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:
January 14, 2010
EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI;
PRAYERS FOR DEAD AND LIVING
As the grim news of the 7.0 earthquake that hit the Republic of Haiti
on Tuesday afternoon became known, Archbishop Oshagan expressed deep
concern for the people of Haiti. Yesterday the Prelate sent a
circular to all of the parishes of the Eastern Prelacy asking them to
offer prayers for the dead, the seriously injured, and the survivors
during the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, January 17. The Prelate also
asked all of our parishes to offer a separate plate collection for
earthquake relief.
The chilling news brought back the terrible memories of
December 7, 1988, when we first heard the news of the earthquake in
northern Armenia, said Archbishop Oshagan. More than most people, we
know the importance of life-saving rapid assistance. Let us open our
hearts and our pockets, the Prelate said.
The earthquake struck the heavily populated capital city,
Port-au-Prince, destroying government buildings, schools, hospitals,
homes, and an infrastructure that was already fragile. At least three
million people reside in the affected area.
Donations can also be sent directly to the Prelacy. Checks
should be payable to Armenian Apostolic Church of America, with
earthquake written in the memo area, and sent to the Armenian Prelacy,
138 E. 39th Street, New York, NY 10016.
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I DECLARES 2010
YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN WOMAN
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
declared 2010 as the Year of the Armenian Woman. At the beginning of
each year His Holiness issues an encyclical designating a specific
topic for the year with the expectation that the topic will be
explored throughout the year.
In his encyclical, His Holiness refers to biblical,
historical and contemporary reflections that make it imperative to
reassess the role of women and men in society. According to the Bible,
he writes, God created men and women in His image, (Genesis 1:26);
therefore, he explains, women and men are equal in the eyes of God,
and partners in caring for the created world. His Holiness further
notes that in the New Testament, the New Eve,Mary the Mother of
Godplays an important role in the history of salvation.
Delving into Armenian history, His Holiness writes about
many women who contributed to the survival of the nation and to its
spiritual and cultural renaissance by assuming political
responsibilities through martyrdom and sainthood, as writers,
educators, social workers, and mothers.
In the encyclical His Holiness reflects on important events
and documents of the United Nations and the Ecumenical Movement. He
cites the achievements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
the UN Decade for Women, and international conferences since 1976 and
the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979. Speaking of the
Ecumenical Movement he mentions the Ecumenical Decade of the Churches
in Solidarity with Women 1988-1998, which deplored violence against
women at home and in society, and the Decade to Overcome Violence.
The Catholicos calls upon all Armenians to reconsider the
nature of the partnership of women and men in the Armenian community,
its organizations and the family, in view of the moral values taught
by the Church and internationally endorsed documents.
To read the encyclical in Armenian click here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010pontificalmessagearm.pdf
).
To read the encyclical in English click here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010pontificalmessageeng.pdf
).
RELIGIOU S AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS TO MEET
The Religious and Executive Councils will meet tomorrow and Saturday,
January 15 and 16, at the Prelacy offices in New York. The two
councils meet jointly each month.
PRELATE AND VICAR VISIT CONSUL GENERAL
Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan visited Antoine Azzam, Consul
General of Lebanon in New York, on Monday, January 11. Mr. Azzam was
recently honored with the Insignia of the Order of Saint Gregory the
Great from Pope Benedict XVI. Bishop Anoushavan attended the
presentation in November, but Archbishop Oshagan was unable to attend
due to a prior engagement. During their visit this week, Archbishop
Oshagan presented a special gift to the Consul General in recognition
of his recent honor.
ZULAL WILL PERFORM AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
In conjunction with a new exhibit, Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient
Pathway to the Modern World, at the American Museum of Natural History
in New York, Zulal, the popular a cappella trio, will perform on three
Sundays, January 17, January 31 and February 14. Half-hour
performances will be offered at 1: 30, 2:30 and 3:30 pm on each of the
days. For more information: (
4882/goto:
).
SOJOURN AT ARARAT THIS FRIDAY
A one evening performance of Sojourn at Ararat, with Nora Armani and
Gerald Papasian will take place tomorrow evening, Friday, January 18
at 7:30 pm, at Joes Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street,
New York City. Sojourn at Ararat has toured more than 25 cities on
four continents in its English and French versions. For information:
(
4882/goto:
).
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, Thursday, January 14, the Feast of the birth
of St. John the Forerunner, are: Proverbs 8:4-11; Malachi 4:5-7;
Isaiah 40:3-5; Acts 13:25-33; Luke 1:57-80.
