Istanbul: Collective Baptism on Kinali Island

Lraper Church Bulletin 26/07/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
[email protected]
<; COLLECTIVE BAPTISM ON KINALI ISLAND Photos: ;NewsCode=N000000770&Lang=ENG On the occasion of the Feast of Our Ancestor St. Gregory the Illuminator's sons and grandsons, 16 children were baptized at once in a group ceremony held in the afternoon of Saturday, 16 July 2005. In the ceremony, which was led by His Beatitude Mesrob II, the Patriarch first spoke generally about the inner meaning of baptism and then described how the 16 children belonged to Armenian families who had emigrated to Istanbul from remote rural areas and thus had not yet been baptized. With permission from the parents, their teachers had prepared the children for baptism and had found them godfathers. After the children and their godfathers said together the Nicene Creed and listened to the reading of the Holy Gospel, they processed to the baptismal pool in the church garden. His Beatitude the Patriarch poured Sacred Myron into the baptismal pool to the accompaniment of the hymn, "Arakelo Agavno." He then asked the godfathers what they wished from God and from God's Holy Church. The godfathers declared in unison that they wanted faith, hope, love, and baptism, to be baptized and to be justified, to be cleansed of sin, to be saved from evil powers, and to serve God. The children one by one then entered the baptismal pool from the West and were baptized by Father Tatul Anusyan. As they emerged from the pool, His Beatitude anointed them one by one with the Holy Myron. The baptised children then dressed in new white clothes, and the ceremony continued. Father Garabed Terziyan brought the children to the Holy Altar where they prostrated before the sacred elements and took Holy Communion. The group baptism concluded with a blessing from Patriarch Mesrob and the Lord's Prayer said in unison. After the ceremony the group baptism was celebrated with tea and the sharing of a baptismal cake, which all the children joined. The baptised children and their godfathers are as follows: Minas Demirci (b 1992) - Aras Nalbantgazaroglu Lori Demirci (b 1992) -Daniel Antikacioglu Yeraz Kaz (b 1992) - A. Murat Emirzeoglu Ani Kaz (b 1992) - Aram Kalenderoglu Azad Demirci (b 1994) - Khacik Tasci Srpuhi Kaz (b 1994) - Raffi Bilal Sant Demirci (b 1995) - Sant Markaroglu Meline Matosoglu (b 1996) - Isak Tahmincioglu Mane Ebrahamoglu (b 1996) - Isak Tahmincioglu Talar Kaz (b 1997) - Levon Sadyan Zulal Ebrahamoglu (b 1997) - Sercan Akdag Markrid Alyanak (b 1998) - Herman Toros Burak Yigitkurt (b 2000) - Sarkis Erlevent Naira Alyanak (b 2000) - Rupen Dervogormyaciyan Jbid Yigitkurt (b 2001) - Yeprem Gez Hagop Kaz (b 2002) - Raffi Sadyan