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: publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org
Website:

March 19, 2010
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SAINTLY WOMEN’S DAY OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN DIOCESE

Women’s Guild chapters throughout the Eastern Diocese observed Saintly
Women’s Day this month, with special services and programs commemorating the
life of the 14th-century martyr Tamar of Mogk (Tamar Mogatsi), and
discussions focusing on how the lives of saints inform present-day efforts
to preserve the Armenian Christian faith.

Heavy rain and gusty winds pummeled the Northeast, uprooting trees,
crippling electrical grids, and causing heavy flooding. But despite the
weather, Women’s Guilds members gathered from Pennsylvania to New Jersey,
New York, and Rhode Island, for a series of events on Saturday, March 13.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese, presided over a
regional celebration hosted by the Women’s Guild of St. Leon Church in Fair
Lawn. The day began with a service, where the Very. Rev. Fr. Vazken Karayan,
pastor of Holy Cross Church of Armenia of Union City, N.J., spoke about
vocations and the importance of dedicating oneself to serving God.

During the program that followed, Women’s Guild members read the biography
of Tamar Mogatsi. Archbishop Barsamian spoke in detail about Tamar’s story –
how she and her husband sought refuge from invading Seljuks on the island of
Aghtamar, how they were able to raise a family, and how Tamar was later
captured, tortured, and stoned to death for refusing to renounce her faith.

"As Christians, we each become an Aghtamar, an island of holiness and
peace," Archbishop Barsamian said. "And though the storms of the world are
against us, the good that we do will never die, will never be forgotten-and
will inspire others in the future."

The Primate also shared his personal story of becoming a priest in the
Armenian Church, and spoke about how his grandmother inspired him to pursue
his calling.

Megan Jendian, associate coordinator of Christian Education at the Diocese,
spoke about the Biblical definition of sainthood and stressed that
"sainthood is the vocation of every Christian." She presented the hosting
Women’s Guild chapter with a copy of Profiles in Faith: Meditations on the
Lives of Saints.

"Learning about the lives of designated saints is not merely for historical
value," she said, "but rather to illustrate for us their universal
significance and the possibilities available to all of us to live each new
day with certain qualities and virtues."

The program also featured musical performances. Rita Oscherician, who chairs
the Women’s Guild in Fair Lawn and is a member of the Women’s Guild Central
Council, announced Yn. Violet Kasparian as the recipient of the first-ever
"Woman of Wonder" award for her work with the School Bag Project, which she
launched in 1992. Since then, the program has provided more than 10,000
children in Armenia with much-needed school supplies.

Some 130 people attended the event in Fair Lawn, including Women’s Guild
members from the other four New Jersey churches: Holy Cross Church of Union
City, St. Mary Church of Livingston, St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, and St.
Stepanos Church of Elberon. Also present were the Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun
Najarian, Diocesan Vicar and liaison to the Women’s Guild Central Council;
the Rev. Fr. Diran Bohajian of Fair Lawn; and Fr. Arnak Kasparian.

Gatherings in New York and Pennsylvania

Across the Hudson River, close to 100 Women’s Guild members from St. Gregory
the Enlightener Church of White Plains, N.Y., the Holy Martyrs Church of
Bayside, N.Y., and Holy Cross Church in Manhattan gathered at the New York
City church.

Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian officiated at the morning service, with the
participation of the Rev. Fr. Garnik Halajian, the Rev. Fr. Arten Ashjian,
and the Very Rev. Fr. Davit Karamyan.

Gilda Buchakjian Kupelian, coordinator of Armenian Studies at the Diocese,
gave the keynote address in Armenian and English. She spoke about ways
saintly women – including Tamar of Mogk, Gayane, Hripsime, Queen Ashkhen,
Santouhkt, and other figures – can inspire women in the 21st century. She
encouraged participants to make prayer the focus of their daily lives, and
in this Lenten season to devote time to introspection and renewal. A musical
presentation was also part of the day’s activities.

