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 28, 2006
NEW OFFICE OF ST. NERSES THE GREAT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
IS DEDICATED TO ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN
On the evening of September 19, under the auspices of the Prelate
Archbishop Oshagan, the new Yerevan office of the Prelacy’s St. Nerses the
Great Charitable and Social Organization was officially inaugurated and
dedicated. The new building will henceforth be known as "The Archbishop
Mesrob Ashjian Center." The office was named in honor of the late Archbishop
Mesrob, who as Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, first organized the St.
Nerses organization and its program of social work in Armenia and Artsakh.
Archbishop Oshagan and a number of invited dignitaries attended the
dedication and the reception that followed. To see photos of this event
click
EPISC OPAL CONSECRATION OF BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN
WILL BE CELEBRATED THIS SUNDAY
A large number of the faithful have responded and will be attending the
celebration this Sunday, in honor of the recent Episcopal consecration of
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian. The community-wide banquet, under the auspices
of Archbishop Oshagan, will take place this Sunday, October 1 at 3 pm at the
Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, New York. In the morning, Bishop
Anoushavan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York, a parish he served for more than a decade. Bishop
Anoushavan’s elevation and consecration took place on June 4, in ceremonies
officiated by Catholicos Aram I in the Cathedral of St. Gregory the
Illuminator in Antelias, Lebanon.
SENIOR CITIZENS OF ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL
WILL RESUME MEETING ON OCTOBER 3
The Senior Citizens of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral of New York will
resume their weekly get-togethers this Tuesday, October 3, and every Tuesday
thereafter from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 pm in John Pashalian Hall. Seniors enjoy
an afternoon of fellowship, music, bingo, movies, and lunch. For information
212-689-5880.
NEW SERIES OF BIBLE STUDY AT PRELACY
An eight-session course on the "Letter to the Hebrews" will start this
Monday, October 2, at the Prelacy from 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, and will continue
on the first and third Mondays of the month. Sponsored by the Armenian
Religious Education Council (AREC), the course will be conducted by Dn.
Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC.
The Letter to the Hebrews is a profound homily, a "word of exhortation"
(Hebrews 13:22). One of the main themes of the Letter is that the old
covenant has been superseded through the sacrificial death of Christ. And
for that reason, studying the Letter to the Hebrews gives a solid biblical
understanding of the "Soorp Badarak" (Holy Sacrifice) that we celebrate on
Sundays.
For registration and information, please call 212-689-7810 or e-mail at
arec@armenianprelacy.org.
CHILDREN’S CONCERT ON NOVEMBER 18
WILL CELEBRATE THE "COLORS OF FALL"
With the extraordinary success of the Prelacy’s Children’s Concert two
years ago, another concert for children will take place on Saturday
afternoon, November 18, at Florence Gould Hall, at the Alliance Francaise in
New York City, featuring the talented and popular TALINE AND FRIENDS, from
California.
The theme of the concert will be "Fall Colors" (Ashnan Kouyner). Tickets
are $20 each and can be purchased by contacting the Prelacy office,
212-689-7810, Ext. 26.
MIDWEST DATEV PROGRAM NOVEMBER 10-12
The popular summer Datev program goes on the road again with a weekend
program scheduled in the Midwest, November 10 to 12, at the Colombiere
Retreat and Conference Center, Clarkston, Michigan.
The program will include interactive presentations and instructions on
faith-related topics, discussions of religious and current issues, Bible
studies, short worship services, fellowship and recreational activities.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Deacon Shant Kazanjian will be the
instructors and facilitators.
For information and registration click
"UNITED NATIONS MUST RECAPTURE ITS ESSENTIAL MISSION,"
SAYS CATHOLICOS ARAM I
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
welcomed the removal of the air and sea blockade of Lebanon that had been
imposed by Israel. He praised the efforts of the Secretary General of the
UN, and said that in the past the unilateral decisions of some states were
directed towards discrediting the role of the United Nations as a model for
governance expressed by the general will. "The removal of the blockade
responds to the will of the Lebanese people to rebuild their economy not
only through aid, but primarily through their own entrepreneurship." His
Holiness went on to say that "it also shows the commitment of many sovereign
states to the democratic values that place the will of the people at the
center of any viable strategy for peace. His Holiness described the UN as a
"concrete model of multilateralism" and he stressed the need of
strengthening the UN by making it more active, effective and credible."
V. REV. FR. SHAHE PANOSSIAN BEGINS SERVICE AS DEAN OF SEMINARY
V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian, who was recently appointed to serve as the
Dean of the Cilician See’s Armenian Theological Seminary, has begun his
tenure leadership of the Seminary. Hayr Shahe has previously served as
director of the Birds Nest Orphanage, as well as in the dioceses of Greece,
the United States and Canada. Most recently he was the pastor of Sts.
Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey.
PRESIDENT CHIRAC OF FRANCE WILL VISIT ARMENIA
Jacques Chirac, President of France, will pay an official visit to
Armenia starting tomorrow through Sunday, October 1. President Chirac is the
first leader of a major western power to officially visit Armenia since
independence. Accompanying him will be the international-acclaimed French
Armenian entertainer Charles Aznavour, fresh from a triumphant two-day
concert engagement in New York’s Radio City Music Hall. The visit will
inaugurate France’s "Year of Armenia."
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 30) we remember St. George the Commander.
Although we do not have extant information about him, St. George 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
Armenians 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 of 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.
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) in
Yerevan to Moughni for a special service. The entire Moughni complex stands
today in tribute of our ancestors and as a living testimony to the
dedication and patronage of the Archbishop Mesrob.
On Sunday, October 1, the church observes the Holy Cross of Varag, 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. He is also the
author of the beautiful hymn, "By the Sign of Your All Powerful Holy Cross,"
(Nshanav Amenahaght Khatchivt)
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 very popular
destination for pilgrims. In recent years some fortunate people have been
able to make this pilgrimage during visits to the area. It is a moving
experience regardless of the fact (or perhaps because of it) that the once
thriving monastery today is in ruins. A small stone retrieved from the
rubble sits on our desk as a constant reminder of the faith of our
ancestors.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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.
October 1-Banquet honoring Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian on the occasion of
his recent elevation, at Terrace on the Park, Flushing Meadows, New York, 3
pm.
October 2-New eight-session Bible study on the "Letter to the Hebrews"
begins at the Prelacy, 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, first and third Mondays of the
month, sponsored by AREC. Conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian. For information:
212-689-7810.
October 8-81st anniversary celebration of St. Stephen Church, New Britain,
Connecticut.
October 19-22-Annual bazaar, Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland.
October 22-Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration.
November 3-4-51st Annual Bazaar of St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, with special program for children on Saturday afternoon. For
information 617-924-7562.
November 3-4- Ladies Guild Food Festival, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
November 3, 4, 5-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual
Bazaar and Food Festival. For information 201-943-2950.
November 5-Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
November 5-36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian
Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts.
November 10-12-Mini Datev program for teens, ages 13 to 18. At Colombiere
Retreat Conference Center in Clarkston, Michigan.
November 11-42nd Anniversary of Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, in
the church hall.
November 11-12-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual "Armenian Fest" at
Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.
November 17 & 18-Annual Bazaar, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts.
November 18-Children’s Concert, "FALL COLORS", sponsored by the Eastern
Prelacy at Florence Gould Hall, Alliance Francaise, New York City, featuring
TALINE AND FRIENDS. Details will follow.
November 26-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
First Episcopal Badarak in Philadelphia by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian.
December 9-Men’s Club Steak Dinner, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
December 24-Sunday School Christmas Pageant, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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