July 23, 2009

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL BE AT ST. SARKIS ON
SUNDAY
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over Divine Liturgy this Sunday, July
26, at St. Sarkis
Church, Douglaston, New York.

VICAR WILL REPRESENT PRELATE THIS FRIDAY
EVENING
The Vicar General, Bishop Anoushavan, will represent the Prelate,
Archbishop Oshagan, at a
special remembrance of the Khanasor Expedition and the Lisbon
Operation, tomorrow, Friday July 24, at the Armenian Center in
Woodside, New York. The
evening is organized by the New York Armen Garo committee of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

SAVE THE DATE FOR REOPENING OF ST. ILLUMINATORS
CATHEDRAL
St. Illuminators Cathedral, which has been undergoing a major
renovation, is
preparing for a blessed re-opening on the weekend of September 19 and
20. On Saturday, September 19, His Eminence will re-consecrate the
Cathedrals altar, and on Sunday, September 20, he will celebrate the
Divine Liturgy and deliver the
sermon.
The Cathedrals infrastructure was in serious disrepair. As the
renovation progressed the
overall condition of the Cathedral was found to be worse than
originally believed. The renovation has included renewal of all
utilities, and major
renovation of the sanctuary, offices, hall, and rest rooms.

HOLY SEE OF CILICIA TAKES PART IN CONFERENCE
ON KARABAGH AND TURKISH
RELATIONS
Bishop Nareg Alemezian represented His Holiness Catholicos Aram I at
the pan-Armenian
conference on Karabagh and Armenian-Turkish Relations, which took
place July 10-12 in Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of
Nagorno-Karabagh, under the auspices of President Pako Sahakian. The
organizers of the conference were the Central Council on the Armenian
Question
(Hai Tad) and the Punik Humanitarian Foundation.

MORE DATEVATSI IMPRESSIONS
Here are a
few more impressions from students who attended Datev Summer Institute
this year.

This is my 3rd year at Datev and what an
amazing experience it has been! I am surrounded by loving and caring
people. I learn something new every day and I learn more about my
culture and
heritage. Datev is the place to
be!

Raffi Borekjian (3rd year student)

Datev is an amazing experience. Its a place where you
meet new people, have fun, and ultimately, learn. I particularly enjoy
the Datev games. These games take place during free time and consist
of many
events. The teams are divided by crews and each team has to choose a
group name and motto. Our crew was called the Lunch Crew
and our motto was, Dont make a mess with the best. There were a whole
bunch of different events, like physical activities and
questions about religion/Datev. In the end, we all had a lot of fun
and I am definitely looking forward to coming back next
year.

Levon Zobian (4th year student)

My first year at Datev was great! Ive learned a lot
of things about Armenian religion. Ive made a lot of new friends from
around the East Coast. Also, the Der Hayrs answer all of my
many questions. The short church services were spiritually
moving. Datev is the
best!

Shant Eghian (1st year student)

2009 PRELACY LINKED IN WEEKEND
The 2009
Prelacy LINKED IN weekend for young adults will take place September
25-27, at the Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard, Charlton,
Massachusetts.
For more information click here (
4882/goto: 9.htm
).

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for
today, Thursday, July 23, are: Isaiah 6:1-10; Hebrews 11:32-40; Luke
4:14-23.
In the year that
King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty;
and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance
above him;
each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two
they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to
another and
said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full
of his glory. The pivots on the thresholds shook at the
voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I
said: Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live
among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the
Lord of
hosts!
The one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been
taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth
with it and said: Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has
departed and your sin is blotted out. Then I heard the voice of the
Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
And I said, Here am I; send me! And he said, Go and say to this
people: Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking,
but do not understand. Make the mind of this people dull, and stop
their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their
eyes, and
listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and
be healed. (Isaiah 6:
1-10)
For listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click
here ().

S TS. THADDEUS AND SANDOUKHT
This Saturday,
July 25, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Thaddeus and
St. Santoukht. According to the historian Movses Khorenatsi, the
apostle Thaddeus came to
Edessa where he healed the sick and baptized King Abgar. Khorenatsi
writes that from Edessa, Thaddeus went to Armenia where he preached
and converted
the Armenian king, Sanatrouk, and the kings daughter, Sandoukht. When
faced with the opposition of his governors, the king recanted his
conversion. Sandoukht, however, refused to renounce the Christian
faith. She was imprisoned and executed by order of her father, and
thus became
Armenias first martyr.

