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:
April 23, 2010
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PRIMATE ORDAINS DEACON AT ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR CHURCH OF CHICAGO
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), visited St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago,
Ill., on Sunday, April 18, where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy and
ordained Dr. Vahe Caliskan to the diaconate.
In this Diocesan "Year of Vocations," the Primate said it was especially
encouraging to see a parishioner’s commitment to serving his church. "Deacon
Vahe’s service is an inspiration to younger members of this parish,"
Archbishop Barsamian said. "It is through such level of dedication that we
can preserve and pass on the rich heritage of the Armenian Church."
The Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of St. Gregory Church, served as the
sponsoring priest at the ordination. "It was inspiring to see a young,
dedicated member of the Armenian Church work so hard and finally achieve his
goal of being ordained a deacon in order to better serve the church," Fr.
Jebejian said. "Deacon Vahe is a dedicated member of St. Gregory, and I look
forward to his many years of service to our community."
A longtime member of the Chicago parish, Dr. Caliskan was ordained to the
rank of acolyte by then-Primate Archbishop Torkom Manoogian at Sts. Joachim
and Anne Church of Palos Heights, Ill., in the late 1980s. In the early
1990s, he also served at St. James Church of Evanston, Ill.
Dr. Caliskan said it was his grandmother who first helped him learn about
the Christian faith. He recalled growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, where he
would join his grandmother on Saturday evenings to light incense throughout
their home.
When he moved to the United States at the age of 12, he became more involved
in the life of the Armenian Church, which has helped him preserve his
Armenian identity in his newfound home. "Church is a part of our culture,"
he said. "It’s also a way to learn about our history and keep our language
alive."
Dr. Caliskan holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and teaches at the
University of Illinois at Chicago. He has worked in the automotive industry
for Motorola, Inc., and Continental AG. He is also a member of the Knights
of Vartan. Dr. Caliskan is married to Dr. Nooshig Salvador-Caliskan.
Every Sunday, Dr. Caliskan serves on the altar at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church, where friends and family gathered last week to witness
his ordination. "It was a very happy, spiritual occasion," he said.
"It was a beautiful day for the parish of St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church," said parish council chair Craig Koresian. "In this year of
vocations, it was an honor to have our Primate visit and ordain Deacon
Vahe."
A luncheon and program followed services (the luncheon was sponsored by Dr.
and Mrs. Vahe Karachorglu). Parishioners gathered to celebrate Dr.
Caliskan’s ordination and to discuss the importance of fostering youth
leadership.
ACYOA Central Council members screened a short video about the
organization’s March 2010 Leadership Conference, and parishioners had the
opportunity to discuss ways young people can serve the St. Gregory
community.
Dr. Caliskan said the ACYOA’s participation helped focus the weekend on
"serving and being involved." He added, "You don’t have to wait until you’re
60 to get involved. Young people can be involved too."
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Photos attached.
Photo 1: Archbishop Khajag Barsamian ordained Dr. Vahe Caliskan to the
diaconate at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, Ill., on Sunday,
April 18.
Photo 2: Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, and
altar servers at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, Ill.