ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL REOPENS AFTER MAJOR RENOVATIONS

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August 31, 2009

New York City’s famous St. Illuminator’s Armenian Apostolic Cathedral
is reopening, one year after it closed its doors to undergo a
major renovation. Made possible by financial support from friends,
parishioners, and other bodies of the church, and overseen by Father
Mesrob Lakissian and the Church Reconstruction Committee, the reopening
of St. Illuminator’s represents a step forward for New York City’s
Armenian community.

The Mayr Yegeghetzi has always been known as the "Ellis Island" to New
York’s Armenian immigrants because of the very important role it played
in welcoming them to Manhattan from all over the world. Located at 221
East 27th Street, St. Illuminator’s was the first Armenian cathedral
in New York City. Named in honor of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the
patron saint of the Armenian Church, it opened its doors in 1916. Due
to the events of World War I, however, it was not formally consecrated
until April 1921. Since then, the cathedral has continuously served
new Armenian Americans. From providing emergency housing to dislocated
Armenian families who escaped the genocide, to supplying food and
clothing to Armenians who escaped the turmoil in the Middle East in the
1960’s, St. Illuminator’s has been a spiritual home to its congregation
and a beacon of hope to the countless members of the Armenian Diaspora.

Today, St. Illuminator’s is a beloved place where Armenians from all
ages come to pray, participate in its beautiful liturgy, and receive
the holy sacraments. During the year-long renovation process, the
Divine Liturgy was offered every Sunday at the Armenian Center in
Woodside, Queens, under the auspices of Father Lakissian.

On Sat., Sept. 19 at 7 p.m., His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern United States,
will lead a special service re-consecrating the cathedral’s altar. On
Sun., Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m., he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy
and deliver the sermon inaugurating a new era for the cathedral.

Over the next few months, work will continue at the cathedral’s lower
level and the Board of Trustees and delegates of St. Illuminator’s
will continue to raise funds to support the renovation effort.

For more information or to make a donation to the St. Illuminator’s
reconstruction fund, call the cathedral’s office at (212) 689-5880
or visit