PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
September 25, 2009
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LATE STEPHEN MERJANIAN LEAVES $100,000 TO ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL
A Family Whose Service to the Cathedral Spans Generations
Growing up on Manhattan’s East 32nd Street in the 1920s and 30s, Stephen and
Sema Merjanian attended church with their father, and saw him dream big
about having an Armenian cathedral built in the heart of his adopted
homeland.
In those years, the neighborhood was notorious for its seedy bars and the
dilapidated tenements lining city streets. But some were able to look beyond
the rough surroundings and envision a more genteel neighborhood at the
center of which would stand an Armenian cathedral – the first ever erected
in the New World.
Among those early enthusiasts was Mehran Merjanian, Stephen and Sema’s
father, a tailor with a talent for buying real estate, who instilled in his
children a love of the Armenian Church. "My father was strict, real strict,"
Sema Merjanian recalled. "The church is all that my brother and I ever
knew."
Mr. Merjanian didn’t live to see his wish realized. But when St. Vartan
Armenian Cathedral was consecrated in 1968, his family members knew that
they were witnessing the enduring legacy of their father’s generation.
In the ensuing years, Stephen Merjanian, a talented vocalist, would dedicate
more than three decades of service to the cathedral choir. When he passed
away in January 2008, he generously bequeathed $100,000 to the cathedral –
with part of the gift designated for the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir.
Sema Merjanian officially presented the bequest to St. Vartan Cathedral in
the months following her brother’s passing. On a visit to the Eastern
Diocese this summer, she reflected on her family’s involvement with the
cathedral. Ms. Merjanian said it is important for the young generation of
Armenians to absorb Armenian Christian values. In the face of continued
assimilation, she added, it is incumbent upon young people to preserve the
unique traditions planted here by their parents and grandparents.
"Imagine if we didn’t have a church – what would have happened to our
people? We would have scattered," she said. "I want the church to go
forward, not to lose our heritage."
A tradition of giving back
Stephen and Sema Merjanian were born in New York City to Mehran and Virginia
Merjanian, who had come to the United States from Turkey and Syria.
Like many Armenian immigrants, the couple found a home on Manhattan’s Lower
East side where, Sema recalled, "Everyone was alike, struggling to survive."
In the summertime, Armenian music could be heard on the streets, and
weddings were large community-style affairs, with "guest lists" encompassing
the entire neighborhood.
The Merjanians belonged to the St. Gregory parish, and devoted much of their
time to church organizations. "The churches were very poor then," Sema
recalled. "People would put a penny in the plate" and hope it wouldn’t clink
against the metal. Still, nearly everyone in the community felt a close
connection to the Armenian Church, and was determined to help it move
forward.
Sema graduated with honors from Armenian school; but as she grew older she
found herself with less time for parish life. She would work by day and
attend accounting classes at Baruch College in the evenings.
Stephen, in the meantime, took voice lessons, and won a scholarship to the
Julliard School. He sang at the St. Gregory Church, and not long after Holy
Cross Church of Armenia was established in New York’s Washington Heights
section in 1929, he joined the Holy Cross Choir.
Stephen also assisted parish fundraising efforts and was involved in other
church activities. In anticipation of popular church picnics at Van Cortland
Park in the Bronx, Sema remembered how Stephen and his friends would arrive
a day ahead and stay overnight to stake out their spots.
Eventually, Stephen inherited his father’s business. He ran the men’s
clothing and haberdashery store with his wife, Violet – whom he met at age
16, through the St. Gregory Church Choir. Together they raised two sons;
Stephen often sang at churches across the city to help support his young
family.
The Armenian Church was always Stephen’s home, and he loved dedicating his
time to choir rehearsals at Holy Cross Church. At its height, the choir
boasted some 50 members, many of them professional singers.
"It’s always about giving back." Sema said. She reflected that for her
brother, music was a way to contribute to the community.
Later in life, Stephen found deep solace in the sacred music of the Armenian
Church when his wife tragically lost her life in a hold-up at their store.
Stephen continued to sing at Holy Cross until the late 1960s, when he joined
the newly-formed choir at St. Vartan Cathedral.
"Devoted to the church and to each other"
The consecration of St. Vartan Cathedral on April 28, 1968, was an emotional
time for Stephen and Sema Merjanian. Though their father had not lived to
join them at the joyous ceremonies, the two siblings knew that the day’s
events would have made him proud.
Having an Armenian cathedral in the center of Manhattan helped not only to
strengthen the Armenian community, but also to raise its profile in
non-Armenian circles. "People came from all over, and we became more known,"
Sema Merjanian recalled.
In those years, Stephen Merjanian also found a new beginning in his family
life, when he married for the second time.
A nurse who specialized in geriatric care at Bellevue Hospital, Barbara
Merjanian was not born to Armenian parents, but "she became Armenian," Sema
said. She recalled how her late sister-in-law attended Armenian language
classes at the cathedral, learned to cook Armenian foods, and joined her
husband for church services on Sundays.
"She became fascinated by the music, the language, and the culture," Sema
said.
Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, then-Primate of the Eastern Diocese, chrismated
Barbara, officially accepting her into the Armenian Church. "Stephen and
Barbara were a true Armenian couple, truly devoted to the church and to each
other," Sema said.
"This should continue"
Last month, Sema Merjanian fulfilled her brother’s wish of donating $100,000
to St. Vartan Cathedral. Stephen Merjanian had intended to make the
presentation himself but fell ill before it could be carried out. He asked
his sister to bring his wish to fulfillment.
The two remained close throughout their lives, and were only parted at
Stephen’s passing nearly two years ago. Said Sema: "Our parents always
taught us that no matter what, we should always be united."
Meeting with Sema at the Diocesan Center, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and the
Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral, expressed their
gratitude to the Merjanian family for their many years of service to the
Armenian Church.
Archbishop Barsamian recalled Stephen Merjanian’s baritone voice, which he
first heard while he served as vicar of the Eastern Diocese.
"How does one pay proper tribute to the love and service of an entire
lifetime? Stephen and Sema Merjanian have been loving servants of this
cathedral from its very beginning," Archbishop Barsamian said. "And they
have been loved, in turn, by our church. Stephen’s magnanimous bequest was
part of a lifetime of generosity – the fulfillment of a beautiful family
tradition of piety and service."
Today, Sema lives in the Murray Hill neighborhood of her childhood, not far
from St. Vartan Cathedral. She is proud to have seen it blossom into an
upscale Manhattan district, with a gold-domed Armenian church at its very
center.
She continues to attend church services and on occasion she joins the
cathedral’s Avaks group for Bible study and cultural events. Her biggest
wish is to see these traditions passed down to future generations.
"The only thing I worry about is the future of our youth," Sema said,
gesturing at the surrounding cathedral. "The only hope is that after we’re
gone, this should continue."
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Photos attached.
Photo 1: The late Stephen and Barbara Merjanian.
Photo 2: The late Stephen Merjanian, a talented vocalist, who dedicated more
than three decades of service to the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir. When he
passed away in January 2008, he generously bequeathed $100,000 to the
cathedral – with part of the gift designated for the cathedral choir.