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
JANUARY 17, 2008
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH OF HRANT DINK
The Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, has instructed all parishes within the
Eastern Prelacy to offer Requiem Services this Sunday, January 20, on the
occasion of the first anniversary of the death of Hrant Dink. The noted
Turkish Armenian journalist was assassinated as he left the offices of his
newspaper, Agos, in Istanbul on January 19, 2007.
YEAR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
designated the year 2008 as the "Year of Christian Education." In his
message the Catholicos describes Christian education as a "priority within
the scope of the Armenian Church’s mission of faith." His message expounds
on five major points: What do we understand by Christian education?;
Christian education is the heart of the life and mission of the church;
Christian education is a compelling necessity for the Armenian Church; How
is Christian education to be accomplished?; and Reprogramming of Christian
education.
VICAR LECTURES IN MONTREAL
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General of the Eastern Prelacy,
presented a lecture about the "Year of Christian Education" and the
Catholicos’s message at St. Hagop Cathedral in Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday,
January 15.
BLESSING OF MURON
The Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia announced that His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I will consecrate the Holy Muron (Holy Oil) on June 7, 2008.
The Holy Muron, symbol of the grace of the Holy Spirit, is traditionally
blessed every seven years. Only the Catholicos can consecrate the oil which
is then distributed to the various dioceses for distribution to the
parishes. The oil consists of 48 different herbs, flowers, and oils which
are combined in a special vessel and mixed with some of the old Muron, thus
creating an unbroken chain with the past. The preparation of the Holy Muron
is a long process and each stage is accompanied with special prayers. Prior
to its blessing, the Muron remains for forty days on the altar of the
Cathedral. The Muron Blessing is expected to attract a large number of
pilgrims from various parts of the world.
During this same period the World General Assembly of the Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia will convene in Antelias beginning on June 3
through to June 5.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING
An international gathering of youth is being organized by the Holy See
of Cilicia. His Holiness Aram I is inviting the youth, 18 years and older,
to attend this gathering which will include a one-week pilgrimage to Der
Zor. Details will follow.
CONFERENCE ON CILICIA ARMENIA
The international conference on "The Culture of Cilician Armenia," which
began on Monday, will conclude today. The conference is jointly organized by
the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Mashdots Library in Yerevan.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, delivered
the keynote address. He presented a general analysis of Armenian Cilicia and
its value in the life of Armenians. Viewing Cilicia from the lens of the
inter-faith, international and multi-cultural status, His Holiness said,
"The Cilician period was enriching for the life and history of our nation in
every aspect. It was the first organized Diaspora of our nation. It was in
Cilicia that Christianity met Islam and vice versa. The culture that was
born in Cilician Armenia could in reality be called Cilician culture with
its uniqueness. It is particularly characterized with a history of wide
exposure to the outside world. The new environment would become cause for
the reform of our culture. Accepting the other without however losing its
identity is what made Cilicia a unique place for our people. Interfaith life
was also enriching and while remaining true to its theology and creed, our
church engaged in dialogue during the Cilician period, opening new horizons
for itself."
REQUIEM SERVICE FOR CATHOLICOS KAREKIN I HOVSEPIANTS
In conjunction with the above mentioned conference in Antelias, a
requiem service took place on January 14 in memory of one of the best known
spiritual leaders of the Cilician See-the great Armenologist, historian and
philosopher, Catholicos Karekin I Hovsepiants. His Holiness Aram I presided
over the service which took place near the Zarehian Mausoleum in Antelias.
Standing near the tomb of Karekin I, Catholicos Aram said, "I am confident
that the soul of Catholicos Hovsepiants is extremely happy at this moment,
when he looks down from his heavenly retreat to this conference taking place
in the new Cilicia he cultivated both spiritually and culturally. As Karekin
I Hovsepiants often said, ‘We lost the material Cilicia, let us build the
new spiritual Cilicia.’ That new Cilicia was the cultural and spiritual
rising in the life of our people through our Holy See."
NO BIBLE READINGS TODAY
Today is the final day of the four-day period when there are no Bible
readings in the Armenian liturgical calendar. The four days this year were
January 14, 15, 16 and 17. These days coincide with the Fast of the
Catechumens, which began on Monday. This is traditionally a time for
reflection and repentance, and a time for the clergy and laity to witness
their faith to the unbaptized. The Fast (dzom, which means total abstinence)
leads to the Armenian Church’s remembrance of the Prophet Jonah. Jonah’s
"entombment" in the belly of the whale represents the three day burial of
Jesus and Jonah’s release represents the resurrection of our Lord.
