshments will be served.
Ms. Gregoryan’s works are currently being shown at the Susquehanna Art
Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as part of an exhibition of the Armenian
art collection of the late John Vartan.
Born in Gumri, Armenia, Emma Grigoryan graduated from the Fine Arts and
Theatrical Institute of Yerevan. Her paintings have been exhibited in
Yerevan, Paris, Beirut, New York, Washington and throughout Canada.
HILL MUSEUM PUBLICATION FEATURES
CILICIAN SEE COLLECTION
The latest issue of “Illumination,” a publication of the Hill Museum and
Manuscript Library (HMML) in Collegeville, Minnesota, features a number of
Armenian manuscripts including the collection of the Holy See of Cilicia in
Antelias, Lebanon. For the past four decades HMML has been photographing
manuscript collections in Western Europe, Ethiopia and Malta, producing the
largest microfilm collection of its kind. In recent years with the advance
in technology, photography of the manuscripts has been digital. In recent
years collections in the Middle East and elsewhere have been added to the
project of the Benedictine monks whose mission is to preserve the
manuscripts and provide scholarly access to them.
Last year they began photographing the collection at Antelias. The
magazine writes: “The manuscript collection of the Armenian Apostolic
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia was brought to Lebanon in the
early 20th century along with other precious items rescued from the former
home of the Catholicosate in Sis, Cilicia, a region of southeastern Turkey
that was the last independent Armenian kingdom until it was conquered by the
Ottomans in the late 14th century. Many Armenians remained in Cilicia until
the Armenian Genocide during World War I, when Catholicos Sahak II and many
of his people were forced to flee. The refugees carried their most precious
manuscripts and sacred objects with them to Syria and, finally, to Lebanon.”
Accompanying this is an image of the 17th century Armenian Book of the
Gospels, Letter of Eusebius to Carpian, from the Antelias collection. The
image on the cover of the magazine is from a 14th century Armenian Book of
the Gospels, frontispiece to the Gospel of Luke, from the collection of the
Armenian Catholic Clergy Institute of Bzommar, Lebanon. The Bzommar
collection is also being digitized by HMML.
THIS SUNDAY IS “GREEN SUNDAY”
This Sunday, April 30, the third Sunday of Easter is Green Sunday
(Ganach Giragee) also called World Church Sunday (Ashkharhamadoor). The name
“Green Sunday” most probably comes from an ancient folk holiday in
celebration of spring. Our forefathers, seeing mother earth bloom after long
winter months, glorified the Creator with an act of thanksgiving, and
celebrated by bedecking the Church and themselves with greenery. Green is
the color of life, freshness and promise and after a barren winter we are
filled with hope, life and love.
It is also called World Church Sunday in the sense of the church
belonging to the whole world beginning with Christ and the Apostles who met
regularly to pray and partake of the Holy Sacrament of Communion.
Perhaps it is an appropriate time for us to remember our obligation to
be good stewards of the earth and the gifts that have been given to us by
God.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 29-Presentation by comedian Vahe Berberian at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York. For details 718-224-2275.
May 5-Reunion of all students beginning from the 1930s who attended St.
Illuminator Armenian School in New York. Dinner Dance at Terrace on the
Park, Corona, NY. For reservations or information contact the St.
Illuminator’s Day School, 718-478-4073.
May 7-Mothers’ Day celebration at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York.
May 8-Mothers’ Day Luncheon by Prelacy Ladies Guild, St. Regis, New York
City.
May 12-Exhibition of the works of artist Emma Gregoryan at the Prelacy, 138
E. 39th Street, New York City.
May 13-Dinner-Dance organized by the St. Sarkis Church Ping-Pong Club. For
details 718-224-2275.
May 17-19-National Representative Assembly (NRA), hosted by Sts. Vartanantz
Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Concluding reception and banquet will take
place Friday, May 19, at the Fort Lee Hilton, Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Reception at 7 pm, followed by dinner. For information/reservations: Sts.
Vartanantz Church office, 201-943-2950.
May 16 and 17-Conference of Yeretzgeens in conjunction with the National
Representative Assembly, hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey.
May 20-Year-end Hantes for Sunday School and Saturday School, St. Sarkis
Church, Douglaston, New York. For information, 718-224-2275.
June 4-16th Anniversary Celebration of the new St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York. For information, 718-224-2275.
July 22-Ladies Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island,
and Ani Chapter of Armenian Relief Society co-host gala dance at Greek
Orthodox Annunciation Church. For information, 401-286-8107.
September 28-4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church,
Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey.
For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950.
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