Thaddeus was martyred at Artaz (in present day northern Iran).
The Armenian monastery of St. Thaddeus is built on the apostles
tomb. During the early 20th century the monastery was an important
crossroads
for the defense of the Armenian population of Van, Daron, and
surrounding areas. A popular pilgrimage by Armenians from around the
world takes place
every July. During the four-day festival thousands gather and pitch
tents on the monastery grounds, attend services, sing and dance in
remembrance of
St. Thaddeus, one of the two apostles who brought Christianity to
Armenia. St. Thaddeus Monastery and the other famous Armenian
monastery in northern
Iran, St. Stephen Monastery on the banks of the Arax River, have
undergone major renovations in recent years.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DER NAREG AND YN. ANI
We
are pleased to announce the birth of a baby girl to Rev. Fr. Nareg and
Yeretzgin Ani Terterian. Lori was born yesterday and she joins her
big brother, Hovsep.
Rev. Fr. Nareg is pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York. We
extend our sincere congratulations to Der Hayr and Yeretzgin.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 2Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode
Island, Annual Picnic and Blessing of Madagh and Grapes at Camp
Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts, 12 noon to 6 pm, rain or
shine. Music by John
Berberian and Ensemble.

August 2St. Paul Church (Waukegan, Illinois), annual
Blessing of the Grapes and Family Shish Kebab Picnic and Bake Sale, 12
noon to 4 pm, rain or shine. Call ahead to place orders, 847-244-4573.

August 8National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG)
religious seminary hosted by the Ladies Guild of St. Gregory Churchy
of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts. For information:
hyeguin@yahoo.com (mailto:hyeguin@yahoo.com) or 781-762-4253.

August 9St. Stephens Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, annual picnic and blessing of madagh and grapes at Camp
Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts. Starts at 12 noon, rain or
shine. Live
music.

August 9Holy Trinity Church, Worcester, Massachusetts,
annual picnic and blessing of the grapes.

August 9Annual Blessing of the Grapes picnic by Holy
Cross Armenian Church, 101 Spring Avenue, Troy, New York, noon to 4
pm, on the church grounds. Full course kebab dinner, Armenian pastries
and
lehmajune will be available.

August 16Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey, annual picnic and Blessing of the Grapes.

August 16St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts, picnic and Blessing of the Grapes.

August 16St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Assumption
of the Holy Mother of God, Grape Blessing picnic. For information:
215-482-9200.

September 13Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts, 75th anniversary Holy Mass and banquet,
under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan.

September 12St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia; opening
of Haigazian Armenian School.

September 13St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia; opening
of Sunday School.

September 13Annual picnic of St. Stephens
Armenian Church of New Britain and Hartford at the Quartette Club, 225
Wooster Street, New Britain, Connecticut, beginning at noon, rain or
shine.
Live music. Armenian food. Free admission.

September 19-20Re-consecration of the altar and the
newly renovated St. Illuminators Cathedral in New York City on
Saturday. Episcopal Divine Liturgy and Madagh on Sunday.

September 20St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia. Lobster
Fest. For information: 215-482-9200.

September 20St. Sarkis Church (Douglaston, New York),
annual picnic on the church grounds, 38-65 234th Street, Douglaston,
beginning at 1 pm immediately following church services and the
blessing of the
basil. Delicious Armenian kebabs, sweets, etc., along with games,
music, dancing, tavloo, basketball, volleyball, vendors and returning
by popular
demandKid-Z-One, with a host of activities for children. For
information 718-224-2275.

September 21St. Stephens (Watertown, MA)
Armenian School/ACEC 14th annual Golf Outing at Framingham Country
Club. $170 includes golf, lunch, dinner, and contests. For information
contact
Astor at 781-326-5764.

September 25-26-27Prelacy Linked In, gathering of the
youth. For details click
here (
4882/goto: 9.htm
).

September 28St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Golf
Outing at Talamore Country Club, Ambler, Pennsylvania. For
information: 215-482-9200.

September 28Holy Trinity Church (Worcester,
Massachusetts), 6th annual Golf Outing, Sterling National Country
Club, Sterling, MA. Golf, breakfast, dinner, and prizes, $130 per
person. For
information send email to kappyk@verizon.net
(mailto:kappyk@verizon.net), or telephone 508-872-9629.

October 1Sts. Vartanantz Church (New Jersey), presents
7th annual Golf Outing at River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New
Jersey. $175 includes lunch, dinner, golf and contests. Come out and
enjoy a great
day and support the church. For information contact Mark,
201-483-3200.

October 17National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG)
annual conference at the Prelacy offices in New York City. Details
will follow.

October 18St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia,
Intercommunal Cultural Celebration at Holy Trinity Church, Cheltenham,
PA.

November 1St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Sunday
School Halloween Party.

November 6-7St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia. Food
Festival.

November 20, 21, 22Sts. Vartanantz Church (Ridgefield,
New Jersey) Annual Bazaar and Food Festival. Saturday night dancing
with Onnik Dinkjian; Sunday traditional kavourma dinner.

December 20St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia. Sunday
School Christmas Pageant.

December 31St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Seroonian
Community Center New Years Eve celebration.

December 31Sts. Vartanantz Church (Ridgefield, New
Jersey), New Years Eve Dinner-Dance. Details to follow.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add email@armenianprelacy.org (mailto:email@armenianprelacy.org) 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: info@armenianprelacy.org
(mailto:info@armenianprel acy.org)