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
March 1, 2007
40th DAY REQUIEM SERVICE FOR HRANT DINK
Archbishop Oshagan has directed all parishes within the Eastern Prelacy
to offer a requiem service this Sunday, March 4, on the occasion of the 40th
day of the death of the Hrant Dink. The noted journalist was assassinated in
Istanbul last month.
In New York City, a united requiem service will take place at St. Vartan
Cathedral, 34th Street and Second Avenue, with the participation of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); the Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America; the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of
America; and the Armenian Missionary Association of America. The requiem
service will begin at 1:30 pm, following Sunday services in the individual
churches. The guest preacher at the requiem service will be The Reverend
Canon Francis V. Tiso, Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical
and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Speakers during the reception/program that will follow the requiem service
include Peter Steinfels, who covers religious news for the New York Times
and writes the Beliefs column; Anna Kushner, coordinator of the Freedom to
Write Program at PEN American Center; and Sonya Frye of the Overseas Press
Club. The students of the Hovnanian School (New Jersey) will offer an
audio/visual presentation about Hrant Dink.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN URGES FAITHFUL
TO SUPPORT ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM
ON HOLY FIRE CEREMONY CONTROVERSY
In response to a worldwide appeal issued by the Armenian Patriarchate of
Jerusalem, Archbishop Oshagan encourages everyone to voice their support of
the Patriarchate on the ongoing dispute surrounding the Holy Fire Ceremony
in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The Holy Fire Ceremony is a religious ceremony that takes place on the
Saturday of Holy Week, within the Tomb of Jesus Christ in the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Coptic
Orthodox and Jacobite-Syrians, all participate in this miraculous Holy
Saturday ceremony where the Holy Fire descends from Heaven and lights up the
lamp within the Tomb of Christ. The ceremony is conducted according to
precise and clear rules and arrangements, which have been in existence for
hundreds of years. According to the centuries-old practice, the Greek
Patriarch and Armenian Patriarch (or representative) enter the Holy Tomb
together, kneel down in front of the Tomb together, and witness the miracle
of the descent of the Holy Fire together. They then transfer the Holy Fire
to members of the Eastern Churches through two windows located in the wall
of the Angel’s Chapel.
During Easter of 2002, the newly elected Greek Patriarch, Irineos I (now
deposed), incited a conflict inside the Holy Tomb with the Armenian
Patriarch’s representative, by demanding a change in the arrangements. Since
that time the conflict has continued to escalate.
The Armenian Patriarchate has made petitions and requests to the Israeli
government for a decision on the matter. After five years only promises have
been given without any decisions. The Patriarch is asking all Armenians to
petition the Israeli government to act with a sense of duty and
responsibility, and to uphold the centuries-old rights of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Archbishop Oshagan urges you to act immediately. For the names and
addresses of the officials who should be contacted (via fax or email), and a
sample letter click pdf.
PRELATE AND VICAR ATTEND MEETING TODAY
Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan attended a meeting today of the
"Christian Arab and Middle Eastern Churches Together (CAMECT)." The
participating churches meet several times during the year to discuss common
concerns and to assess the situation in the Middle East. Today’s meeting
took place at the headquarters of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association
(CNEWA) in New York City.
Today’s meeting and luncheon was sponsored by Archbishop Oshagan, who is
president of CAMECT, and was hosted by Msgr. Archimandrite Robert L. Stern,
Secretary General of CNEWA. Addressing the gathering during lunch was
Archbishop Celestino Migliori, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the
United Nations.
PRELATE WILL ATTEND AGBU CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
This Saturday evening, March 3, Archbishop Oshagan will attend the AGBU
Centennial Celebration at the New York Historical Society. The event will
feature an exhibit of historic photographs from the AGBU Nubarian Library in
Paris.
PRELATE AND VICAR WILL ATTEND ROBERT FISK LECTURE
On Sunday evening, Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan will attend
a lecture by Robert Fisk at Town Hall, New York City. The event is organized
by the Nation Institute and the Lannan Foundation, and coordinated by the
ANCA.
