Author: Varosian Antranik

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

September 12, 2006
___________________

PRIMATE INVITES YOUNG PRIEST FROM ARMENIA TO DIOCESE

By Jake Goshert

On Sunday, September 10, 2006, Fr. Khatchadour Kesablyan will celebrate the
one-year anniversary of his priestly ordination by celebrating the badarak
at his new home, the Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, MA.

Born and raised in Armenia, Fr. Kesablyan was invited to join the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians. He and his wife, Anna, and their 9-month-old
daughter, Maria, arrived in Cambridge on August 6 for a one-year posting as
a pastoral intern.

"I am pleased Fr. Khatchadour accepted my invitation to join us here in the
United States," Archbishop Barsamian said. "He is a faithful young man,
anxious to share his energy and passion for Christ with our parishioners. I
know he will be warmly welcomed by all the Armenians in his new home."

YOUNG FAITH

Fr. Kesablyan was born in the city of Etchmiadzin in Armenia in 1976. With
several priests in his extended family, he saw the power of faith close-up
from an early age.

"I was raised in a family full of faith," he said. "The idea of God was
always in my heart because I saw it in the eyes of my family as they came
and went to church. I also had many relatives who were priests, and they
noticed in my faith and desire to serve God and his people."

With the encouragement of his family, at the age of 15 he enrolled in the
Kevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Following his graduation in 1998, he taught history and the New Testament at
the seminary for a year. Fr. Kesablyan then spent two years as a chaplain
in the Armenian army.

>From 2002 to 2005, he was the executive secretary of the Department of
Intern-church Relations for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

He was ordained into the priesthood on September 11, 2005, and served in the
Diocese of Siunik in southern Armenia.

"What I am called to do is to serve not only God, but his people in whatever
way I can," Fr. Kesablyan said about his ministry.

NEW HOME

While in Cambridge, Fr. Kesablyan is adjusting to life in America and taking
English lessons. He is also actively serving the parish alongside its
pastor, Fr. Vasken Kouzouian. He will be working with Sunday and Armenian
School students, aiding youth programs, visiting shut-ins and nursing homes,
and serving in other pastoral ways. His wife is singing in the choir and
will be joining Fr. Kesablyan in working with the junior choir.

"The community loves this man and his family," Fr. Kouzouian said. "They
see how warm and welcoming he is. Overall, we’re very excited to have him
with us."

Fr. Kesablyan said he is pleased by his welcome, and that he is enjoying
learning about life in an Armenian parish in America. He is energized to
see the effort being made in America to retain the Armenian nature of the
church.

"I am positively impressed with the Armenian community here in the United
States, so many thousands of miles away from our homeland, yet they retain
their faith and ties to national traditions — the Armenian spirit, our
culture and language, and of course our fundamental traditions," he said.
"To keep these things here in America is a very difficult task, but the
Armenians are doing it."

"I would like to express my gratitude and respect to His Holiness Catholicos
Karekin II and Archbishop Barsamian, who have offered their blessing to this
new phase in my ministry and life," Fr. Kesablyan said. "Also, I want to
thank the pastor of Holy Trinity, the parish council, and the community here
for their warm welcome and hospitality."

ASSISTING THE TRANSITION

Fr. Kesablyan is the first young priest to come to the United States at the
invitation of the Eastern Diocese as part of a new effort to provide
Armenian-born clergy with the understanding and knowledge to effectively
serve parishes in America.

Under the internship program, clergy coming from the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin will spend at least one year serving under an experienced pastor
in the Eastern Diocese. The interning priest will meet with his mentor
pastor on a weekly basis and be evaluated every two months by both the
mentor and the Primate. The purpose of the evaluations is to give proper
help and additional guidance to the interning priest.

Along with his mentor-priest, the interning clergy will meet with various
other leaders of the Diocese to discuss the responsibilities of priests in
America. They will meet with Fr. Daniel Findikyan and Dr. Roberta Irvine
from St. Nersess Seminary to study educational and homiletic issues. They
will meet with Fr. Karekin Kasparian and Fr. Untzag Nalbandian to discuss
their psychological readiness. Fr. Simeon Odabashian will instruct the
clergy on Diocesan and parish organization and functionality. Fr. Vasken
Kouzouian will work with the interning clergy to improve their English and
knowledge of American customs. Yn. Arpi Kouzouian will meet with the
yeretzgins from Armenia to summarize expected duties.

"This is part of an effort to make new clergy from Armenia comfortable and
capable of serving in parishes throughout the Eastern Diocese," Archbishop
Barsamian said. "While the word of God remains the same worldwide, our
expectations and the demands we put on priests here in America are quite
different than those faced by clergy in Armenia. And we want to diminish
any barriers — cultural, linguistic, psychological — that would keep a
devoted young Armenian clergyman from serving the flock here in America."

