April 5, 2007
LITURGY AND REQUIEM SERVICE FOR THE MARTYRS OF APRIL
The Divine Liturgy and a solemn requiem service will be conducted on the
evening of April 24, at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New
York City, in memory of the million and a half Armenians who perished during
the Genocide of 1915.
Under the auspices of the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, the
liturgy will be celebrated by Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of the
Cathedral, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Vicar General, Bishop Anoushavan
Tanielian, will deliver the sermon. A special memorial program dedicated to
the memory of Hrant Dink will follow the liturgy and requiem service, both
of which will be conducted at the Cathedral’s Martyrs’ Altar.
PRELATE AND VICAR VISIT THE ELDERLY
IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY
Last week Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan made their
traditional Easter visits to the two homes for elderly Armenians in the New
York metropolitan area, in Flushing, New York and Emerson, New Jersey.
The Prelate and Vicar, together with area clergymen, conducted services
for the residents and spent time afterwards interacting with them. The
residents look forward to these visits, which the clergymen make several
times each year.
PRELATE AND VICAR WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK
Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan will return from Montreal,
Canada, on Monday. They have been in Montreal since Tuesday for a Bible
translation session.
VICAR WILL ATTEND WCC MEETINGS NEXT WEEK
Bishop Anoushavan will participate in the semi-annual Board of Directors’
meeting of the U.S. Conference of the World Council of Churches next week,
Monday and Tuesday, April 16 and 17.
GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIONS
The Armenian National Committee of New York is hosting its annual City
Hall Armenian Genocide Commemoration on Friday, April 20th. It will take
place at the Surrogate’s Courthouse, north of City Hall, in Manhattan, at
6:30 pm. It is open to the public. Buses will depart from: The Armenian
Center in Woodside at 5:30 pm; St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, at 5:00 pm;
Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, at 5:00 pm, Baruir’s Grocery, Sunnyside, at
5:30 pm; and from Brooklyn, at the corner of Coney Island and Brighton Beach
Ave., at 5:00 pm. For information: 718-651-1530.
The annual commemoration in Times Square will take place Sunday, April
22, beginning at 2 pm, at Times Square, 43rd Street and Broadway, New York
City. The event is sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan and
co-sponsored by the AGBU, Armenian Assembly, ArmenPac, and the ANCA.
Participants include the Diocese of the Armenian Church, the Prelacy of the
Armenian Church, the AMAA, the Armenian Presbyterian Church, the Armenian
Evangelical Church, and the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of the United States
and Canada. Bus transportation is being provided from all Armenian churches
in New York and New Jersey as well as from the Armenian Center in Woodside,
New York, Baruir’s Grocery, Sunnyside, New York, and the Hovnanian School,
New Milford, New Jersey.
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME..
The United Nations postponed (and possibly cancelled) the scheduled
opening of an exhibit on the Rwandan genocide that had been installed in the
visitors lobby of the United Nations headquarters in New York, by the
British-based Aegis Trust, which campaigns for the prevention of genocide.
The trust sponsors a center in Kigali in Rwanda, memorializing the 500,000
victims of the massacres there thirteen years ago.
The exhibit was assembled and set to open, when a Turkish diplomat
spotted what he considered to be "offending words" in a section entitled
"What is genocide?" The offending passage said: ".following World War I,
during which one million Armenians were murdered in Turkey, Polish lawyer
Raphael Lemkin urged the League of Nations to recognize crimes of barbarity
as international crimes."
The U.N.’s Secretary General requested that the sentence be removed from
the exhibit. James Smith, CEO of the Aegis Trust, refused saying, "Had we
been asked to remove reference of atrocities to Jews because Germany
objected, we would have been equally resistant. We can’t apply one rule to
some and not to others because the political wind in the U.N. is blowing
against the Armenians." He went on to say, "If we can’t get this right, it
undermines all the values of the U.N. It undermines everything the U.N. is
meant to stand for in terms of preventing [genocide]. You can’t learn the
lessons from history if you’re going to sweep all of that history under the
carpet. And what about accountability? What about ending impunity if you’re
going to hide part of the truth? It makes a mockery of all of this."
2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies
program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN
The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows:
On Saturday, May 5, the first of the three celebrations will take place
at The Marriott in Providence, Rhode Island, with the participation of all
of the parishes in New England, Connecticut, and Troy, New York.
On Saturday, May 12, the second celebration will take place at The
Marriott at Glenpointe, in Teaneck, New Jersey, with the participation of
all of the parishes in the Mid Atlantic, which includes New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.
The final celebration will take place during the National Representative
Assembly (NRA) which is being hosted by St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn,
Michigan. This will take place on Friday, May 18, at Double Tree Hotel in
Dearborn, with the participation of the parishes in the Mid-West, as well as
the NRA delegates and guests.
2007 NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY IN DEARBORN
The 2007 National Representative Assembly (NRA) will be hosted by St.
Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan.
