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
August 30, 2007
PRELATE ASKS FOR PRAYERS, DONATIONS
FOR VICTIMS OF FIRES IN GREECE
Archbishop Oshagan has directed all of the parishes within the Eastern
Prelacy to offer prayers for the victims of the fires that have been
ravaging parts of Greece. His Eminence asked that on the next two Sundays,
September 2 and 9, special plate offering be made to aid the victims of the
disastrous fires. More than 60 people have died in the fires, scores are
hospitalized with serious injuries, and thousands of families are homeless.
Donations may also be made directly to the Armenian Prelacy and mailed to
138 E. 39th Street, New York, NY 10016. Please indicate "Greek Relief" in
the memo area of your check.
DIVINE LITURGY DURING OLYMPICS WEEKEND
The 74th annual Olympics of the Armenian Youth Federation is taking
place this weekend in New Jersey with the host Arsen chapter overseeing the
plans for this popular event. This Sunday, September 2, Badarak will be
celebrated at 10 a.m. in the Derby Room at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East
Rutherford, New Jersey, the headquarters of the Olympics. The Prelate,
Archbishop Oshagan, will preside and the Vicar, Bishop Anoushavan, will
officiate. All are invited to attend. Choir members are encouraged to join
the ad hoc choir. Please note that regular Sunday services will also take
place at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey.
At noon time Archbishop Oshagan will deliver the opening prayer at the
official Olympic Opening Ceremonies at the track and field events, which
will take place at Overpeck Park, Palisades Park, New Jersey.
For information about the weekend events and directions go to
PRELATE AND VICAR WILL ATTEND BANQUET
FOR LEBANESE CONSUL GENERAL
Tomorrow evening, August 31, Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan
will attend a banquet honoring the Consul General of Lebanon, Antoine Azzam,
in New York City.
PRELATE AND VICAR WILL VISIT POPE SHENOUDA
On Saturday, September 1, Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan will
visit His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, at the headquarters of the Coptic
Orthodox Church in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS
A conference for Sunday school teachers will take place October 26-28 at
the Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard, a Coptic Orthodox Retreat Center in
Charlton, Massachusetts. The theme of the conference is "Prayer-Personal and
Communal," and will feature presentations by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian,
Rev. Fr. Paul Tarazi, Ph.D., Dn. Shant Kazanjian, and Dr. Mary Olson. A
modest fee of $60 covers all expenses including lodging for two nights, five
meals and refreshments.
BIBLE STUDY AT THE PRELACY
A new five-part series of Bible studies will take place at the Prelacy
beginning on October 16 and continuing on the first and third Tuesday of the
month, from 7:15 to 8:45 pm. Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of the Armenian
Religious Education Council (AREC) will conduct the Bible studies. For
information and registration, send email to [email protected] or
telephone 212-689-7810.
IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
To read the message of His Holiness in Armenian click
.
To read the message of His Holiness in English click
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
designated 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language. In celebration of this
year-long tribute, each week we will offer an interesting tidbit about the
Armenian language and literature:
Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet, is buried in the
village of Oshakan in the Aragatsotn region of Armenia. His tomb is under
the high altar of the St. Mesrop Mashtots Church of Oshakan. Built
originally in 443, the church was rebuilt in the mid 1600s, and in 1875
Catholicos Gevorg IV built a totally new church structure. The church is a
popular field trip destination for school children in Armenia. During the
pontificate of Catholicos Karekin I, of blessed memory, a conference center
was built to attract scholars and writers.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, August 30, are: Proverbs 20:6-22; Job
42:12-16; Lamentations 3:22-56; Acts 13:25-33; James 5:7-11; Matthew
14:1-12.
And as John was finishing his work, he said, "What do you suppose that I
am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie
the thong of the sandals on his feet." My brothers, you descendants of
Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this
salvation has been sent. Because the residents of Jerusalem and their
leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that
are read every Sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him. Even
though they found no cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to
have him killed. When they had carried out everything that was written about
him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised
him from the dead; and for many days he appeared to those who came up with
him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people.
And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors he
has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus; as also it is
written in the second psalm, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you."
(Acts 13:25-33)
For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click
.
ST. JOHN THE FORERUNNER AND JOB THE RIGHTEOUS
Today, August 30, the Armenian Church remembers St. John the Forerunner
and Job the Righteous. St. John the Forerunner, also known as John the
Baptist (Hovhaness Mkrtich) , is an important figure in the four New
Testament Gospels. He is understood to be the "forerunner" (Karapet) to the
Messiah. He lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea. At the age of 30 he
began to preach against the evils of the times and called for penance and
baptism "for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand."