— 9/12/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): At the invitation of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and with the blessing of His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Fr.
Khatchadour Kesablyan, a priest from Armenia, has begun serving a one-year
pastoral internship at the Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, MA, under the
parish’s priest, Fr. Vasken Kouzouian.

September 8, 2006

PRESS RELEASE

Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF SEPTEMBER 11 AND FOR WORLD PEACE

By the ordination of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate,
special prayers will be offered in all our Prelacy churches on Sunday,
September 10, 2006, in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks
of September 11, 2001. Prayers will also be offered for global peace
and the cessation of wars.

HOLY MASS AT THE LAS VEGAS PARISH

The Armenian Apostolic Church of Las Vegas continues to offer Holy
Mass for the community on a monthly basis. On Sunday, September 10,
Archpriest Dr. Mesrob Tashjian will conduct Holy Mass at the Lakes
Lutheran Church. Services will begin at 3:00 p.m.

ANNUAL BAZAAR OF ST. GREGORY CHURCH IN SAN FRANCISCO

The annual bazaar of St. Gregory Church of San Francisco will commence
on Friday, September 15, at the "Henry Khatchadourian" Center of KZV
Armenian School.

The three-day bazaar is organized by the Parish Pastor and Board
of Trustees, with the collaboration of the Ladies Guild and various
committees.

Brantford Expositor (Ontario)
September 7, 2006 Thursday

Novel spurs man’s search for family

by Elizabeth Yates

Marsha Skrypuch’s curiosity has had a life-altering payoff for
Brantford’s Carl Georgian, whose dad’s life is explored in a new book
called Aram’s Choice.

Kevork Kevorkian, whose Anglicized name was George Georgian, was an
Armenian refugee who came to Canada in 1923. His experience as a
Georgetown Boy – 100 youngsters rescued by the Armenian Relief
Association of Canada – is portrayed in Skrypuch’s novel for young
readers, Aram’s Choice.

After meeting Georgian some 17 years ago and hearing his father’s
story, Skrypuch set off on a stream of research into the Armenian
genocide that has fueled three books so far, with more yet to come.

Meanwhile, Georgian, now 70 and retired from a multi-faceted career
that included teaching in the Arctic, is undertaking his own
exploration of a fascinating family history,

It’s a complicated story, set half a world away.

Around 1915, during the Armenian genocide, Kevork’s father, Hanna,
separated from his mother, Turfanda. He had been conscripted into the
Turkish army; she left Armenia, moving around the Middle East as a
refugee for a few years before remarrying and then relocating to
Uruguay, one of few countries to welcome Armenian immigrants, in
1928.

The boy was raised by an aunt for a while, kept safe at a monastery
during the years of slaughter. When conditions improved, he returned
to live with his father. But when Hanna remarried, he sent Kevork
away – to join thousands of Armenian refugee children in Greece.

That’s where Aram’s Choice begins, as a visitor comes to tell the
children some will be taken to Canada: a land where the boys will
find peace, jobs and plenty.

In real life, Kevork spent about four years at Georgetown Boys’ Farm
– where the denizens were forbidden to speak Armenian – before going
to work for a farmer near Hagersville. He was treated well there
until his indenture ended, Georgian reports, and then moved on to
another farm in Dunnville. Eventually, Kevork become a well- known
figure in the community, spending 40 years working as milkman for the
local dairy.

"In Dunnville, they used to say you could set your watch by when
George came to your house," says Georgian.

Meanwhile, Turfanda had apparently been searching for her son and
eventually made contact by letter. The pair were to reunite, but she
died in 1967, just as he was making arrangements to visit.

"Even on her deathbed, she was kissing a picture of my father,"
Georgian was later told by relatives.

Contact information for the family in South America was lost after
Kevorkian died in 1985, says Georgian, who began researching his
heritage after retiring from Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and
Universities in 1996. Since then, he has located descendants of
Turfanda’s three brothers, who came with her to Uruguay. That branch
of the family now lives in Brazil.

Hanna Kevorkian, meanwhile, had moved to Syria with his second bride;
their relations are located in the Middle East and now in Toronto. "I
see them all the time."

A married father of two and grandfather of four, Georgian has
discovered a new appreciation for his Armenian heritage while digging
into these tangled roots. He has learned the language and studied the
history of the ancient people who once occupied a vast region of Asia
Minor.

"It’s a really amazing story. And I’m just getting into it now."

