The Armenian Church eNewsletter
April 17, 2008
Diocese of the
Armenian Church
of America (Eastern)
630 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10016
Contact Us <mailto:publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org>
Diocesan News
PRIMATES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIOCESES MEET IN CANADA
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, Archbishop
Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, Bishop Bagrat Galstanian,
Primate of the Canadian Diocese, and clergy representing the three dioceses
met in Montreal, Canada on April 14 to 16 to discuss the future of the
Church. Participants spoke about present-day challenges facing clergy on a
pastoral level and focused on how to best meet the needs of parishes in
today’s world.
In addition to the Primate, Diocesan Vicar Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian,
Very Rev. Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian and Rev. Fr.
Untzag Nalbandian represented the Eastern Diocese at the conference. Similar
meetings are planned in the future to bring together clergy of the North
American dioceses for further discussion.
Clergy of the Eastern, Western and Canadian dioceses gathered in Canada for
a series of presentations and discussions on adapting 1,700 years of
tradition to meet the needs of today’s society.
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ST. SAHAG CHURCH OF MINNESOTA CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF CONSECRATION
St. Sahag Church of St. Paul, Minn., marked the fifth anniversary of
consecration on Sunday, April 13. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), celebrated the Divine Liturgy and
presided at a banquet featuring musical performances by students of the St.
Sahag School of Music. The Primate also ordained seminarian Ben
Rith-Najarian as subdeacon and nine young parishioners as tbirs.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), ordains seminarian Ben Rith-Najarian as subdeacon at St. Sahag
Church.
Newly-ordained tbirs at St. Sahag Church reach out to touch the "Mashdots,"
a book of rituals given to tbirs during the ordination ceremony.
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SAINTLY WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION IN MASSACHUSETTS
Members of the Women’s Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church in Chelmsford, Mass.,
hosted 125 guests on Saturday, April 12, on the occasion of Saintly Women’s
Day. An inspiring service extolling the virtues of Sahaganoush Mamigonian,
mother of St. Vartan Mamigonian, was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Khachatur
Kesablyan, pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, with the assistance of clergy
>From six other New England parishes.
Diocesan Christian Education Coordinator Elise Antreassian spoke about women
in the Armenian Church at a Saintly Women’s Day celebration at Sts.
Vartanantz Church.
Diocesan Christian Education Coordinator Elise Antreassian presented an
interactive program entitled "Women in the Armenian Church: Hearth Keepers
or Midwives?" Members of Sts. Vartanantz Men’s Club graciously served a
delicious meal, which was prepared by the Women’s Guild.
Members of Sts. Vartanantz Men’s Club served the meal prepared by the
Women’s Guild for the celebration of Saintly Women’s Day at Sts. Vartanantz
Church.
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POPE TO GREET ARMENIAN CHURCH LEADERS
During his first apostolic visit to the United States since he was elected
to lead the Roman Catholic Church in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI will greet
ecumenical leaders, including Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and Archbishop Vicken Aykazian,
Diocesan legate and president of the National Council of Churches. The
meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 18, following an ecumenical prayer
service at St. Joseph’s Church in New York City.
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HOLY CROSS CHURCH OF UNION CITY, NEW JERSEY TO CELEBRATE PASTOR’S MILESTONE
Holy Cross Church will mark the 25th anniversary of the Sacred Ordination to
the Priesthood of their pastor Very Rev. Fr. Vazken Karayan on Sunday, April
20. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), will preside over the Divine Liturgy and the banquet, which is
scheduled to follow the Badarak at 1 p.m. at the Landmark in East
Rutherford, N.J. For more information, call Alice or Sylvia Bozoyan at
201-865-2790.
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C HURCH AND HOME MATERIALS AVAILABLE ONLINE
A wealth of new Church and Home materials are now available on our Web site,
<; . Click on the
"Church and Home" button on the homepage and you will be directed to a
listing of a variety of online tutorials and programs designed to offer
"Back to the Basics" educational tools that can be used from the comfort of
your home. Learn about Armenian Church feasts, the calendar, modern and
classical Armenian and much more!
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COMMEMORATIN G THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL
On Armenian Martyrs Day, April 24, a Divine Liturgy and requiem service will
be held at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral at 11 a.m. A memorial meal will
follow services.
On Sunday, April 27, Rev. Fr. Hagop Khachatryan, a clergyman from Holy
Etchmiadzin, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy. Very Rev. Fr. Davit
Karamyan, who will also visit the Eastern Diocese from Holy Etchmiadzin,
will deliver the sermon. A requiem service and blessing of madagh will
follow the Divine Liturgy, which begins at 10:30 a.m.
The annual Genocide Commemoration sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Region
Knights and Daughters of Vartan will be held in Times Square at 2 p.m. St.
Vartan Cathedral is located at 630 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. Click for
more information in English < t;
or Armenian < t; .
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PLANS UNDERWAY FOR 106TH DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY
The 106th Annual Diocesan Assembly and Clergy Conference will be held at
Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Church in Providence, R.I. The Clergy Conference is
scheduled for April 28 to May 1; the Assembly is scheduled for May 1 to
4.This year’s theme is "Church and Home: One in Spirit." For more
information, visit the Sts. Sahag
< l> & Mesrob Church Web site.
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FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
On May 1, the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ , Archbishop
Yeghishe Gizirian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Armenian
Cathedral. The Liturgy begins at 11 a.m. A traditional Ascension Day
celebration will follow services.
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SHUSHI ARMENIAN DANCE ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM AT ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL
The Shushi Armenian Dance Ensemble of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral will
celebrate its 15th anniversary at the Cathedral on Friday, May 30. This
much-anticipated event, featuring music, dance, dinner and a performance by
the Shushi dancers, will mark the Ensemble’s success since its inception and
honor the steadfast dedication of the group’s artistic director and
choreographer, Seta Paskalian-Kantardjian. Funds raised at the event will
help Shushi travel to Armenia in July, where dancers will have the
tremendous opportunity to perform at the Opera House.
