Pontifical Visit Media Advisory

His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Pontifical Visit of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

630 Second Avenue New York, New York 10016

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate
Pontifical Visit
Media Relations Office

Michael O’Hurley-Pitts, Ph.D.
Director
Telephone: 212.686.0710 ext. 154
michael@armeniandiocese.org
Facsimile: 212.689.1934
Cellular: 212.533.0335

Sylvie Keshishian
Public Relations Director
Telephone: 212.686.0710 ext. 160
publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org
Facsimile: 212.689.1934

4 October 2007

His Holiness Karekin II Presents Diocesan Employee with Pontifical Medal

New York, N.Y. – His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) announced today that His
Holiness Karekin II, Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, awarded
Jacqueline Dechkounian with the prestigious St. Nerses Shnorhali award. The
ceremony took place at Diocesan Headquarters in Manhattan.

The St. Nerses Shnorhali award is one of three medals given by the
Catholicos of All Armenians. This particular award recognizes a member of
the community of the Armenian Church whose service to the Church goes above
and beyond the call of duty.

An employee of the Armenian Church for over 26 years, Jacqueline Dechkounian
has served the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) as a chef
with the love and care of a doting Mother. His Holiness Karekin II
explained, "When Jacqueline introduced herself to me as "the Diocese’s
mother", I found this extremely touching. so today we award her today as a
small gesture of our appreciation for everything Her dedication and love for
her Church, her work and her sons and daughters, her colleagues, is a rare
gift she has given us for so long."

Jacqueline Dechkounian was born in 1938 in Saida (Beirut) to Suzan Matic
(originally of Mosul) and Michael Kassab Ekmekjian (originally from Urfa).
She was born the youngest girl of 6 girls and 2 boys. Jacqueline and her
family grew up on Arakatz street in the Bourdj Hammoud district of Beirut
where she went to the Hripsimeants school until the age of 11. Jacqueline’s
father, Michael Kassab Ekmekjian, was a General in the Lebanese Army. Upon
his retirement, Mr. Ekmekjian opened a bakery in Bourdj Hammoud where
Jacqueline worked as a young woman after leaving school. Always very
religious, as a young girl Jacqueline knew she wanted to serve the Church
and even contemplated becoming a nun. She worked in her father’s bakery
until she married her husband, Hohvannes Dechkounian in 1959 at the age of
21.

Bourdj Hammoud has consistently been home to a large number of Armenians.
While Jacqueline was growing up, this lively section of Beirut was around
75% Armenian. The Armenians of Bourdj Hammoud were known for their
hard-working spirit and were all small business owners with shops selling
anything from jewelry to bread. Hovannes Dechkounian was a neighbor of the
Ekmekjian family. He fell in love with the young Jacqueline and they were
married. Hovhannes started a factory making shoe heels which became a
family business where many of the male members of the Dechkounian family
worked. Heels were produced in the factory for shoe businesses locally,
nationally and even for places as far away from Lebanon as Iraq.

Jacqueline has lived a very Armenian Christian life. Her maternal aunt,
Soeur Philippe Marie, was a nun in Iraq. A cousin of hers in Haleb was an
Archbishop. All of her sisters are alive today, and like many families of
the Diaspora, they live all over the world; one sister currently lives in
France, another in Syria and the other sisters live in the USA.
Jacqueline’s brother lives in Australia, but unfortunately her other brother
drowned at the age of 18 while he was serving in the Lebanese Army. Her
brother saved a drowning man, but himself drowned in the river. It is this
extreme sort of selflessness that seems typical of the Ekmekjian family.

The Dechkounian family moved to the US from Lebanon in 1980, like so many
Armenians because of the Lebanese Civil War. They have been living in
Astoria since they arrived. And since their arrival, Jacqueline has served
the Armenian Church. Jacqueline has been "cooking for Armenians" for the
past 22 years at the Diocese and before was cook at Armenian Aged Home in
Flushing for 3 years. While Jacqueline is known for her delicious choregs,
koftes and boreks, she is loved for her warmth and her kindness to all. She
makes a comfortable kitchen for Archbishops from around the globe just as
she does for young children and the employees of the Diocese. She is a
truly warm and loving person who makes the Diocese, and the Church, a better
place.

Just four years ago, Jaqueline lost her beloved Hovhannes. Jacqueline and
Hohvannes Dechkounian had two children together, Maral Serce (secretary at
the Diocese) and Roupen Dechkounian (a pharmacist). Jacqueline has been
blessed with three grandchildren. Maral has a daughter and son, Tamar and
Jack and Roupen has a son, Zareh. All of Digin Jacqueline’s grandchildren
speak Armenian, which is a great source of pride for her.

His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America explained, "It is a pleasure to have an employee
like Jacqueline Dechkounian. Her hard work and dedication to the Diocese
and to her Church remind us all of the selflessness taught by the life of
Christ. Jaqueline Dechkounian is a very deserved recipient of the St.
Nerses Shnorhali award and I am grateful that she is a part of our Church."

For more information on the Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II,
including supplemental media advisories and background papers, please visit:

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