PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:
May 6, 2010
EXTREME UNCTION AND BURIAL SERVICES
FOR BISHOP NSHAN TOPOUZIAN
Extreme Unction (last anointing) service for Bishop Nshan Topouzian,
Prelate of Aderbadagan (Iran), took place on Sunday, May 2, at St.
James Church in Kanaker, Armenia, during the Holy Liturgy. The Grand
Sacristan of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, Bishop Ararat Kaltakjian,
celebrated the Liturgy. Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, Prelate of
Tehran, representing His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, officiated over the final anointing service with the
participation
of Bishop Papken Tcharian, Prelate of Isfahan, and members of the
Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Funeral services took place yesterday, May 5, in
Tabriz. Burial services followed at the Armenian Cemetery of
Tabriz. May the Almighty bless the memory of His faithful servant.
A remembrance of Bishop Nshan, written in Armenian by
V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian is at the end of todays Crossroads before
the Calendar of Events.
TODAY IS NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Today, Thursday, May 6th, is National Day of Prayer by presidential
proclamation.
Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental
Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation,
the call to prayer has continued through U.S. history, including
President Abraham Lincolns proclamation of a day of humiliation,
fasting, and prayer in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress,
signed by President Harry Truman, declared an annual, national day of
prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Ronald
Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every
May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all
Americans to pray on this day.
On this day, let us give thanks for the many blessings God has
bestowed upon our Nation. Let us rejoice for the blessing of freedom
both to believe and to live our beliefs, and for the many other
freedoms and opportunities that bring us together as one Nation. Let
us ask for wisdom, compassion, and discernment of justice as we
address the great challenges of our time.
We are blessed to live in a Nation that counts freedom of
conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental
principles, thereby ensuring that all people of goodwill may hold and
practice their beliefs according to the dictates of their
consciences. Prayer has been a sustaining way for many Americans of
diverse faiths to express their most cherished beliefs, and thus we
have long deemed it fitting and proper to publicly recognize the
importance of prayer on this day across the Nation.
From Proclamation issued by President Barack Obama, National Day of
Prayer 2010
MOTHERS DAY LUNCHEON
The Prelacy Ladies Guilds Mothers Day luncheon will take place this
Monday, May 10, at the New York Palace, 455 Madison Avenue, New York
City. Reception begins at 12 noon with luncheon at 1 pm.
Grace Keshgegian, a member of St. Gregorys Church in
Philadelphia, is being honored as the Prelacys Mother of the
Year. Grace is not only a faithful member of her local parish, but
well-known on a national level through her service as a delegate to
the National Representative Assembly, as well as her dedicated support
of other community
organizations, most significantly the Armenian Sisters Academy in
Philadelphia.
For information about the Mothers Day luncheon contact the
Prelacy at 212-689-7810.
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
WILL CONVENE NEXT WEEK
The Eastern Prelacys National Representative Assembly (NRA) will
convene in New York next week, May 13 to May 15. The clergy conference
will begin one day earlier. The NRA is being hosted by the two New
York parishes: St. Illuminators Cathedral and St. Sarkis Church. It is
the first time the NRA is being hosted jointly by two parishes and it
is the first time since 1962 that the NRA will take place in New York.
The overall theme of the NRA will focus on His Holiness proclamation
of 2010 as the Year of the Armenian Woman.
The Assemblys banquet is scheduled for Friday, May 14, at the
Crowne Plaza at LaGuardia Airport. The banquet is open to the public;
reservations can be made by contacting Dr. Louiza Kubikian at
516-445-3169.
For more information about the NRA click here (
4882/goto: /nra
).
YERETZGIN CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE DURING NRA
This year once again the Prelacy is sponsoring a conference for the
Yeretzgins. As in past years the conference will provide an
opportunity for the wives of our parish priests to meet with each
other to discuss issues of importance. The all-day program will take
place on Thursday, May 13. The Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, will open
the program. The morning session will feature a presentation by Iris
Papazian on Women as Guardians of Armenian Family Values, and the
afternoon session will feature a presentation by Yn. Joanna Baghsarian
on Women as Christian Educators Today. The lectures can be attended by
all interested parties.
On Friday morning, May 14, the group will go to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art where they will have a guided tour, notably
of the two Armenian khatchkars that were recently installed and other
exhibits of interest. They will have lunch at the museum before
returning to the hotel in Queens.
FEAST OF THE ASCENSION WILL BE CELEBRATED
DURING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK
Thursday evening, May 13, delegates to the NRA as well as the faithful
from the New York metropolitan area will celebrate the Feast of the
Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, at
St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th Street, Douglaston, New York. The
Divine Liturgy will begin at 6:30 pm with dinner at 8 pm. After dinner
entertainment will be provided by the Yeraz Dance Group and the
students of St. Illuminators Armenian School. For dinner reservations
($25) or more information contact the St. Sarkis Church office,
718-224-2275.
DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM: MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The 24th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program, for
youth ages 13-18, is scheduled to take place at the St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, from June 25-July 4,
2010. The program is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education
Council (AREC). For more information click here (
4882/goto: /departments/arec/datev-institute
).
ST. STEPHENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL USES
LITERARY APPROACH TO GENOCIDE STUDIES
St. Stephens Armenian Elementary School, Watertown, Massachusetts, is
using age-appropriate literature to supplement the teaching of the
Armenian Genocide. In grade four, Arams Choice by Marsha Forchuk
Skrypuch, has been added to the curriculum. Arams Choice and its
sequel, Call Me Aram, relate the story of the Georgetown Boys, a group
of Armenian orphans who were brought to Georgetown, Ontario, Canada in
1923.
In grade 5 the students read the highly-acclaimed The Road
from Home: The Story of an Armenian Girl, by David Kherdian, told from
his mothers perspective about her childhood in an Armenian community
in Turkey, and her eventual arrival in America.
Photo: St. Stephens Elementary School fourth grade students with
author Marsha Skrypuch and Houry Boyamian, principal, and teachers
Julia Kramer and Kacie Carli.
In April, the fourth and fifth graders went to Cranston, Rhode
Island, to see the theatrical performance of The Georgetown Boys,
directed by Dr. Herand Markarian.
BIBLE READING
Beginning April 12 and continuing through to Pentecost (May 23), in
addition to other readings portions of the four Gospels are read each
day: Luke is read in the morning; John is read at mid-day; Matthew is
read at the beginning of the evening hour; and Mark is read at the end
of the evening hour.
Bible readings for today, Thursday, May 6 are: Luke 13:10-21;
Acts 19:1-20; 1 John 2:24-25; John 8:21-30; Matthew 15:1-20; Mark
7:31-37.
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and
said, Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For
they do not wash their hands before they eat. He answered them, And
why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your
tradition? For God said, Honor your father and your mother, and
Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die. But you say
that whoever tells father or mother, Whatever support you might have
had from me is given to God, then that person need not honor the
father. So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of
God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from
me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.
Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, Listen and
understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person,
but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles. Then the disciples
approached and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees took
offense when they heard what you said? He answered, Every plant that
my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone;
they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides
another, both will fall into a pit. But Peter said to him, Explain
this parable to us. Then he said, Are you still without understanding?
Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach,
and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds
from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come
evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness,
slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed
hands does not de!
file.
For a listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010dbr-5.pdf
).
FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Next Thursday, May 13, is the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus
Christ (Hambardzoum), which is celebrated forty days after the
Resurrection. The universal church has celebrated the Ascension since
the fourth century. According to Biblical scripture the Ascension took
place in the village of Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, in the
presence of our Lords disciples. After giving them commandments and
blessings, the Lord was received up into heaven and sat on the right
hand of God, (Mark 16:19), and a cloud received him out of their
sight, (Acts 1:9). In the early centuries of Christianity, Hambardzoum
was one of the most popular feast days for the faithful and was
celebrated with merriment and festivities. There are many Armenian
traditions associated with this dominical feast. Perhaps the best
known one being fortune-telling (vijakakhakh).
Today the first and only Son of the Father rises to heaven in
the form of man. Melodic eulogies sound today from the multitude of
heavenly souls. (Breviary of the Armenian Church)
SUNDAY IS MOTHERS DAY
This Sunday, May 9, is Mothers Day. Dont forget to call your mother. I
wish I could call mine.
The following poignant remembrance of Bishop Nshan Topouzian was
written by Very Rev. Fr. Krikor Chifjian, communications director of
the Holy See of Cilicia.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 731st annual Literary Gems and Wine. Readings from the works of
three Armenian satirists: Hagop Baronian, Yervant Odian, and Lerr
Gamsar, presented by the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural
Society, Armenian Center, 69-23 47th Avenue, Woodside, New York. Free
admission. For information: hamazkayinny@yahoo.com
(mailto:hamazkayinny@yahoo. com).
May 10 Mothers Day luncheon sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, New
York Palace, 455 Madison Avenue, New York City. Reception at 12 noon;
lunch at 1 pm.
May 12 Third of five Bible studies on Women in the Bible at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, 7:15
pm. Sponsored by the Prelacys Armenian Religious Education Council and
St. Illuminators Cathedral.
May 13 to 16 National Representative Assembly hosted by
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, and St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.
May 13-14 NALG Annual Conference in conjunction with the NRA, Crowne
Plaza, LaGuardia Airport Hotel. For information Mary Derderian,
781-762-4253, hyeguin@yahoo.com (mailto:hyeguin@yahoo.com).
May 19 Fourth of five Bible studies on Women in the Bible at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, 7:15 pm. Sponsored by the
Prelacys Armenian Religious Education Council and St. Illuminators
Church.
May 22 Divine Liturgy and annual banquet, presided by His Grace Bishop
Anoushavan Tanielian, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.
May 23 75th Anniversary celebration of Holy Trinity Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan,
at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Worcester. For information: 508-852-2414.
May 26 Fifth and final Bible study on Women in the Bible at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, 7:15
pm. Sponsored by the Prelacys Armenian Religious Education Council and
St. Illuminators Cathedral.
June 12 Food Festival sponsored by Ladies Guild of St. Gregory Church,
Jaffarian Hall, 158 Main Street, North Andover, Massachusetts.
June 25-July 4 24th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer
Program for youth ages 13 to 18, at St. Mary of Providence Center,
Elverson, Pennsylvania.
June 27 St. Hagop (Racine) annual Madagh and Church Picnic at Johnsons
Park (Hwy 38) Racine, Wisconsin.
July 17 A Hye Summer Night V, dance hosted by Ladies Guild of
Sts. Vartanantz Church and ARS Ani Chapter, Providence, Rhode Island,
at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Cranston,
Rhode Island. For tickets and information: Joyce Bagdasarian
(401-434-4467) or Joyce Yeremian. (401-354-8770).
August 15 Annual picnic of St. Stephen Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts (12 noon to 5
pm). For information: 617-924-7562.
August 22 Annual picnic of St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.
October 8-10 The Eastern Prelacys Linked In workshop weekend for young
adults at Holy Virgin Marys Spiritual Vineyard, Charlton,
Massachusetts.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.
To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add email@armenianprelacy.org (mailto:email@armenianprelacy.org) to
your address book.
Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
info@armenianprelacy.org (mailto:info@armenianprelacy.org)