PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
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Email: [email protected]
January 20, 2011
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL TRAVEL TO THE VATICAN
FOR THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE
Next week Archbishop Oshagan will travel to the Vatican where he will
participate in the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between
the Roman Catholic and Oriental Orthodox churches. This is the eighth
plenary meeting of the Commission. Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop
Nareg Alemezian are representing the Armenian Church (Catholicosate of
Cilicia).
The Oriental Orthodox churches include the Armenian Church,
Coptic Church, Syrian Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Church, and Eritrean
Church.
ECUMENICAL MEETING AT PRELACY
The Christian and Arab Middle Eastern Churches Together (CAMECT) met
yesterday at the Prelacy offices in New York City. The meeting was
presided by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, President of CAMECT.
The main points of discussion were: How to broaden engagement
of all churches and communities in CAMECT; How to reach out to the
media and political leaders; Organize a symposium in conjunction with
NOURSAT (Tele Leumiere) on April 1-3, 2011, in Detroit, hosted by
Chaldean Catholic community.
CAMECT is a common effort of the following faith communities in
the United States who belong to or are associated with their
respective churches in the Middle East: Antiochian Orthodox Christian
Archdiocese of North America; Armenian Orthodox Church; Armenian
Catholic Church; Armenian Evangelical Church; Assyrian Church of the
East; Chaldean Catholic Church; Coptic Orthodox Church; Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America; Maronite Catholic Church; Melkite Greek
Catholic Church; Presbyterian Church; Syrian Orthodox Church of
Antioch; Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch.
CAMECT gathers two times per year, or more as needed, for the
purposes of Communion, Common Service, Preaching the Gospel, Witness
and Dialogue.
Some of the participants at the CAMECT meeting.
The Executive committee of CAMECT: (left to right), Bishop Manuel
Batakian, Archbishop Oshagan, Bishop Gregory Mansour, and Mrs. Ann
Makhoul.
PRELATE WILL PRESIDE AT ST. SARKIS (DOUGLASTON) THIS SUNDAY
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over the Divine Liturgy this Sunday,
January 23, at St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, New York.
ANEC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO MEET
The governing committee of the Armenian National Education Committee
(ANEC) will convene this Saturday for its first meeting since a recent
re-organization. The meeting will take place at the Prelacy
headquarters in New York under the presidency of the Prelate,
Archbishop Oshagan.
ANEC is a joint project with the Armenian Relief Society and
the Prelacy. It is administered by the director, Vartan Matiossian,
under the guidance of the governing committee. ANEC provides guidance,
coordination, and assistance to the Saturday Armenian schools and day
schools within the jurisdiction of the Prelacy.
Members of ANECs governing committee are: His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan, President, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Harout
Misserlian, Asbed Vassilian, Sossi Essajanian, Lucine Keomurjian, Suzy
Jarkezian, Margaret Babikian, and Valentina Berberian.
YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN CHILD
The Prelate has asked all clergymen within the Eastern Prelacy to
feature the Encyclical issued by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I,
proclaiming 2011 the Year of the Armenian Child, during the Liturgy on
Sunday, January 30, and to make the Year of the Armenian Child a focus
of the days sermon.
ANNUAL GHEVONTIANTZ CLERGY GATHERING
The annual clergy gathering on the occasion of the Feast of
St. Ghevont and the Priests will take place beginning Monday evening,
February 21 and continuing through Thursday, February 24. This year
the three North American Prelacies (Eastern, Western, and Canadian)
will join to celebrate this holiday together. The gathering will be
hosted by the Prelacy of Canada and will take place at St. Mary
Church in Toronto.
CATHOLICOS ARAM MEETS WITH DER ZOR MONUMENT COMMITTEE
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia,
presided over a meeting of the supervisory committee of the Der Zor
Martyrs Monument last week. His Holiness designated the Genocide
Martyrs Monument as a national pilgrimage destination three years ago,
and formed a committee to plan and implement activities for pilgrims.
Bishop Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of Syria, presented the
annual report of the committee, and new proposals for future
activities. The following initiatives will be implemented:
1. To ask dioceses of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, Armenian
organizations, and travel agencies to contact either the Prelacy in
Aleppo or Mr. Haroutiun Vartanian in Der Zor, as soon as a pilgrimage
is planned.
2. To ask Armenian families to donate memorabilia of victims of
the Genocide as part of the initiative to renovate the museum and
reorganize activities.
3. To create a Der Zor Genocide Memorial Monument webpage with
links to the Home pages of the Holy See of Cilicia and the Prelacy of
Syria.