PRELACY LENTEN MEDITATIONS CONTINUE
The second of the six Prelacy Lenten Meditations took place yesterday
evening, Wednesday, February 28. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program focuses on
the seven vices and seven virtues. Last evening, Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian,
pastor of St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, spoke about "Envy and Brotherly
Love."
Using examples from both the Old and New Testaments, Der Nareg showed
the destructiveness of envy and the curative powers of love. Der Hayr urged
everyone to utilize the Lenten season as a time of healing and forgiveness.
Next Wednesday, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, New York City, will continue the series on the seven vices and
virtues by offering his meditation on "Anger and Patience."
The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the
St. Illuminator’s Ladies Guild, and the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious
Education Council (AREC). All of the programs take place at St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general
schedule: Lenten Service at 7:30 pm in the Sanctuary; Lecture at 8 pm in
Pashalian Hall, followed by a light Lenten meal and fellowship. For a
complete schedule of lectures click
LUMES OF LITERATURE SERIES
FROM CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
Throughout the years, the publishing house of the Catholicosate of the
Great House of Cilicia has produced hundreds of valuable books. Chief
amongst these is the series on Armenian Literature, presenting the complete
writings of the authors. Five volumes have already been published. The 6th,
7th, and 8th in the series are expected to be issued within the next two
months. The 6th volume (1,090 pages) includes the works of Soghomon
Makenatsi, Krikoris Arsharouni, Sdepanos Sunetsi, Sahagtoukhd Sunetsi,
Hovhannes Korebisgobos, Khosrovig Tarkmanitch, Ghevont Yerets, Ardavazt
Vanahayr Yerashkhavor, Ishkhanian Hamazasb, Sahag Ardrouni, Yeznig
Goghpatsi, Movses Khorenatsi, Yeghishe, Tavit Anhaght and Yeznig Yerets. The
7th volume (920 pages) consists of the works of Hovhan Otsnetsi and Movses
Kertogh. The 8th volume (670 pages) includes all the hymns of the Armenian
Church.
This series is being published in collaboration with the Department of
Armenian Affairs of the Gulbenkian Foundation, and is under the direct
supervision of His Holiness Aram I and Dr. Zaven Yegavian, Director of the
Department of Armenian Affairs of the Gulbenkian Foundation.
MUSICAL ARMENIA
The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place Sunday, March 25, 2 pm,
at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25.
Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan (accompanied by Evan Solomon)
and the Ararat Trio, comprised of Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian,
violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello.
Serge Barseghyan has appeared as a soloist in the United States and
Europe, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, and Valencia.
Patil Harboyan was awarded first prize at the Margo Babikian Piano
Competition in Lebanon and the Armenian Allied Arts Association Competition
in Los Angeles. Van Armenian has served as concertmaster of the Pacific
Music Festival Orchestra in Japan and of the Colorado-based National
Repertory Orchestra. Hrant Parsamian was awarded highest prizes at the
Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition and the Olga Koussevitzky
Competition.
The Musical Armenia concerts have been presented since 1982. Its goal is
to showcase the talents of young Armenian artists. If you would like to
purchase tickets and/or become a sponsor of this year’s Musical Armenia
concert please contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail to
[email protected].
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. For details
click
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:
May 5-In the New England area in Providence, Rhode Island.
May 12-In the Mid-Atlantic area in Teaneck, New Jersey.
May 18-In the Mid-West in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National
Representative Assembly.
Watch for details.
BUSINESSMAN FROM TAIWAN HELPS
RENOVATION OF NOUBARASHEN ORPHANAGE
For many years the Eastern Prelacy has sponsored the Noubarashen
Orphanage in Yerevan for children with special needs. The building was built
in 1970, but has been poorly maintained for decades. Thanks to the Edward
Malkonian Fund, administered by the Prelacy, major renovations have been
taking place during the past several years. Late last year, Steve Kao, a
Taiwanese businessman, agreed to secure the funds necessary to renovate the
orphanage’s primitive kitchen. He and his local Rotary Club donated $15,000,
and the renovation of the kitchen was just completed. The orphanage
currently houses 120 handicapped children. Mr. Kao’s only connection to
Armenians is a trusted Armenian friend, Mr. Garbis Garboushian of
Burlington, New Jersey, who suggested the project. Aside from this generous
donation, Mr. Kao sponsors several orphans through the Prelacy’s Orphan
Sponsorship Program.