PLG MOTHERS DAY LUNCHEON APRIL 7
The popular Mothers Day luncheon presented by the Prelacy Ladies Guild
will take place on Monday, April 7, at the St. Regis in New York City.
This year’s Mother of the Year is Mrs. Lalig Bayrakdarian, mother of six
children, including the famed Metropolitan Opera star, Isabel Bayrakdarian.
A special presentation of "Musical Sounds of Armenia" will be provided
by a quartet made up of graduates and current students of Juilliard and solo
dance presentation accompanied by kanon and piano.
For information and/or reservations contact the Prelacy, 212-689-7810.
IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
By order of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, the message of His Holiness
Aram I declaring 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language, will be read in
all Prelacy parishes this Sunday, April 15.
CELEBRATING THE POET AND HIS POETRY
What better way to celebrate the Year of the Armenian Language than with
a tribute to an honored poet. Tomorrow evening, Friday, April 13, there will
be a Literary Tribute in memory of the poet Zahrad (1924-2007). It is being
sponsored by the Armenian-American Support and Educational Center (NJ); the
Armenian Cultural Center of Forest Hills, (NY); the Constantinople Armenian
Relief Society; Esayan-Getronagan Alumni; the Hamazkayin Armenian
Educational and Cultural Society (NY); and the Tibrevank Alumni. It will
take place at the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs, Kalustyan Hall,
209-15 Horace Harding Expressway, Bayside, New York. The main lecturer is
Dr. Herand Markarian, with recitations and other contributions offered by
others. Zahrad is one of the great figures in modern Armenian poetry and was
considered to be the leading Armenian poet writing in Istanbul.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Passages from the Old Testament are read every Sunday preceding the
readings from the Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles and the Gospel. All
the Old Testament books are used except Judges, I Chronicle, I and II
Esdras, Nehemiah, Ruth, Tobit and II and III Maccabees. Next to the Psalms,
most of the selections are from the books of Genesis, Exodus, Proverbs, Job,
the Prophets (especially Isaiah). During the liturgical year all of the New
Testament is read, and the Gospels are read in their entirety more than once
a year. During Holy Week and the fifty days following Easter, the Scriptural
readings are intensified more than any other time.
Bible readings for today, April 12, are: Acts 4:13-31; James 1:13-27;
Matthew 5:1-12. Evening Gospels: Luke 24:36-40; Matthew 5:1-12.
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his
disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed
are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for
they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and
be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the
prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:1-12.
NEW SUNDAY
This Sunday, April 15, is "New Sunday." Easter Sunday is followed by a
period of fifty days (Hinoonk) during which there are no fasting days or
saints days. This period, from the Resurrection to Pentecost (Hogegaloost)
is dedicated to the glorification of the Resurrection. Each of the seven
Sundays of Hinoonk has a separate name. This Sunday, the first Sunday after
Easter, is called New Sunday (Nor Kiraki), since the first day of the week
through Christ’s resurrection became consecrated and Sunday became a
dominical day. By virtue of its being the eighth day of Easter and a day
similar to Easter, it is also called Second Easter (Grgnazadig, which
literally means Easter repeated).
TAX DAY IS APRIL 17 THIS YEAR
Usually the deadline for filing income tax forms is April 15. Because
the 15th is a Sunday, the deadline should have been Monday the 16th, but
because the 16th is a local holiday in Washington, D.C., the deadline this
year became April 17. Hence, a two-day reprieve for all the procrastinators.
"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to
heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’"
(Luke 18:13)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 14-Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Simons, Meze and dessert
will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For
information, 617-924-7562.
April 15-Health and Wellness lectures hosted by St. Sarkis Church, 38-65
234th Street, Douglaston, NY, 1 to 5 pm. Presentations by medical
professionals on current health issues. Refreshments; donations welcome. For
information, Dr. Arthur Kubikian, 718-786-3842 or church office,
718-224-2275.
April 20-City Hall Genocide Commemoration, hosted by the Armenian National
Committee of New York, at Surrogate’s Courthouse, north of City Hall in
Manhattan. The program will begin at 6:30. Open to the public.
May 5-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the
New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island.
May 6-30th anniversary of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, Terrace on
the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm.
May 7-Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers’ Day Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., St. Regis
Hotel, Two East 55th Street (at Fifth Avenue), New York City. Special
entertainment, "Musical Sounds of Armenia."
May 12-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid
Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New
Jersey.
May 12-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert
featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian.
May 12-Armenian Dance party, St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard,
Massachusetts.
May 18-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in
Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly.
May 20-"Hello Ellis Island" and Reception, St. Stephen’s Church Hall,
Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562.
July 1-8-St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian
studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
July 21-Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode Island, and
ARS Ani Chapter present "A Hye Summer Night 2." For information
401-286-8107.
August 7-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf
tournament at Blackstone Country Club.
August 19-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church picnic.
September 29-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th
anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley.
December 1-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church bazaar.
December 9-St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary
celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.
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