HIS HOLINESS WILL CELEBRATE EASTER LITURGY AT DER ZOR
During the meeting mentioned above, His Holiness announced that he
will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Easter, Sunday, April 24, at the
Martyrs Church in Der Zor. The date of Easter is variable and can
fall from March 21 to April 26. This year, for the first time in more
than 150 years, Easter falls on April 24, bringing together
Christendoms holiest feast and Armenian Martyrs Day.
2011 POCKET DIARY BRINGS APPRECIATION
Every year when the Prelacy Diary is sent, words of thanks are
received. This year, the appreciation is greater than ever. Here are
just a few examples of the comments received:
Received my 2011 Diary with pleasure and good feeling. I get a
lot of use from it, especially when friends need some info.
Thank you for the 2011 Diary. I find it useful and interesting.
I like the Eastern Prelacy Diary
This Armenian Diary is the greatest thing! Thank you for all your hard
work in the design!
Keep up the good work. The new diary is beautiful. All my best
for a wonderful new year.
BIBLE READING
Bible readings for Sunday, January 23, Second Sunday of the Octave of
Theophany, are: Isaiah 58:13-59:7; 1 Timothy 4:12-5; John 3:13-21.
No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended
from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever
believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those
who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are
condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the
only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come
into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because
their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not
come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those
who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen
that their deeds have been done in God. (John 3:13-21)
HOLY FATHERS ATHANASIUS AND CYRIL
This Saturday, January 22, the Armenian Church remembers the Holy
Fathers Athanasius and Cyril.
Athanasius was a bishop and doctor of the church. He was born
and died in Alexandria. While a deacon, he attended the Council of
Nicaea in 325, where he was a strong opponent of Arianism. He served
as Bishop of Alexandria for 46 years; about 17 of those years were
spent in exile because of disagreements with the emperor. Much of his
writings have survived, as well as some of his letters. Athanasius in
one of the four great Greek doctors of the church, along with Basil
the Great, John Chrysostom, and Gregory of Nazianzus.
Cyril of Alexandria was a father and doctor of the church, born
in Alexandria and nephew of the patriarch of that city. He presided
over the third Ecumenical Council at
Ephesus. He wrote treatises that clarified the doctrines of the
Trinity and the Incarnation. He was a brilliant theologian of the
Alexandrian tradition and highly revered by the Church of Armenia.
VAHAN OF KOGHTN
On Tuesday, January 25, the Armenian Church remembers Vahan
Koghtnatzi. As a young child he and many other children of Armenian
nobility were taken to Damascus for education. When they reached
adulthood, the Arab overlords granted them permission to return to
Armenia. Vahan promised his overlord he would return. Vahan married
and established himself over his fathers lands; however the Arab
overlords demanded his return. After fleeing from place to place,
Vahan surrendered and expressed his desire to remain in Armenia and
practice his Christian religion. He was imprisoned and martyred. It
is believed that the melody and words of the sharagan (hymn) dedicated
to Vahan (Zarmanali e ints) were written by his sister.
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF KENNEDY INAUGUARAL
Today, January 20, 2011, is the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedys
inauguration and the inaugural address that has since become
legendary. The most often quoted passage, of course, is the famous ask
not what your country can do for youask what you can do for your
country. However, the entire speech is a masterly crafted message to
the American people and the nations of the world, in the face of the
growth of communism and the dangerous arms race.
So let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility
is not a sign of weakness and sincerity is always subject to
proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to
negotiate. Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of
belaboring those problems which divide us. Let both sides, for the
first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection
and control of arms, and bring the absolute power to destroy other
nations under the absolute control of all nations. Let both sides seek
to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let
us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the
ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce. Let both sides
unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah to
undo the heavy burden(and) let the oppressed go free. And if a
beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let
both sides join in creating a !
new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law,
where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
February 21-24Ghevontiantz Clergy Gathering of Eastern, Western, and
Canadian Prelacies, hosted by the Prelacy of Canada. This is the sixth
combined Ghevontiantz clergy conference.
February 26Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, hosted by Sts. Vartanantz
Church, 461 Bergen Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey, for clergy,
board of trustees members, and NRA delegates. Members of the Religious
and Executive Councils will be present. Conference will begin at 10
a.m. and continue to 4 p.m.
March 5St. Stephens Ladies Guild (Watertown, Massachusetts) presents
Mezze, Music, March Madness, and Mardi Gras, at the church hall at 7
p.m. Music by Mal Barsamian, Leo Derderian, Steve Megerdichian, Ron
Tutunjian. Donation $25. For info contact Mary Derderian by email at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or telephone
781-762-4253.
March 27Musical Armenia Concert. Sponsored by Eastern Prelacy, Weill
Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City.
May 11-14National Representative Assembly of Eastern Prelacy, hosted
by St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.
To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
your address book.
Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
From: A. Papazian