If you would like to sponsor an orphan click
ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
This Saturday, March 3, the Armenian Church remembers St. Cyril
(315-386) of Jerusalem, a Doctor of the Church. St. Cyril had a pleasant and
conciliatory disposition, but unfortunately he lived at a time when bishops
were embroiled in bitter controversies and were quick to condemn any
attempts at compromise as treason. Sixteen years of his thirty-five years as
a bishop were spent in exile. When a famine hit Jerusalem, he sold some of
the possessions of the church to raise money for the poor people who were
starving to death. He was condemned for selling church property and was
banished. His best-known work that survived, The Catechetical Lectures, is
believed to be one of the earliest systematic accounts of Christian
theology. The lectures consist of an introductory lecture, followed by
eighteen lectures on the Christian faith that were used during Lent for
those preparing to be baptized on Easter, and five lectures on the
sacraments to be used after Easter. The lectures have been translated into
many languages including English and Armenian, and are noted for their
presentation of the Christian faith in a positive light and maintaining a
balance between correct belief and holy action.
SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON
Our journey through Great Lent continues. This Sunday, March 4, is the
Sunday of the Prodigal Son. The parable of the Prodigal Son is intended to
show God’s fatherly love and eagerness to forgive those who repent. The
well-known story describes an errant son whose absence causes pain to his
father. When the son returns the father welcomes him with open arms and
jubilation much to the distress of an older son who had remained faithful.
But the father says, "It is fitting to make merry and be glad, for your
brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." You can
read the story of the Prodigal Son in the Gospel according to Luke, chapter
15, verses 11 to 32.
IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
In spite of a long history of hostile neighbors, many invasions,
occupations, and persecutions, the Armenian language was not lost,
assimilated or changed. Even during the many long periods without political
independence, the language survived as a vigorous medium of expression and
many excellent works of literature were produced. The renaissance of
Armenian literature in the 19th century, for example, which produced such
writers as Raffi, Sundukian, and Apovian, occurred at a time when Armenia
had no political independence and had been under foreign subjugation for
five centuries. Working under such oppressive conditions, the Armenian
language preserved its integrity, its vigor, and its beauty of expression,
and continued to bring forth literary masterpieces.
The Encyclical issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language is
on the Prelacy’s web page. To read the encyclical in Armenian click
. To read the encyclical in
English click
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, March 1, are 1 Samuel 3:21-4:18; Proverbs
3:11-4:14; Jeremiah 2:31-3:16.
"And you, O generation, heed the word of the Lord. Have I been a
wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people
say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to thee’? … "And when you have
multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the Lord, they
shall no more say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come
to mind, or be remembered, or missed; it shall not be made again." (Jeremiah
2:31-3:16).
For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click
et us then, my brethren, endure in hope. Let us devote ourselves, side by
side with our hoping, so that the God of all the universe, as he beholds our
intention, may cleanse us from our sins, fill us with high hopes from what
we have in hand, and grant us the change of heart that saves. God has called
you, and you have your calling."
(from The Catechetical Lectures, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who is
remembered by the Armenian Church this Saturday).
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
8-2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral,
New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great Lent. Lenten service at 7:30
pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme:
Seven Vices and Seven Virtues. For further information click
Febru ary 25-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois.
February 25-First membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church,
Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
March 4-Second membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.
March 4-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
Massachusetts.
March 4-Membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.
March 4-Membership meeting, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.
March 18-Membership meeting, St. Illuminator Cathedral, New York City.
March 18-Membership meeting, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
March 25-Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm.
Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge
Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan,
piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello).
April 1-Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen’s Church,
Watertown, Massachusetts.
April 14-Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert
will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For
information, 617-924-7562.
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, St. Regis Hotel, New York
City.
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 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. For information click
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.
Visit our website at