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
June 16, 2005
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN HEADS FOR LEBANON
Archbishop Oshagan is en route to Lebanon where he will meet with His
Holiness Aram I at the Catholicate in Antelias. One of the topics of
discussion will be the upcoming visit of the Catholicos to the Eastern
Prelacy in October. His Holiness has already visited several dioceses within
the Cilician See and is planning to visit all of the dioceses before the end
of the year in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Seminary in
Antelias. This year is also the tenth anniversary of the election and
consecration of Aram I.
The Prelate will return to New York next week.
ORDINATIONS IN ANTELIAS
Twenty seminary students were ordained as clerics and deacons at St.
Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, Lebanon. Rev. Fr. Tatoul
Anoushian, a member of the brotherhood of the Constantinople Patriarchate
conducted the holy mass. The sermon was delivered by Bishop Kegham
Khatcherian, primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, who spoke about the traits
of people who dedicate themselves to serve the church. “Every one of you was
granted the right of service to the church on a certain level. Each right
assumes an obligation. That obligation being your dedicated service to the
holy church of God. Today you climb the first stairs of this service, so you
can reach higher levels in the future,” he said.
Following the liturgy, the newly ordained servants of the church
proceeded to the Veharan (Catholicosal residence and administration center),
where they received the blessings of His Holiness Aram I. The Catholicos
advised them to prepare themselves for higher service. “Your study years at
the seminary open up our church’s and nation’s treasury. You will have to
gain so much from these years, so you can enrich our people in the near
future on both ecclesiastical and national levels through the riches you
acquired,” he said.
SIAMANTO ACADEMY STUDENTS PERFORM
Following five weeks of rehearsals, Siamanto Academy students
participated in the annual concert presented by the New York Hamazkayin
Chorus dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The
concert took place at the Flushing Town Hall in New York under the
directorship of Vagharshak Ohanian, with David Allahverdian on the piano,
and Isabella Alexandrovski on the kanon. Also featured on the program were
recitations by Lucine Djirdjirian and Dr. Herand Markarian. The Siamanto
students sang songs dedicated to Yerevan including, Karoun Yerevan,
Yerevanian Kisherner, Im Yerevan, Jan Yerevan, Yerevan-Erebouni, and
Hayasdan.
The Siamanto Academy is sponsored by the Armenian National Education
Committee.
ARMENIAN CHURCH REMEMBERS KING TIRIDAT, QUEEN ASHKHEN
AND KHOSROVITOUKHT
This Saturday, June 18, the Armenian Church commemorates the lives of
three saints important to the establishment of Christianity in Armenia, King
Tiridate, Queen Ashkhen, and Khosrovitoukht.
King Tiridate was a persecutor of early Christians, having imprisoned
Gregory the Illuminator in a deep pit, and ordering the murder of the nuns
Hripsime and Gayane and their companions. He became a convert when afflicted
with mysterious ailments and demons, he was cured by St. Gregory following
the king’s sister, Khosrovitoukht’s, vision that only Gregory could save her
brother.
Queen Ashkhen, wife of Tiridate, helped the king’s sister in Gregory’s
release. After the Christian conversion of the king, she and the king were
baptized in the Euphrates river by Gregory. She subsequently helped Gregory
establish church communities.
BEAST ON THE MOON EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 5
It’s official. The Beast on the Moon, the popular Off-Broadway play
about two genocide survivors, has been extended to September 5th, according
to David Grillo, the producer of the show.
The nationally syndicated columnist, Liz Smith, has described Beast as
“the hit new Off-Broadway play,” and has told her many readers, “Don’t miss
it!”
For information go to:
LADIES GUILD OF STS. VARTANANTZ WILL CELEBRATE
50TH ANNIVERSARY ON JULY 23
The Ladies’Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island,
will celebrate the Guild’s 50th anniversary on Saturday, July 23, at the
Pawtucket Country Club in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with a gala dinner dance.
For information contact the church office, 401-831-6399.
JEWISH REPORT ON GENOCIDE
The May-June issue of “Special Interest Report” published by The
American Council for Judaism, has an article entitled, “American Jewish
Groups’ Role in Downplaying Turkey’s Mass Murder of Armenians is
Highlighted.” The article describes the Armenian genocide and the campaign
for international recognition and how Turkey has enlisted the aid of Jewish
groups to “prevent Congress from adopting the term ‘genocide’ regarding the
slaughter of Armenians.” The article rightly points out that, “the implicit
support of U.S. Jewish organizations and the tacit support of Israel give
moral cover to any American administration that stops legislation
recognizing the Armenian genocide.”
Yair Auron, a professor at Israel’s Open University and author of The
Banality of Denial: Israel and the Armenian Genocide, is quoted: “To my
sorrow, Israel has become Turkey’s principal partner in helping it deny the
Armenian claims.” Auron says that Israel should have explained to Turkey
from the start that “the Armenian genocide could not be negotiated as part
of their relations.” As custodian of the memory and lessons of the
Holocaust, Israel is obliged to change course on the issue, Auron says. “You
have to take a position; and the historic moral position is one that accepts
the genocide.”
SUNDAY IS FATHERS DAY
This Sunday, June 19, is Fathers Day. The United States is one of the
few countries in the world that has an official “fathers day.” Although
there are different stories of who and where the first fathers’ day was
celebrated, there is agreement that the most ardent promoter of the holiday
was Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane, Washington, who wanted to honor her
father who raised six children after the untimely death of his wife. It is
believed that the first Father’s Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in
Spokane. States began lobbying Congress to declare an annual Father’s Day.
President Woodrow Wilson approved the idea in 1916 as did President Calvin
Coolidge who in 1924 suggested that it be a national event to “establish
more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress
upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.” The celebration of
Father’s Day grew in popularity; however, it was not until 1966 that
President Lyndon Johnson signed a proclamation officially declaring the
third Sunday of June as Father’s Day.
FIRST DAY OF SUMMER
This Tuesday, June 21, is the summer solstice, the longest day of the
year, and the first day of summer (at least here in the northern
hemisphere).
OUR GARDEN NOW AND THEN
We first mentioned our garden last year as a whim, never contemplating
that our garden would take on a life and personality of its own with our
readers. We had no intention of making it a regular commentary, but you-dear
readers-keep asking about the status of our garden when several weeks go by
without a report. Your reaction was totally unanticipated, but most welcome!
When last we spoke of our garden we lamented the cold weather. What
followed could very well be classified in the category of “be careful what
you ask for.” A few days later the east coast was gripped in an
unprecedented June heat wave with temperatures well into the 90s that
continued for almost ten days. Our poor seedling plants, that in May
withstood two nights of frost and survived, were now limp under the hot sun.
Thankfully we only lost a few cucumber plants, but everything else seems to
have survived.
Being a gardener provides one with great respect for nature and
admiration for farmers whose fate depends so heavily on the elements. We
feel closer to God in our garden than anywhere. How can you not believe in
the higher power of God when a small seed breaks the mighty ground, sprouts
and in 60 to 70 days begins to produce vine-ripened, pesticide free,
delicious fruit!
Everything we know about gardening we learned from our father, Krikor,
and our mother-in-law, Hripsime. Both were consummate gardeners, who could
grow anything in defiance of rules and regulations. Being survivors of the
Genocide and of the Great Depression of the 1930s, both of them had little
use for flowers (not edible!).
We are nowhere near their category as gardeners, and never will be. But
our garden is a reminder of them, their lives and the legacy they left us.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from
the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17
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