And as John was finishing his work, he said, What do you suppose that
I am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to
untie the thong of the sandals on his feet.
My brothers, you descendants of Abrahams family, and others who
fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. Because
the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or
understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they
fulfilled those words by condemning him. Even though they found no
cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him
killed. When they had carried out everything that was written about
him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God
raised him from the dead; and for many days he appeared to those who
came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his
witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God
promised to our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by
raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, You are my
Son; today I have begotten you. (Acts 13:25-33)
For listing of this weeks Bible readings click here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010dbr-1.pdf
).
FEAST OF THE BIRTH OF ST. JOHN THE FORERUNNER
Today, Thursday, January 14, the Armenian Church commemorates the
feast of the birth of St. John the Forerunner (also called St. John
the Baptist). John is an important figure in the New Testament and is
mentioned prominently in all four Gospels, which indicates that he had
an effective ministry baptizing those who repented their sins. He
announced the coming of one greater than himself who is to come
baptizing not with water but with the Spirit. (See Matthew 3:11-12;
Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:16-17; John 1:26-27). According to the account in
the Gospel of Luke, John was the son of Zechariah and
Elizabeth. Elizabeth was a cousin of Mary. John is considered to be
the last of the Old Testament prophets and the precursor of the
Messiah. John is one of the two prime intercessors to Jesus Christ,
the other being Mary, the mother of Jesus.
ANNUAL GHEVONTIANTZ CLERGY GATHERING
The annual clergy gathering on the occasion of the Feast of
St. Ghevont and Priests, will take place at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, February 8-11. The
Feast of Ghevontiantz is celebrated each year preceding the Vartanantz
Feast.
For the agenda of the clergy conference (in Armenian) click
here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010ghevontyantzprogram.pdf
).
MONDAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
This Monday, January 18, is a federal holiday in honor of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929. He attended
public schools in Georgia and graduated from high school at age 15. He
received the B.A. degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta. After
three years of theological study at Crozser Theological Seminary in
Pennsylvania, he received the B.D. degree and continued graduate
studies at Boston University where he successfully completed his
doctoral studies in 1955. Two years later he was elected president of
the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization formed
to provide new leadership for the civil rights movement. King took the
ideals of this organization from Christianity and its operational
techniques from Gandhi. From 1957 to 1968 he traveled more than six
million miles and delivered more than 2,500 speeches, appearing
wherever there was injustice, believing that injustice anywhere is
injustice everywhere. I!
n 1964, at age 35, he received the Nobel Peace Prize. Four years
later, on April 4, 1968, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
Eighteen days after Dr. Kings famous I Have a Dream speech
(August 23, 1963), four little black girls, attending Sunday school in
Birmingham, Alabama, were killed by a bomb set by the Ku Klux
Klan. Dr. King delivered the eulogy in which he asked his followers
not to succumb to hatred and not to become bitter, or harbor the
desire to retaliate with violence. He offered these words of
consolation to the families of the four murdered girls: I hope you can
find some consolation from Christianitys affirmation that death is not
the end. Death is not a period that ends the great sentence of life,
but a comma that punctuates it to more lofty significance. Death is
not a blind alley that leads the human race into a state of
nothingness, but an open door which leads man into life eternal. Let
this daring faith, this great invincible surmise, be your sustaining
power during these trying days.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 31Saint Sarkis name day, celebrating the patron saint of
St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th St., Douglaston, New York, and special
requiem service for Archpriest Rev. Fr. Asoghik Kelejian. Luncheon
and special cultural program following church services. Donation $40.
For reservations: 718-224-2275.
February 6St. Stephens (Watertown, Massachusetts) Ladies Guild, Mardi
Gras celebration, 7 pm at church hallo. Costumes optional; masks a
must. For information: Mary Derderian, [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) or 781-762-4253.
February 8-10Annual Ghevontiantz Clergy Gathering, hosted by
St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts.
February 28 and March 7General Membership meetings of Soorp
Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
March 21Musical Armenia, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York
City. Featured artists: Tanya Gabrielian, pianist; Natalie Aroyan,
soprano.
May 13 to 16National Representative Assembly hosted by
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, and St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.
July 17A Hye Summer Night V, dance hosted by Ladies Guild of
Sts. Vartanantz Church and ARS Ani Chapter, Providence, Rhode
Island. Watch for details.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.
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add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
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Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
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Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])