For more information, visit
< /> .
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FAR 2008 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TRIP RESCHEDULED
The 12th annual Fund for Armenian Relief Young Professionals Trip to
Armenia, planned for May 31-June 12, has been rescheduled to July 25-August
6. The two-week trip will include overnights in Yerevan, Gyumri, Dzoraget,
Lake Sevan and Goris. Participants will visit FAR’s projects as well as
meet with high-ranking officials in Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Participants visit Gandzasar Monastery in Martakert during the 2007 FAR
Young Professionals Trip to Armenia.
The FAR trip provides the ideal opportunity for young professionals between
the ages of 23 and 40 to travel to Armenia as a group. Participants learn
about Armenia’s place in the world – the country’s religious, political and
economic heritage – and engage government and religious leaders in official
state visits.
The cost, which includes airfare and hotel accommodations, is $3,050. Space
is limited. To sign up, contact Arto Vorperian at 212-889-5150 or
arto@farusa.org.
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DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE MOTHER CATHEDRAL OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN SCHEDULED
FOR SEPTEMBER
The Eastern Diocese will make a pilgrimage to the Mother Cathedral of Holy
Etchmiadzin this fall to participate in the blessing of the Holy Muron
(Oil). The two-week pilgrimage begins in late September and concludes in
early October. The blessing of the Holy Muron will take place on Sunday,
Sept. 28.
There is some flexibility in travel dates: pilgrims can opt to depart from
New York on Friday, Sept. 19 or Saturday, Sept. 20, and return to New York
on Friday, Oct. 3 or Saturday, Oct. 4. The cost per person, which includes
airfare and hotel accommodations, is $2,950.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
blesses the Holy Muron (Oil) with the relic of St. Gregory the Enlightener
in 2001. This special ceremony occurs once every seven years.
For more information, click here
< df> or contact Arto Vorperian at
the Diocesan Center at 212-686-0710 ext. 213 or e-mail arto@farusa.org.
Please note that the number of spaces is limited. Those interested in the
pilgrimage should make reservations without delay.
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PARISH NEWS
Greenfield, Wisc. – Armenian Martyrs Day Events
On Thursday, April 24, a vespers service and a requiem service will be held
starting at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 7825 W. Layton Avenue,
Greenfield, Wisc., in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Other
area churches will participate, including St. Hagop Church of Racine, St.
Mesrob Church of Racine and Holy Resurrection Church of South Milwaukee.
St. John the Baptist Church also will commemorate Armenian Martyrs Day on
Sunday, April 20 with a Divine Liturgy and a requiem service followed by
madagh and a program. David Blinka, a graduate of Marquette University and
the University of Wisconsin, will speak on "Creating a New Armenia in
America and the History of the Armenian Genocide."
For more information on these events, please visit
<; .
Southfield, Mich. – ACYOA at St. John’s Church of Greater Detroit Heads Up
Project White Cross
Following services on Sunday, April 13, parishioners at St. John’s Church of
Greater Detroit, led by the ACYOA Juniors and Seniors chapters, installed
1,500 white crosses on church grounds. With each cross representing 1,000
lives lost in the Armenian Genocide, the 1,500-cross installation
commemorates the 1.5 million martyrs of 1915.
Parishioners at St. John’s Church of Greater Detroit put up 1,500 white
crosses to represent victims of the Armenian Genocide.
"It really puts things into perspective for people who underestimate the
severity of the lives lost," said Raffi ElChemmas, cochairman of Project
White Cross and an ACYOA member. "It is our right to struggle. It’s the only
thing we have known for 93 years. Without struggle, we might have forgotten
about the Genocide, given up hope for a resolution or an acknowledgement."
Pinellas Park, Fla. – St. Hagop Church Hosts Picnic
St. Hagop Church organized a regional picnic to reach out to Armenians in
the area and gather for fun and fellowship on Saturday, April 12. Held in
Sarasota, Fla., the event drew 75 people. Highlights included delicious
dishes and a Tavloo tournament. To learn more about the St. Hagop community,
visit <;
.
Parishioners enjoy food and games at St. Hagop Church’s regional picnic last
Saturday in Sarasota, Fla.
SAVE THE DATE
Diocesan Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Consecration of St.
Vartan Armenian Cathedral to begin in June
This year, the Diocese will host a series of events in celebration of the
40th anniversary of the consecration of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral.
Upcoming events include:
. A concert in the Cathedral and an art exhibition at the Diocesan Center
beginning on June 19.
. A ceremony honoring the godfathers of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral and
original committee members of the Cathedral-building project and the
distribution of the Holy Muron (Oil) from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
during a celebration of the Divine Liturgy on October 12. A luncheon will
follow. (Please note that the ceremony honoring Cathedral founders has been
rescheduled from May 18 to October 12).
Individual parishes will be invited to make pilgrimages to the Cathedral
throughout the year.
The Diocese would like to recognize everyone who was involved in the
Cathedral project. If you have information on any members of working
committees who helped build the Cathedral, please contact the Diocesan
Center at 212-686-0710 or e-mail publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org.
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Prayer for the Week
Lord, clothe me with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, humility, meekness, and
patience. Help me bear with others and forgive as the Lord has forgiven me.
Over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together and makes
them perfect.
More prayers
< .asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5246&
HS=1 > <;
Scripture for the Week
Song 4:9-15, 8:14
Is 7:10-16
Gal 3:29-4:7
Lk 2:1-7
Saints & Feasts
4/20 Apparition of the Holy Cross
4/24 Armenian Martyrs Day (93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide)
May God bless and keep you and your family.