Journal Times, WI
Oct 20 2007
Armenian "pope" to visit Racine on Tuesday
By Marci Laehr Tenuta
The Journal Times
Friday, October 19, 2007 2:22 PM CDT
For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Armenian people of
Wisconsin will get a chance to meet with the spiritual leader of
their worldwide church here.
The visit next week by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of all Armenians is even more significant for local
Armenians, as he will be leading a service at St. Mesrob Armenian
Apostolic Church Tuesday evening.
`This is quite a big deal,’ said Rev. Yeprem Kelegian, pastor of St.
Mesrob. `This is like our pope.’
Kelegian was a young teen in West Allis the last time the Supreme
Patriarch of the church, the late Catholicos Vazken I, visited the
area.
`I was a boy, but I remember is vividly,’ he said. `I was 13 or 14
years old. As I look back, I think this was really awesome. He came
here, to this little town.’
The special service with Catholicos Karekin II will be held at 7 p.m.
Tuesday at St. Mesrob, 4605 Erie. St. The public is invited to
attend. Following the service, people will have a chance to greet the
pontiff.
The Supreme Patriarch’s stop in Racine and Milwaukee is part of a
pastoral visit to the United States that began in New York Oct. 3 and
will end in Detroit on Nov. 1. During his time here, the Supreme
Patriarch will visit more than a dozen large U.S. cities and meet
with many religious leaders.
While in Wisconsin, he will meet with church leaders such as
Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Bishop Richard Sklba, Bishop Steven A.
Miller of the Episcopal Church, and Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers of the
Lutheran Church.
The theme of the pontifical visit is Bringing Faith Home.
>From The Journal Times Faith and Community section, to be published
Saturday:
He will be greeted with flowers, bread and salt, the traditional
greeting for a patriarch.
It’s not the normal reception for someone flying into Milwaukee, but
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all
Armenians, is no ordinary visitor.
He is leader of all Armenian churches worldwide.
Spiritual experience
The pontifical visit to the United States, in particular for
Armenians here, is a significant and spiritual event.
`For the people this means quite a bit,’ said the Rev. Yeprem
Kelegian, pastor of St. Mesrob Armenian Church, who described
Catholicos Karekin II as their pope. `He’s really the embodiment of
so much Armenian history. His coming here gives us a sense of
connection with the entire church and Armenia.’
Karekin will be part of a special service at St. Mesrob, 4605 Erie
St., on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Following
the service, people will have a chance to greet the pontiff.
Kelegian expects it to be an uplifting and crowded event.
`He’s coming to talk about prayer and living a Christian life,’ he
said. `It means a lot on all levels, personally, nationally and
spiritually, especially.’
St. Mesrob’s sanctuary holds 300 people. Kelegian said they plan to
hook up a live video feed to the hallway for the service, because he
expects it to be standing room only.
`We’re going to be shoulder to shoulder,’ he said.
A pastoral journey
The supreme patriarch’s stop in Racine is part of a pastoral visit to
the United States that began in New York Oct. 3 and will end in
Detroit on Nov. 1. The theme of this pastoral journey is `Bringing
Faith Home.’
Karekin will visit many major U.S. cities during his time here, but
will also stop at some smaller communities. Many of the smaller
parishes in the American Diocese have never experienced a pontifical
visit before.
Kelegian, who has been in the supreme patriarch’s presence before in
other parts of the world, said it will be a new experience to have
him at St. Mesrob.
`Racine is quite off the beaten path,’ Kelegian said. `I’ve been all
over the world around him. It’s exciting. It’s exhilarating. But I
most excited because I know when he comes into the church, how
exciting it will be for the people. It will be in their own church.
It’s different.’
Spiritual leader and humanitarian
Karekin was born Ktrij Nersissian in 1951 in the village of Voskehat
in Armenia. He entered the seminary in 1956 and graduated with honors
in 1971. He was ordained a celibate priest in 1972 and given the
priestly name Karekin. When deacons are ordained to the priesthood in
the Armenian Church, they receive a saint’s name or other holy name
from their bishop.
He was appointed head of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese in 1983,
consecrated bishop that same year and elevated to the rank of
archbishop nine years later.
Archbishop Karekin became a prominent figure in Armenia’s religious,
social and cultural life. He launched charitable missions that helped
his parishioners as they struggled in the aftermath of Soviet rule.
In June of 1999, following the death of Catholicos Karekin I, Karekin
was elected as his successor. In November of that year he was
consecrated and took the name His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
Since his election, the Armenian Church has experienced a spiritual
renaissance. Prior to the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia had only
13 operating churches and 26 priests. Today active parishes number
more than 250, with an equal number of priests.
In the past 20 years that church has also opened orphanages, created
a system of soup kitchens, established hospitals and created cultural
centers for youth.
A gift for Armenia
One of the pontiff’s charitable efforts is the Karekin II Work
Project in Armenia. Working with Habitat for Humanity International,
the project has built many homes for the poor and disadvantaged.
Karekin himself has planted trees, painted walls, and hammered nails
to help create the housing.
With almost 400 other people, he built 37 homes in Armenia, each
representing one Armenian Diocese throughout the world. The project
also led to the renovation of an apartment building, and several
other new homes across the nation.
It’s an effort St. Mesrob members have also been involved in for
several years. Members of the congregation have gone to Armenia to
help build homes through Habitat for Humanity International.
Because of this, the gift of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America to the supreme patriarch is going to be a donation to fund
about 100 new homes through Habitat for Humanity.
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