PAGEANT A LATE GIFT FOR AREA’S ARMENIANS

Boston Globe
ts/articles/2010/01/11/pageant_a_late_gift_for_are as_armenians/
Jan 11 2010
MA

Along Cambridge’s quiet Brattle Street yesterday morning, holiday
lights and seasonal decorations were mostly gone.

But inside the Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston, "We
Three Kings of Orient Are" was sung out with joy as a regal trio
of young kings strode down the aisle bearing gifts for the church
pageant’s baby Jesus.

The Armenian church observes Christmas on Jan. 6, the Epiphany, which
commemorates the visit of the magi to the newborn Christ child. The
Rev. Vasken Kouzouian said many parishioners, often fourth- and
fifth-generation Armenian-Americans, also celebrate the holiday
on Dec. 25. The church honors the American tradition by observing
the "fun side of Christmas" with the children’s pageant, which was
originally scheduled for Dec. 20. But this year, weather caused it
to be rescheduled for yesterday, bringing it closer to Jan. 6.

Kouzouian said the postponement provided an opportunity for the parish
to "remind ourselves of the spiritual side" of the holiday. "It’s
the faith we’re celebrating, not the heritage," he said. Christmas in
the Armenian church marks the beginning of Christ’s ministry, he said.

Michelle Sahagian, 12, was one of the narrators of the pageant. Over
the years, she said, she has played many roles from a shepherd and
a sheep to an angel.

Her mother, Nancy, said she enjoys watching Michelle and her 9-year-old
sister, Julia, perform yearly in the pageants. "It’s funny to watch
them grow from year to year," she said. "They kind of grow up with it."