The Book of Job is one of the five books, along with Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, classified as the "poetical" books of the
Bible. Many theologians and writers consider it to be one of the most
remarkable books in the Bible. The principle of the Book is the mystery of
suffering. Job is a good and righteous person who experiences and endures
catastrophe after catastrophe. The phrase "the patience of Job" has entered
the English lexicon as a popular cliché. Biblical scholars agree that rather
than "patience" a more accurate translation would be "persistence" or
"endurance." Ultimately Job is rewarded because "the Lord blessed the latter
days of Job more than his beginning," and "After this Job lived one hundred
and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four
generations. And Job died, old and full of days." (Job, Chapter 42).
THE 318 FATHERS OF THE HOLY COUNCIL OF NICAEA
This Saturday, September 1, the Armenian Church celebrates the First
Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in Asia Minor in the year 325 and the 318
Church Fathers who attended. The Council was called by Emperor Constantine.
The Armenian Church participated in this Council and contributed toward the
victory of Orthodoxy. Aristakes, son of Gregory the Illuminator, represented
the Armenian Church. The Council is mentioned in the writings of Moses of
Khoren and Agathangelos. In later centuries and in all their doctrinal
writings, the Fathers of the Armenian Church referred to the Council of
Nicaea with veneration and the Nicene Creed (Havatamk) was incorporated into
the Armenian Liturgy. The Council condemned Arianism (which denied the full
divinity of Christ) and proclaimed that the orthodox position is the belief
in "one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of God the Father,
Only-Begotten, of the substance of the Father. God from God, Light from
Light, true God from true God, begotten and not made." (from the Nicene
Creed).
MONDAY IS LABOR DAY
This Monday, September 3, is Labor Day, celebrated in the United States
and Canada. Always the first Monday in September, Labor Day was created by
the labor movement more than a century ago. It is dedicated to the social
and economic achievements of workers. Through the y ears it has become known
as the unofficial end of summer, just as Memorial Day has become the
unofficial start of summer.
Labor Day also means that schools will be reopening soon beginning a new
school year. We remind you that many of our Sunday and Saturday schools will
be having their registrations. Check with your local parish for the exact
date.
AND, we always remember the birthday of William Saroyan. Tomorrow, August
31, would have been the 99th birthday of the great Armenian American writer.
When he learned that he had cancer he refused any treatment. In one of his
final pieces of writing he wrote: "I know that everyone has to die, but I
thought God would make an exception for me."
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September 9-Annual picnic of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley at
American Legion Grounds in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
September 9-St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut, annual picnic at
Quartette Club grounds, New Britain.
September 9-St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th Street, Douglaston, New York.
Annual picnic on the church grounds following church services. For
information 718-224-2275.
September 15-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, "The Moon*The
Stars*and All that Jazz." An evening of music and mezze under the stars,
presented by the Ladies Guild. For information 845-735-8713 or 201-445-6867.
September 25-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, 4th annual golf outing at Juniper Hill Golf Course,
Northboro, Massachusetts. Registration at 8 am. Tee off at 9 am. $125
includes golf cart, dinner and prizes. For information 508-852-2414.
September 27-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, 5th Annual Golf
Outing at River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. Registration
begins at 11 a.m. and tee time at 1 p.m. For information, 201-943-2950.
September 29-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th
anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley. For information
or 508-234-3677.
October 7-St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut, 82nd Anniversary
banquet, Marriott Hotel, Rocky Hill, Connecticut.
October 7-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, "Hello Ellis
Island," the latest production of The Way We Were Troupe, hosted by the
Ladies Guild, 1 pm. Lunch served. For information 201-943-2950.
October 16 to December 18-"From Jesus’ meals with sinners to the Lord’s
Supper," a five part Bible study at the Armenian Prelacy will begin on
October 16 and continue on the first and third Tuesday of the month, from
7:15 to 8:45 pm. Conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of the Armenian
Religious Education Council (AREC). For information and registration, please
send e-mail to [email protected] or call 212-689-4481.
October 18, 19, 20, 21-Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, Annual Food
Festival and Bazaar.
October 21-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, celebrating the
20th anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Fr. Nerses Manoogian, under the
auspices of the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan. For information
or 215-482-9200.
October 26-28-National Conference for Christian Educators, a conference for
Sunday School teachers at the Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard, a Coptic
Orthodox Retreat Center, in Charlton, Massachusetts. Theme: "Prayer-Personal
and Communal." Presentations by Rev. Fr. Paul Tarazi, Bishop Anoushavan
Tanielian, Dn. Shant Kazanjian, and Dr. Mary Olson.
November 11-37th anniversary of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley and
ordination of Nishan Dagley to the office of acolyte and stole bearer.
Presided over by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General of the
Prelacy.
November 10-11-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, annual
"Armenian Fest," at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island. For
information 401-831-6399.
November 17-Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, 43rd Anniversary
Banquet.
December 1-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church bazaar. For information or 508-234-3677.
December 9-St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary
celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.
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