Lraper.org
31/12/2006
THE PATRIARCH ENTERS THE NEW YEAR WITH PRAYER

The Patriarch at prayer in the Patriarchal Church

His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
spent New Year’s Eve with members of the Mutafyan, Malhasyan, Karagoz, and
Yanar families. After a meal they all shared together in the dining room of
the Patriarchate, His Beatitude the Patriarch entered the Holy Mother of God
Patriarchal Church at 23:45. Ten minutes later, His Beatitude the Patriarch
began according to custom to sing the traditional hymn, "Park i partsunis
Adsudzo" (Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all of good
will). According to the Gospel, this hymn was first sung by the angels in
the skies around Bethlehem (Luke2:14). As the hymn was sounding, the bells
of the Patriarchal Church rang out with joy at exactly 24:00 to announce the
New Year.

After the hymn His Beatitude the Patriarch offered prayers in turn for the
members of the congregation, benefactors, those who died in 2006, the ill,
the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin, the Catholicosate of Cilicia, the
Jerusalem Patriarchate, the Istanbul Patriarchate, the spiritual leaders of
the Armenian Church, and the monastic brotherhoods.

His Beatitude the Patriarch then turned to the congregation, which filled
the church, and blessed the pomegranates, which are a symbol of prosperity
among Armenians. The short service in the Patriarchal Church concluded with
the Lord’s Prayer and Benediction. His Beatitude the Patriarch greeted the
congregation one by one and wished them a healthy and successful New Year.

The Patriarch with the 2006 Yerid leaders

At 00:45 His Beatitude the Patriarch went to the Sepetciler Kasri (now the
Hammam) and caught the New Year youth party organized by the administrators
of the YERID Youth Group of the Patriarchal See. He returned to Kumkapi
after celebrating the youth’s New Year.
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From: Baghdasarian