THE PROPHET JONAH
This Friday, January 18, the Armenian Church commemorates the Prophet
Jonah, one of the so-called twelve Minor Prophets. These prophets are not
less important that those we call Major Prophets, but their books are
shorter. All of the Minor Prophets were servants of God who proclaimed His
will to people in need of repentance.
The story of Jonah and the Whale is one of the better known stories in
the Old Testament. The remembrance of Jonah comes on the fifth day of the
Fast of the Catechumens. Just as the Ninevites fasted and repented from
their wicked ways, so too do the people of God during this preliminary fast
before Great Lent, repent and reconcile themselves to God and one another.
BIRTH OF ST. JOHN THE FORERUNNER
This Saturday, January 19, the Armenian Church commemorates St. John the
Forerunner (also known as St. John the Baptist). John is an important figure
in the New Testament and is mentioned prominently in all four Gospels, which
indicate that he had an effective ministry baptizing those who repented of
their sins and announced the coming of one greater than himself who is to
come baptizing not with water but with the Spirit (Matthew 3:11-12; Mark
1:7-8; Luke 3:16-17; John 1:26-27). According to the Gospel of Luke, John
was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth and was related to Jesus.
ST. SARKIS THE WARRIOR
This Monday, January 21, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Sarkis the
Warrior and his son Mardiros. It is a moveable feast that can occur between
January 11 and February 15. It follows the five-day Fast of the Catechumens.
Although the Fast is not connected to St. Sarkis, it has come to be
associated with this saint who enjoys a special popularity amongst the
Armenians. Sarkis lived during the fourth century and was from Cappadocia in
Asia Minor. He rose through the military ranks as a consequence of his
valiant campaign on behalf of the Emperor Constantine. With the accession of
Emperor Julian, Sarkis took refuge in Armenia with his son. Later they went
to Persia to join the Persian army in fighting Julian. Both fought with
exceptional bravery. The Persian leader (Shapur II) tried to convince them
to abandon their Christian faith and embrace Zoroastrianism. Both refused,
and father and won were martyred. Loyal Christian soldiers who went to claim
the bodies were also killed. Eventually, Christians secured the remains and
sent them to Assyria, where they remained until the fifth century, when
Mesrob Mashdots had them moved to the city of Garpi in Armenia. The famed
Garpi Monastery, erected over the site of the grave, stands to this day.
ST. ADOM AND ST. SOUKIAS
On Monday and Tuesday respectively the Armenian Church remembers Sts.
Adom and Generals and Sts. Soukias and Martyrs. Two armies of Armenian
soldiers were led by Adom Knooni and Manajihr Rshdooni in the fifth century
before the Battle of Avarayr. There were ordered by their Persian commanders
to leave Armenia and proceed to one of the most distant outposts of the
empire for the purpose of keeping the Armenian soldiers far away from
Armenia and thus prevent them from defending the Armenians. The commanders
recognized the Persian plot and returned to Armenia with their armies. They
were pursued, captured and martyred by the Persian forces.
The Holy Sookiasians were members of the Royal Court who were converted
and baptized by the Voskyan priests. They lived in isolation at Mount
Sougaved. When they refused to return to court and worship the pagan gods,
they were martyred.
MONDAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
This Monday, January 21, is a federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther
King, Jr. Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929. He attended public schools
in Georgia and graduated from high school at age 15. He received the B.A.
degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta. After three years of theological
study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, he received the B.D.
degree and continued graduate studies at Boston University where he
successfully completed his doctoral studies in 1955. Two years later he was
elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an
organization formed to provide new leadership for the civil rights movement.
King took the ideals of this organization from Christianity and its
operational techniques from Gandhi. From 1957 to 1968 he traveled more than
six million miles and delivered more than 2,500 speeches, appearing wherever
there was injustice. In 1964, at age 35, he received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Four years later, on April 4, 1968, he was assassinated in Memphis,
Tennessee.
Eighteen days after Dr. King’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech (August
28, 1963), four little black girls, attending Sunday school at the Sixteenth
Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, were killed by a bomb set by
the Ku Klux Klan. Dr. King delivered the eulogy in which he asked his
followers not to succumb to hatred and not be come "bitter, or harbor the
desire to retaliate with violence." He offered these words of consolation to
the families of the four murdered girls: "I hope you can find some
consolation from Christianity’s affirmation that death is not the end. Death
is not a period that ends the great sentence of life, but a comma that
punctuates it to more lofty significance. Death is not a blind alley that
leads the human race into a state of nothingness, but an open door which
leads man into life eternal. Let this daring faith, this great invincible
surmise, be your sustaining power during these trying days."