In Pennsylvania, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church of Wynnewood hosted the
neighboring parish of Holy Trinity Church of Cheltenham. The Rev. Fr. Hakob
Gevorgyan, pastor of Holy Trinity Church, officiated at the service. Also
present was the Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian, pastor of St. Sahag and St.
Mesrob Church. Some 80 people attended the gathering.

Leslie Movsessian, chair of the Women’s Guild Central Council, spoke about
the council’s activities and projects, and encouraged women to get involved
in programming on a Diocesan level.

Guest speaker Rachel Goshgarian, Ph.D., director of the Diocese’s Krikor and
Clara Zohrab Information Center, spoke about saints of the Armenian Church
from a historical perspective. She outlined how ideas about sainthood
developed from the 1st to the 15th centuries, and how by the 14th century
(when Tamar of Mogk lived) resisting pressure to convert to Islam was
considered especially important.

"The hagiographies of the Armenian saints tell the story of the Armenian
Church," Goshgarian said. "It is wonderful that our Women’s Guilds encourage
reflection on this history as it is a source of both pride and awe for all
of us. It was an honor and a pleasure to be invited to speak at St. Sahag
and St. Mesrob Church and to have the pleasure of presenting to such an
enthusiastic and engaged audience."

Inspirational reflections

Pastors and parishioners from Massachusetts gathered last Saturday at Sts.
Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, R.I., including members from Holy
Translators Church of Framingham, the Church of Our Saviour of Worcester,
Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, St. James Church of Watertown, and Sts.
Vartanantz Church of Chelmsford.

The program, chaired by Nathalie Yaghoobian, drew 85 people, and featured
remarks by broadcasting entrepreneur Donna Rustigian Mac, whose talk, titled
"You and God," focused on developing a positive attitude to overcome daily
challenges. Zita Butler, a member of the Women’s Guild Central Council,
attended the events in Providence.

In upstate New York, several churches marked Saintly Women’s Day on Sunday,
March 14. At St. Peter Church in Watervliet, N.Y., the local Women’s Guild
raised funds they contributed to the Women’s Guild Central Council for the
annual gift or project the organization sponsors for the Diocese.

The Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian spoke about the recent publication of New
Faith to New World: Stories from the History of the Armenian Church, a
revised edition of the late Dr. Hagop Nersoyan’s classic work, which
features the story of Tamar Mogatsi. The publication of the book was
sponsored by the Women’s Guild Central Council last year.

In Binghamton, N.Y., St. Gregory the Illuminator Church hosted St. Paul
Church of Syracuse. The program was also open to the larger Binghamton
community, including the local historical society and other organizations.
As in Watervliet, a collection was held in Binghamton for this year’s
Women’s Guild Central Council initiative.

At the program following services on Sunday, humorist Dottie Bengoian of
Connecticut spoke about the importance of laughter. Her presentation
interwove spiritual reflections with uplifting stories and jokes. Women’s
Guild chair Adrienne Kachadourian said the event drew more than 50 people
and was well received by attendees.

Other regional celebrations were scheduled at Holy Resurrection Church of
New Britain, Conn., and St. Mesrob Church of Racine, Wis. A number of
individual parishes throughout the Diocese also planned to organize programs
in observance of Saintly Women’s Day. Many parishes collected funds to
contribute to the Women’s Guild Diocesan-wide initiative later this year.

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Photos attached.

Photo 1: The Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan, pastor of Holy Trinity Church; Yn.
Anna Gevorgyan; Rachel Goshgarian, director of the Diocese’s Krikor and
Clara Zohrab Information Center; and the Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian,
pastor of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, at the event in Pennsylvania.

Photo 2: Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, speaks
at St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, N.J. (Photo by Linda Harutunian.)

Photo 3: The Rev. Fr. Daniel Karadjian, pastor of St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church of Binghamton and St. Paul Church of Syracuse, at the
event in Binghamton.

Photo 4: Megan Jendian, associate coordinator of Christian Education at the
Diocese, speaks at St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, N.J. (Photo by Linda
Harutunian.)

Photo 5: A service at St. Leon Church was held last Saturday in observance
of Saintly Women’s Day. (Photo by Linda Harutunian.)