Talks at Level of Armenian and Azeri FMs to Be Held in London September 13

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2006 16:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next round of talks over settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict at the level of Armenian and Azeri FMs
with participation of the OSCE MG co-chairs will be held in London
September 13, reported Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov. "To all appearance
the format of the talks will be such that we will meet with the MG
co-chairs separately," Mammadyarov told journalists Wednesday. "I have
already agreed to meet with the co-chairs in London September 13,"
the Minister said, reported Interfax.

SUPREME MEETING OF ARF’S ARMENIA ORGANIZATION STARTS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The opening
ceremony of the 10th Supreme Meeting of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun’s
Armenia organization took place in the RA Governmemt Sitting Hall on
September 7. Following the ceremony, the ARF members left for Sevan
to hold a secred closed meeting there.

Speeches of welcome were made by Hrant Margarian, representative
of the ARF Bureau, Andranik Margarian, RA Prime Minister, Chairman
of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Vartan Oskanian, RA
Foreign Minister, Mher Shahgeldian, Vice Chairman of the Orinats
Yerkir Party, NA deputy, and Paruyr Hayrikian, leader of the
National Self-Determination Union. Among those invited were the
current and former heads of the RA President’s Staff, government
members, including the Defence Minister Serge Sargsian, leaders
of the pro-government and opposition parties and representatives
of the authorities. Hrant Margarian noted that corrupion, social
polarization, poverty, injustice – the phenomena that hinder Armenia’s
economic development may be overcome by a political force that has
its program, world outlook and prospects, also its political will,
determination, unbiased rigorousness. Saying that the ARF is the
political force needed, he made an appeal to his co-partisans:
"Let’s repair our will at this meeting and let’s win our people’s
confidence manadate by hard work and fair elections." Expressing a
high opinion about the long-standing cooperation between the ARF and
the RPA, Andranik Margarian said that there are problems, on which
the two parties have "common, close positions", but their positions
differ with respect to some problems, "but it will not create such a
situation between the two parties or within the coalition that will
prevent us from proceeding along a common path." Armen Rustamian,
representative of the ARF’s Armenia Supreme Body, Chairman of the
National Assembly Standing Committee of Foreign Relations, made a
large political report at the conclusion of the opening ceremony. He
spoke about the last 15 years, during which Armenia was independent,
addressed the current problems, noting that in some cases the speed of
their solution is not satisfactory. During Armen Rustamian’s speech
when participants expressed their opinions about the opposition’s
actions after the 2003 national elections, Aram Karapetain, leader
of the New Times Party and Grigor Harutyunian, member of the ruling
body of the People’s Party of Armenia, secretary of the NA Justice
facuion, left the hall. In response to NT correspondent’s question,
Grigor Harutyunian said that he left the hall in protest as he does
not agree to A. Rustamian’s opinions concerning the April 2004 events,
for which the ARF also bears responsibility. A. Rustamian particularly
said that the post-election tension became apparent a year after
the elections: "The opposition tries to substantiate its attempts
to carry out a shift of power through straining the home political
sitaution and making calls for disobedience by the existence of a
social demand and by making its own comments on the Constitutional
Court’s decision". In reality, according to ARF SB representative,
"being inspired in some sense by the revolution in the neighboring
country, the opposition comments the existence of unsolved problems
and some difficulty related to it as the people’s order for the
opposition to carry out an immediate shift of power."

THREE MORE WITNESSES TO TESTIFY IN AZERBAIJANI ARMY OFFICER RAMIL SAFAROV’S TRAIL IN HUNGARY

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 4 2006

Tomorrow, Hungarian court will hold next court hearing on jailer’s
claim against Ramil Safarov, Azerbaijani Army officer, who was
sentenced to life in prison for murdering Armenian lieutenant Gurgen
Markarian in Hungary.

Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary told the APA three more witnesses will
testify in the trial. Clara Fisher, new Hungarian lawyer for Ramil
defends him on this case.

While being held in Hungarian prison in 2004, jailers wanted telephone
card from Ramil. But Ramil could not understand Hungarian which led
an incident between them. Eight police officers tied his hands and
used force. Though lawyers for the Azerbaijani lieutenant appealed to
court related to this matter, the court dismissed the appeal saying
there was no evidence. Then the opposite side claimed that Ramil
resisted officials.

Clara Fisher, new Hungarian lawyer for Ramil defends him on this case.

Another Hungarian lawyer Koch Machar will defend Ramil in the trial
in the Court of Appeal.

CENTRAL BANK HOLDS EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN NATIONAL CURRENCY IN IJEVAN

Panorama.am
13:53 04/09/06

The Central Bank (CB) of Armenia opened an exhibition of the national
currency of Armenia, dram, September 2 in Ijevan. The event aims
to introduce the public of Tavush to the history of the Armenian
dram and the activities of CB. CB press services told Panorama.am
that the exhibition will run for 10 days. Regional authorities
will help to organize visits of schoolchildren to the fair. CB
officials will also deliver lectures at Ijevan branch of Yerevan
State University. Such events were also organized in Lory region and
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. It is expected to include Gegharkunik in
the program.

Azerbaijan holding talks with countries of Central Asia on Kars-Akhalkalak
rail project

ArmRadio.am
02.09.2006 14:33

The Azerbaijani side is holding active talks with Kazakhstan and other
countries on the issue of participation in the Kars-Akhalkalak rail
project. The railroad will be constructed in two years, Azeri Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told the journalists. He noted also that he
intends to visit the countries of Central Asia to hold consultations
on the question.

`Karekin II Work Project’ will get Blessing from His Holiness

ArmRadio.am
01.09.2006 18:02

At 3 pm on September 4th in Armenia Marriott Hotel an opening ceremony
of ` His Holiness Karekin II Work Project’ will take a place.

His Holiness Karekin II will give His blessing to the project during
the ceremony. Volunteer construction works will be taken place in
Gavar, Gegharkunik region.

>From September 4 to 9 volunteers from different countries (USA,
Europe and Canada), different backgrounds (church dignitaries and high
ranking officials) churches (Armenian Apostolic and NCCCA) ages and
occupations will come together to finish construction of a 24-unit
condominium building in Gavar, region of Gegharkunik for the needy
families, already selected by HFH Armenia in the frame of the Armenian
Building on Faith 2006.

In the number of International volunteers that are coming to Armenia a
team of National Council of Churches of Christ of America led by the
General Secretary Dr. Bob Edgar, Chair of the International Board of
Director Dr. Nic Retsinas and the Chair of the Board of Directors for
Europe and Central Asia Area Paul Eckelshot and of course the
Catholicos and Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin
II.

On April 20th an agreement between Habitat for Humanity and Armenian
Apostolic Church was assigned. In the frame of this agreement
`Catholicos Karekin II Work Project ` Armenian Build on Faith’ was
launched. HFH Armenia will build 37 homes in the frame of this
project, symbolizing The Holy See of Mother Echmiadzin and 36 dioceses
of Armenian Apostolic Church.

ARMENIAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP OPPOSES DEPLOYMENT OF TURKISH FORCES IN LEBANON

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Aug 31 2006

WASHINGTON, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian
Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical churches in the United States
were joined by leading grassroots Armenian American organizations in
urging President Bush to oppose the deployment of Turkish forces within
Lebanon as part of an international peacekeeping operation. According
to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), in a letter sent
to the White House on August 30, the community leaders stressed that,
"Turkey’s record of genocide, massacres, aggression and torture
is deeply inscribed in the collective memory of the Lebanese, the
Armenians, the Greeks, the Cypriots, the Kurds and the Arab people
everywhere.

Far from being a credible peacemaker, Turkey carries heavy liabilities
that would only complicate an already complex peacemaking mission
that the U.S. must pursue in Lebanon and the region." The following
Churches and community organizations participated in this initiative:
Armenian Catholic Exarchy of the United States and Canada, Armenian
Missionary Association of America, Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, Eastern U.S., Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Western U.S., Armenian American Democratic Leadership Council, Armenian
National Committee of America, Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Youth
Federation, Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Society,
Homenetmen Armenian General Athletic Union, National Organization of
Republican Armenians. The leadership of the Lebanese Armenian community
unanimously and forcefully opposes the introduction of Turkish troops
onto Lebanese soil. Earlier this month, the three Armenian political
parties in Lebanon, namely the Armenian Revolutionary Federation,
the Social Democratic Henchakian Party, and the Armenian Democratic
Liberal Party, issued a joint declaration expressing the collective
opposition of Lebanese Armenians to any Turkish participation in
peacekeeping operations. An appeal against the introduction of Turkish
forces was also released by Lebanon’s Armenian religious leadership,
comprising the Armenian Apostolic, Armenian Catholic, and Armenian
Evangelical communities.

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, earlier this week wrote
a letter to Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations,
expressing opposition to the deployment of Turkish forces in
Lebanon. In a powerfully worded letter he addressed Turkey’s ongoing
use of aggression and genocide, describing Turkish participation in
a peacekeeping mission as "morally unacceptable." The opposition of
the Greek American community to the inclusion of Turkish forces in
Lebanon’s peacekeeping operation was communicated to the President
last month in a letter from the American Hellenic Institute.