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
CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – March 31, 2005
UNITED COMMEMORATION OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN NEW YORK CITY
IS EXPECTED TO ATTRACT THOUSANDS FROM EAST COAST
Plans for the joint united commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide are progressing and from all indications thousands of
Armenian Americans are expected to gather at the various events organized by
the joint committee.
It is the duty of every Armenian to make an effort to attend the events
which include: Divine Liturgies at St. Vartan Cathedral and St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, Gathering at Times Square, and Ecumenical and Requiem Services at
St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
For details on these events on April 24 go to the joint committee’s
site: There is also a blog site where individuals
can post their stories, comments, photos, etc.,
Both of these are also accessible through
the Prelacy’s web site:
The organizations represented on the joint commemorative committee are:
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); Eastern Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America; Armenian Assembly of America; Armenian
Democratic Liberal Party; Apostolic Exharchate for Armenian Catholicos in
the U.S.; Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association
of America; Armenian National Committee of America; Armenian Relief Society;
Armenian Revolutionary Federation; Armenian Social Democratic Hunchakian
Party, Knights and Daughters of Vartan.
FATHER HOVNAN BOZOYAN ARRIVES IN U.S.
Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoyan arrived in Boston yesterday with his family. Der
Hovnan was ordained in November 2004 after completing his studies at the
Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia. Der Hayr will spend a
period of training at St. Stephen Armenian Church in Watertown,
Massachusetts, under the guidance of the church’s pastor, Archpriest
Antranig Baljian.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL BE IN NEW JERSEY THIS SUNDAY;
FATHER TANIEL WILL OFFICIATE THE LITURGY AT STS. VARTANANTZ
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over the Divine Liturgy this Sunday,
April 3, with Rev. Fr. Taniel Garabedian officiating at Sts. Vartanantz
Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. Hayr Taniel, who was ordained a celibate
priest last year in Antelias, Lebanon, returned to his home state of New
Jersey to attend the funeral of his grandmother. Father Taniel will return
to Antelias next week where he is continuing his studies. He will return to
the United States in June to begin his service within the Prelacy.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL ATTEND RECEPTION
Archbishop Oshagan will attend a reception at the Yale Club in Manhattan
Monday evening, April 4, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Fund
for Theological Education.
DEACON SHANT MEETS WITH ARAM AND SETA
FROM BEAST ON THE MOON
Closely tied with the 90th commemorative events is the New York premiere
of the off-Broadway production of BEAST ON THE MOON, which is scheduled to
open on Tuesday, April 12, at the Century Center for the Performing Arts,
111 East 15th Street, New York, NY.
At the invitation of David Grillo, the producer of Beast on the Moon,
Dn. Shant Kazanjian, Director of the Armenian Religious Education Council
(AREC), had an informal conversation with the creative team of the
much-anticipated play. Dn. Shant met with the playwright, Richard Kalinoski;
the director Larry Moss; and the two leading actors, Omar Metwally (Aram)
and Lena Georgas (Seta). The hour and fifteen-minute engaging discussion
ranged from formative events in Armenian Christianity and its distinctive
characteristics, to the Armenian Genocide, Armenian Apostolic wedding
service, to various Armenian customs.
Various Armenian organizations have purchased bulk tickets. We have been
informed of the following:
Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Sunday, April 17.
Hovnanian School, Saturday, April 16 (matinee) and April 23 and May 7.
St. Leon’s Church, Saddle Brook, New Jersey, April 23 (matinee); and the
Armenian Radio Hour of NJ, Thursday, April 21.
Contact your local parishes and/or organizations for additional theatre
groups. Make your plans now to see this play about survivors of the
Armenian genocide, which has won critical and popular acclaim in many
countries including best play awards in Paris and Buenos Aires.
For information on the play as well as parking, hotels and restaurants
in the area go to
ANEC WILL PARTICIPATE IN COMMEMORATIONS
In addition to their anticipated attendance at the commemoration
services of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian
National Education Committee (ANEC) has encouraged and augmented the active
involvement of Armenian school students by sending them a pertinent and
age-appropriate information package. ANEC has also invited students to
participate in an art contest depicting the survival and growth of the
Armenian nation and culture.
