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
September 14, 2006
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL ATTEND ARMENIA-DIASPORA CONFERENCE; PRESIDE AT THE
DEDICATION OF NEW OFFICES
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan will attend the third Armenia-Diaspora
conference in Armenia as part of the official delegation representing the
Holy See of Cilicia. The conference will begin on Monday, September 18 and
continue to September 20. The first such conference took place in September
1999 and the second in May 2002.
On the evening of Tuesday, September 19, His Eminence will preside over
the official opening of the new offices of the St. Nerses the Great
Charitable and Social Organization, which oversees the Eastern Prelacy’s
charitable work in Armenia and Artsakh. The new office will be named "The
Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian Center," in honor of the late Prelate who
established and named the agency in 1993.
VICAR GENERAL WILL TRAVEL TO SPRINGFIELD
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, the Vicar General, will travel to
Springfield/Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, this weekend where on Sunday he
will officiate over the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory Church.
BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN ATTENDS ANNIVERSARY OF
MALANKARA ORTHODOX CHURCH
Bishop Anoushavan represented Archbishop Oshagan at the 25th anniversary
of St. Mary Malankara Orthodox Church, on Saturday, September 9. The
Malankara Orthodox Church is one of five churches in the Oriental Orthodox
family, which includes the Armenian Church.
BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN ATTENDS ECUMENICAL SERVICE
Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar General of the Eastern Prelacy and Ecumenical
Officer on behalf of the Holy See of Cilicia in the United States, attended
an ecumenical service on the occasion of the opening of the 61st session of
the United Nations General Assembly. The service took place at the Holy
Family Catholic Church in New York City, on Monday evening, September 11 and
was hosted by the Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations. U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke.
EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION OF BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN
WILL BE CELEBRATED ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 1
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over the celebration in honor of the
recent Episcopal consecration of Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian. A
community-wide banquet will take place on Sunday, October 1 at 3 pm at the
Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, New York. In the morning, Bishop
Anoushavan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York, a parish he served for more than a decade. Bishop
Anoushavan’s elevation and consecration took place on June 4, in ceremonies
officiated by Catholicos Aram I in the Cathedral of St. Gregory the
Illuminator in Antelias, Lebanon.
NEW SERIES OF BIBLE STUDY AT PRELACY
An eight-session course on the "Letter to the Hebrews" will start on
Monday, October 2, at the Prelacy from 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, and will continue
to be held on the first and third Mondays of the month. Sponsored by the
Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the course will be conducted by
Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC.
The Letter to the Hebrews is a profound homily, a "word of exhortation"
(Hebrews 13:22). One of the main themes of the Letter is that the old
covenant has been superseded through the sacrificial death of Christ. And
for that reason, studying the Letter to the Hebrews gives a solid biblical
understanding of the "Soorp Badarak" (Holy Sacrifice) that we celebrate on
Sundays.
Registration is required (suggested donation: $25). For registration and
information, please call 212-689-7810 or e-mail at [email protected].
CHILDREN’S CONCERT ON NOVEMBER 18
WILL CELEBRATE THE "COLORS OF FALL"
With the extraordinary success of the Prelacy’s Children’s Concert two
years ago, another concert for children will take place on Saturday
afternoon, November 18, at Florence Gould Hall, at the Alliance Francaise in
New York City, featuring the talented and popular TALINE AND FRIENDS, from
California.
The theme of the concert will be "Fall Colors" (Ashnan Kouyner). Tickets
are $20 each and can be purchased by contacting the Prelacy office,
212-689-7810, Ext. 26.
MIDWEST DATEV PROGRAM NOVEMBER 10-12
The popular summer Datev program goes on the road again with a weekend
program scheduled in the Midwest, November 10 to 12, at the Colombiere
Retreat and Conference Center, Clarkston, Michigan.
The program will include interactive presentations and instructions on
faith-related topics, discussions of religious and current issues, Bible
studies, short worship services, fellowship and recreational activities.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Deacon Shant Kazanjian will be the
instructors and facilitators. For information contact Carolyn Sirian at
248-553-7585 ([email protected]) or Deacon Shant Kazanjian at 212-689-7810
([email protected]).
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES FIRST MEETING
The first meeting of the World Council of Churches’ new Central
Committee took place in Geneva from August 30 to September 6. Participating
on behalf of the Armenian Church were Bishop Vicken Aikazian and Mrs. Paul
Devedjian for the Catholicosate of All Armenians; and Bishop Nareg
Alemezian and Dr. Nora Bairakdarian-Kabakian for the Catholicosate of
Cilicia.
The Armenian Church will have the following representatives in the WCC
consultative bodies for the next seven years:
Faith and Order Standing Commission: Bishop Nathan Hovhannissian
(Etchmiadzin). Faith and Order Plenary Commission: Bishop Vicken Aikazian
(Etchmiadzin), Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian (Cilicia). Commission on World
Mission and Evangelism: Ms. Nayiri Baljian (Cilicia). Commission of the
Churches on International Affairs: Ms. Tsovinar Ghazaryan (Etchmiadzin), Ms.
Vanna Kitsinian (Cilicia). Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic
Church and the World Council of Churches: Bishop Vicken Aikazian
(Etchmiadzin). Joint Commission between Christian World Communions and the
World Council of Churches: Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Cilicia). Youth Body: Ms.
Nayiri Baljian (Cilicia).
FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
This Sunday, September 17, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of
the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Khachverats), which is one of the five
Tabernacle (Daghavar) Feasts commemorated by the Armenian Church. This
holiday is a general celebration of the Cross and is commemorated by all of
Christendom. Most churches celebrate it on September 14; the Armenian Church
celebrates it on the Sunday closest to the 14th. The Cross, once a means of
death for criminals, gradually became the dominant symbol of the Christian
world and an object of reverence and worship. There are four feasts of the
Holy Cross in the Armenian Church with the Exaltation being the most
important. The ceremony begins with the decoration of the Cross with sweet
basil, symbolizing the "living cross". After Bible readings, the officiating
priest lifts the Cross and makes the sign of the cross with it, and blesses
the four corners of the world (Antasdan) and asks the Almighty to grant
peace and prosperity to the people of the world.
The Khachverats ceremony was first prepared by Catholicos Sahag
Dzoraporetsi (677-703). He is also the composer of the hymn sung on this
occasion.
As with the other Tabernacle Feasts, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is
preceded by a period of Fasting (Monday to Friday), and followed by a
memorial day (Monday).
15th ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE
Next Thursday, September 21, Armenians worldwide will be commemorating
the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s declaration of independence from the
Soviet Union.
Various events in Armenia and the Diaspora will mark this occasion. Here
in New York City the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia is
presenting a concert, "Now & Then: Music in Armenia after Khachaturian," at
Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center, 129 West 67th Street. For
tickets: 212-501-3330.
GIVING WEEDS A CHANCE..
As those of you who have been following our gardening stories know, this
season our vegetable garden was dormant, for a variety of reasons. So, we
decided to give weeds an opportunity for redemption. We sat back and did
nothing. The result was not pretty! We have the ugliest looking weeds ever
seen. Ever the groundhogs want no part of them. Secretly I had hoped that
left on its own, our garden would produce large quantities of an edible weed
called purslane (PerPer), a very hearty plant known to grow in most unlikely
places-like cracks in the sidewalk. Most of America considers purslane a
weed (like crabgrass) to be destroyed at all cost, and tons of chemicals are
used each year on lawns across the U.S. (Sometime we will share our thoughts
on the American obsession with lawns). Lately, the great virtues of purslane
are being touted, because it has been found to be extremely high in many
nutrients, especially omega-3-higher than in some seafood. I suppose it was
inevitable that some of our upscale restaurants would get wind of this. We
understand that Thomas Keller’s Per Se restaurant in the Time Warner Center
in New York (where a single meal can cost in the hundreds) has been offering
a "Baby Purslane Salad," dressed in olive oil and vinegar.
As for our weeds: We anxiously await our first frost.
We end this week with this quote…
"This tragic day should become a universal day of remembrance of similar
tragedies in the past decade. It should become a day when we commit
ourselves to respect human life and its sacredness as a gift of God and not
to be used as a weapon for any cause. Religion, as a moral and a spiritual
force, should lead the way in this commitment."
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, speaking
about the September 11 anniversary.
Calendar of Events
September 15-2nd Annual Golf Outing of All Saints Church, at Hilldale Golf
Club, Hoffman Estates, Illinois. For reservations and/or information,
847-858-7685.
September 17-Sunday School registration and fellowship, Holy Trinity
Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, following the Divine
Liturgy.
September 17-First Annual Lobster Fest, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 215-482-9200.
September 17-Annual Picnic, St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, on the
church grounds, following church services and the blessing of Basil. For
information: 718-224-2275.
September 18-11th Annual ACEC/School golf outing at Stow Acres Country Club,
Stow, Massachusetts. For information, 781-326-5764.
September 22-Family Night at St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack
Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, 6 pm at Jaffarian Hall.
September 22-23-Retreat, "Nurturing Faith," for Sunday School teachers and
staff of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
September 25-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, 3rd Annual Golf Outing and Award Dinner at Raceway Golf
Course, Thompson, Connecticut. Registration 7:30 a.m. For information
508-872-9629 or church office 508-852-2414.
September 25-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Third Annual Golf Outing. For information, 215-482-9200.
September 28-4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church,
Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey.
For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950.
October 1-Banquet honoring Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian on the occasion of
his recent elevation, at Terrace on the Park, Flushing Meadows, New York, 3
pm. Details will follow.
October 2-New eight-session Bible study on the "Letter to the Hebrews"
begins at the Prelacy, 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, first and third Mondays of the
month, sponsored by AREC. Conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian. For information:
212-689-7810.
October 8-81st anniversary celebration of St. Stephen Church, New Britain,
Connecticut.
October 19-22-Annual bazaar, Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland.
October 22-Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration.
November 3-4- Ladies Guild Food Festival, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
November 3, 4, 5-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual
Bazaar and Food Festival. For information 201-943-2950.
November 5-Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
November 5-36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian
Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts.
November 10-12-Mini Datev program for teens, ages 13 to 18. At Colombiere
Retreat Conference Center in Clarkston, Michigan.
November 11-42nd Anniversary of Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, in
the church hall.
November 11-12-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual "Armenian Fest" at
Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.
November 17 & 18-Annual Bazaar, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts.
November 18-Children’s Concert, GIVING THANKS, sponsored by the Eastern
Prelacy at Florence Gould Hall, Alliance Francaise, New York City, featuring
TALINE AND FRIENDS. Details will follow.
November 26-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
First Episcopal Badarak in Philadelphia by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian.
December 9-Men’s Club Steak Dinner, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
December 24-Sunday School Christmas Pageant, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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