THIS WEEK AT THE BOOKSTORE.
David of Sassoon: Armenian Folk Epic, translated into English by Zaven
Nalbandian, illustrated by Mihran Sosoyan, with introductory and
biographical information by Chake Der-Melkonian Minassian and Khachig
Tololyan. This hardcover book was published in 2002. It is an English
translation of the Armenian epic poem of David of Sassoon (Sassountzi Tavit)
that has been told by more than forty generations. It consists of four
cycles with more than 11,000 verses depicting the life, the adventures of
four generations of heroes-Sanasar, Mher (the Lion), David, and Younger
Mher. Each of them symbolizes legendary or national historical figures.
Since the 9th century it has been transmitted by oral tradition by minstrels
and bards. $30, plus shipping and handling.
Forgotten Bread: First Generation Armenian American Writers, Edited by David
Kherdian. We mentioned this new book several weeks ago. Since then the
Bookstore has received a new supply and we have had the time to examine it
more closely. It is a wonderful anthology of the writers of the first
generation of Armenian Americans, each of whom is presented in an
introductory biographical essay written by a second generation Armenian
American writer. This is then followed by selected examples of the writings
of the featured first generation writers. Taken as a whole this book gives a
sweeping look at the men and women whose works inspired the succeeding
generations. $29.95, plus shipping and handling.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THESE AND OTHER ITEMS AT THE BOOKSTORE VISIT THE
PRELACY’S WEB SITE () OR CONTACT THE BOOKSTORE BY
EMAIL, [email protected] OR BY TELEPHONE, 212-689-7810.
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
January 18 to 25 is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It has been
observed annually since 1908, thus this year is the Centenary of the
commemoration. Although beginning on a small scale, today Christians around
the world celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity together with the
encouragement of the World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Commission
and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)
Calendar of Events
January 27-Seminar for Sunday School teachers and staff of St. Sarkis
Armenian Church, Dearborn, Michigan, by Deacon Shant Kazanjian, director of
the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). Theme: Prayer-Personal and
Communal.
February 3-Seminar for Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church (Ridgefield, New
Jersey) Sunday School teachers and staff, conducted by Deacon Shant
Kazanjian, director of the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC).
Theme: Understanding the sacraments of Christian initiation according to the
tradition of the Armenian Orthodox Church: Baptism-Chrismation-Eucharist.
February 10-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, Annual Membership Meeting. Snow date: February 24.
February 10-Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church, Bethesda, Maryland,
Annual Membership Meeting at 1 p.m. following church services. Snow date:
February 17.
February 16 and 17-Ordination of Deacon Nishan Baljian to the Holy Order of
the Priesthood, by Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, at St. Stephen’s Armenian
Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. The Service of Calling to the Priesthood
will take place Saturday evening, February 16, at 6 pm. The ordination and
anointment will take place Sunday, February 17, during the Divine Liturgy
beginning at 10 a.m. Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian will serve as Dn. Nishan’s
Religious Sponsor and Col. George Rustigian will serve as his Godfather. For
more information contact the church office, 617-924-7562 or Josh Tevekelian
at 617-926-9169.
February 24-Annual Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church (North Andover,
Massachusetts).
March 2-Musical Armenia, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City,
featuring Aleksandr Nazaryan, violist, and Karen Tchougourian, pianist.
May 8-10-National Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy, hosted by
St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts.
June 3-5-World General Assembly of the Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia will convene in Antelias, Lebanon.
June 7-Blessing of Holy Muron in Antelias, Lebanon. Details will follow.
June 27 to July 6-St. Gregory of Datev Institute, Summer Christian Studies
Program for youth ages 13-18 at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson,
Pennsylvania, organized by the Armenian Religious Education Council. For
more information click here.
July 19-"A Hye Summer Night 3," dance hosted by Ladies’ Guild of Sts.
Vartanantz Church and ARS Ani Chapter, Providence, Rhode Island. For details
401-434-4467.
August 15-17-International Gathering of Youth and Pilgrimage to Der Zor,
organized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Details will follow.
October 25-Gala celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America under the jurisdiction of the Great
House of Cilicia and the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the
Armenian Church of America. Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New Jersey.
Details to follow.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web site.
To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox, add
[email protected] to your address book.
Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please credit
Crossroads as the source.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their
major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected]