PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – October 7, 2004
MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR
ALTAR SERVERS, NOVEMBER 13 IN PHILLY
The Mid-Atlantic regional workshop for altar servers will take place at
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, 8701 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, on
Saturday, November 13, 2004. The primary objective of the workshop will be
to introduce the new Badarak CD for altar servers. The CD was prepared
during the summer in order to establish uniformity in all Prelacy churches.
There will also be a session on the Sunday Morning Session and the Antastan
service. Mid-Atlantic area parishes are asked to urge their altar servers to
attend.
SUNDAY SCHOOL DEDICATION SERVICE
AT STS. VARTANANTZ CHURCH, NJ
Last Sunday, October 3, an impressive Dedication Service for the Sunday
School took place at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. All of
the Sunday school students attended the Liturgy, received Communion, and
participated in the Dedication Service. The faculty and directors of the
Sunday School went before V. Rev. Shahe Panossian, the pastor of the church,
as he blessed them and urged them to continue their dedicated work in
bringing the Word of God to the children of the parish. The service took
place during the Liturgy, right before the singing of the Hayr Mer (Lords
Prayer).
VICAR WILL ATTEND ANNIVERSARY DINNER
OF ARMENIAN CULTURAL SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar of the Prelacy, and V. Rev. Fr.
Shahe Panossian, pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, NJ, will
attend the 30th anniversary dinner gala for the Armenian Cultural School
Association of Central New Jersey this Saturday, October 9, on behalf of
Archbishop Oshagan who will be out of town. Also expected to attend is Dr.
Arman Kirakossian, the Armenian Ambassador to the United States.
The gala, which will take place at the Hilton Woodbridge in Iselin, New
Jersey, will honor three distinguished members of the community: Dr. Vartan
Abdo, Mr. Vahakn Hovnanian, and Dr. Asbed Vassilian.
For information: 732-706-7777.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN IN MIDWEST THIS WEEKEND
Archbishop Oshagan will be in Michigan this weekend. On Sunday, October
10 he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn,
Michigan, and attend the commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the
church, and the 10th anniversary of the ordination of the parish priest,
Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian. On the occasion of this milestone anniversary, Der
Daron will be granted the honor of wearing the floral stole. Albert
Sarkisian will receive the Eagle of the Prelacy medal. Michael Hagopian,
vice chair of the Prelacy Executive Council, will represent the Council.
On Sunday evening Archbishop Oshagan will attend a reception for the
Pillars of the Prelacy hosted by St. Sarkis Church. For information contact
the church, 313-336-6200.
SPEAKING OF THE PILLARS.
Next Saturday, October 16, a reception for the Pillars will take place
at Prelacy headquarters, 138 E. 39th St., New York City. For information:
212-689-7810.
U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA VISITS PRELACY
John Evans, the new United States ambassador to Armenia, visited
Archbishop Oshagan, last Friday, October 1. Ambassador Evans, who took
office in Armenia last month, exchanged information and ideas with the
Prelate on various areas of interest for the Armenian American community.
For photo and more details visit:
MESSAGE TO PAN-DIASPORA CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION
BY CATHOLICOS ARAM I IS ON PRELACY WEB PAGE
A translation of the opening address delivered by His Holiness Aram I to
the Pan-Diaspora Conference on Education which took place in August, is on
the Prelacy web page.
His Holiness said: Armenian education in the Diaspora has never had
smooth sailing. Various storms surrounding our communities have often had
their negative impact on our efforts. Today, more than ever, Armenian
education is in crisis. Consequently, if we are to attempt to approach the
agenda of this conference with seriousness, critical and holistic way, it is
essential that our approach be anchored in hard facts, realistic evaluations
and accurate diagnoses. We need to adopt such an approach regarding any
issue in our community life. Otherwise, emotional approaches, bias judgments
and superficial perceptions will lead us in wrong directions and one-sided
conclusions.
To read the entire speech visit:
NEW ISSUE OF OUTREACH IS ON WEB PAGE
The new issue of Outreach (October 2004) is now on the Prelacy web page.
If you would like a preview look before receiving it in the mail go to
and click on the Outreach icon.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL LECTURE IN PHILADELPHIA
THIS WEEKEND; IN CALIFORNIA NEXT WEEKEND
Dr. Vazken Ghougassian, the Executive Director of the Prelacy, will
deliver a lecture on the Cultural Heritage of the Armenians of New Julfa.
The lecture will be visually augmented with a Powerpoint presentation. The
lecture is sponsored by the Armenian Inter-Communal Committee of
Philadelphia and will take place this Sunday evening, October 10, 6 p.m. at
Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 101 Ashmead Road, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.
Next weekend Dr. Ghougassian will be in Los Angeles where on Sunday,
October 17 he has been invited by the Friends of New Julfa to lecture on the
same topic. The event is under the auspices of Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirosian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy and will take place at St.
Asdvadzadzin Church, Glendale.
HOLY TRANSLATORS REMEMBERED THIS WEEKEND
On Saturday, October 9, the Armenian Church commemorates the lives and
accomplishments of the Holy Translators, including Mesrob, Yeghishe, Moses
the Poet, David the Philosopher, Gregory of Narek, Nerses the Graceful, and
others.
The Feast of the Holy Translators is one of our most popular feasts.
There are, in fact, two commemorations. One is on the Thursday following the
fourth Sunday after Pentecost which occurs either in June or July, and on
the second Saturday of October.
The October commemoration focuses on the invention of the Armenian
alphabet (406) and on the life of the founder of the alphabet, St. Mesrob
Mashtots and Catholicos Sahak. Mesrob and Sahak, together with some of their
students, translated the Holy Bible (Astvadzashounch, Breath of God).
Schools were opened and the works of world-renowned scholars were
translated. Their efforts gave the Armenian Church a national character.
In more recent times the entire month of October has been designated as
a Month of Culture. Armenians throughout the Diaspora and in Armenia mark
this with a variety of cultural events not only in remembrance of the past,
but also in celebration of modern-day scholars and translators.
THE ARMENIAN ALPHABET
Since its founding in 406, the Armenian alphabet has inspired artists to
create alphabet art. To our knowledge, no other alphabet-with the exception
of Arabic-has been so revered by the people, almost to the point of
adulation.
This seems like an appropriate time to remember Minas Minasian, an
artist whose artistic alphabet creations grace the walls of many Armenian
homes, and whose creations are still used as graphic art on brochures and
books decades after his death. Minas lived and died in New York. He
generously shared, and continues to share, his talent with the church and
community.
COLUMBUS DAY
This Monday, October 11, we celebrate Columbus Day. We here at
Crossroads remember our school days and the sing-song phrase we recited,
Columbus discovered America in 1492.. As we grew up we learned it is not so
simple as that, and after more than five centuries Columbus remains
mysterious and controversial. He is described by some as one of the greatest
mariners in history and a visionary genius. Others call him a greedy
imperialist, naïve entrepreneur and a general failure.
We will leave all that to the historians. However, it cannot be disputed
that his daring voyages opened a whole new horizon, although he never
abandoned his belief that he had reached Asia.
In modern times we celebrate the day with parades and sales in shopping
malls.
The Admiral says that he never beheld so fair a thing: trees all along
the river, beautiful and green, and different from ours, with flowers and
fruits each according to their kind, many birds and little birds which sing
very sweetly. (From the Journal of the First Voyage, October 28, 1492).
PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE NO. 2
We leave you with a reminder that tomorrow evening, October 8 is the
second of the presidential debates.
That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight.
(The first words of Armenian written by Mesrob Mashtots after the creation
of the alphabet, according to Goriun, pupil and biographer of Mesrob).
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