GET WELL WISHES TO REV. FR. VARTAN KASSABIAN
Our correspondent in North Andover has reported that Rev. Fr. Vartan
Kassabian, pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Merrimack Valley,
North Andover, Massachusetts, has undergone successful hip surgery this week
and is expected to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility. We wish Der
Hayr a speedy recovery and a rapid return to his home, family and
parishioners.
MAGAZINE FEATURES ARMENIA AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
CNN Traveler Magazine, a leading travel magazine published in the United
Kingdom, with a readership of 800,000, features Armenia’s ecology in its
current April issue. The feature describes the current state of the
environment in Armenia, as measured by the health and biological diversity
of its bird population-a marker that scientists believe is one reliable
measure of a region’s ecological health. The article is written by Robert
Kurkjian and Matthew Karanian, who are experts on the Armenian environment.
Their CNN story is an account of the birding expedition that has been
organized by the American University of Armenia’s “Birds of Armenia”
research project. The project, which is funded by the Armenian American
philanthropist and conservationist Sarkis Acopian, has been working for the
past decade to raise environmental awareness in Armenia.
AREC SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER SEMINAR IS NEXT WEEKEND
A reminder that the New England Regional Seminar for Sunday School
teachers will take place next Saturday, April 9, from 10 am to 3 pm, at St.
Stephen Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown, Massachusetts. The seminar
is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) and led by
Deacon Shant Kazanjian. For details go to:
TURKEY EXPECTS UNITED STATES HELP
A press release from the Qatar News Agency that was forwarded to
Crossroads last week stated that the Turkish government is reportedly
contemplating giving consent to the United States for greater use of the
Incerjlik Air Base in exchange for Washington’s help on counteracting what
they described as “allegations about a so-called Turkish massacres committed
against Armenians.”
The Istanbul-based newspaper, Hurriyet, quoted Foreign Minister sources
as saying that the final government decision in this respect would be made
on April 24th, with the not-so-subtle hint that Turkish authorities might
grant Washington unrestricted right to use the military base.
HOLY WEEK CONCLUDES WITH THE RESURRECTION OF EASTER MORNING
Holy Week was observed last week in all of our parishes and from all
reports our churches were overflowing with worshippers not only on the
ever-popular Palm Sunday and Easter, but also for all of the services during
the week. Holy week is truly the pinnacle of the Christian liturgical
calendar. In the Armenian Apostolic tradition, the special music of Holy
Week is particularly beautiful and memorable from Oorakh Ler Yegegeghetsi
Soorp (Rejoice, O Holy Church) of Palm Sunday, to the hauntingly beautiful
Oor Es Mayr Im (Where are you, O Mother) of the vigil of Maundy Thursday
into Good Friday, to Kovya Yeroosaghem Uzder (Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem),
which becomes an exuberant celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.
THIS SUNDAY IS NEW SUNDAY (NOR KIRAKI)
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 Nor Kiraki (New
Sunday), 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
Grgnazadig (Second Easter).
TOMORROW IS APRIL 1
March came in like a lion and is going out like a lamb. Tomorrow is
April 1st, also known as April Fools’ Day. The history of April Fools Day is
not exactly clear, but is thought to have originated with the reform of the
Gregorian Calendar which moved New Year’s Day from April 1 to January 1.
Some people continued to celebrate New Years on April 1 and were called
“April fools.” It eventually evolved into a fun day-no gift buying, no card
sending, no flower deliveries or chocolates-just a day for jokes and pranks.
Mark Twain said that the “First of April is the day we remember what we
are the other 364 days of the year.”
The poet T.S. Eliot called April “the cruelest month,” and certainly for
us Armenians it is. But it is also a month of vibrant rebirth. In Armenian
Abril means “to live.”
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty.
I Corinthians 1:27
April is the crulest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots and spring rain.
>From The Waste Land: “The Burial of the Dead,” by T.S. Eliot
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