February 3, 2012
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:
EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY AND BLESSING OF MADAGH ON
THE NAME DAY OF ST. SARKIS CHURCH IN PASADENA
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, the Armenian Church will celebrate
the Feast of St. Sarkis and his son Mardiros. This feast is also a
celebration of the name day of St. Sarkis Church in Pasadena.
On this occasion, on Sunday, February 5, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate, will celebrate Divine Liturgy, deliver the sermon,
and conduct the blessing of madagh at St. Sarkis Church.
On the evening of Saturday, February 4th, parish pastor Rev. Fr.
Khoren Babochian will conduct eve of the feast services. On the morning of
Friday, February 3rd, Fr. Khoren conducted the blessing of salt, after which
the Ladies Auxiliary began preparing the madagh for Sunday’s service.
HOLY SEE OF CILICIA SEMINARY REQUEST FOR ARTWORK
TO FEATURE IN A PERMANENT EXHIBITION
We hereby bring to the attention of community artists and art
collectors the following request from the Dean of the Seminary of the Holy
See of Cilicia.
Given that the Seminary is located in Bikfaya, Lebanon, some
distance away from the Catholicosate in Antelias where the “Cilicia” Museum
is located, the Seminary has decided to have a permanent exhibit of artwork
in Bikfaya for Seminarians and visitors to have the opportunity to become
better familiarized with Armenian art at any time.
To begin organizing this exhibition, the Seminary has made an appeal
to Armenian artists and art collectors alike to donate their works.
Paintings must be between 50 x 70 cm’s and 80 x 100 cm’s. There are no size
limitations for sculptures. A brief biography of the artist, approximately
one paragraph, must accompany the artwork.
For more information, interested parties may contact the Seminary
Dean, Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, at (011-961-4) 980-060, (011-961-3)
486-943, or by emailing [email protected].
We are confident our community will respond favorably to this
request and will contribute to the establishment of this exhibition.
EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY ON THE 111TH ANNIVERSARY OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH OF
FRESNO
On Sunday, January 29, 2012, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, celebrated Divine Liturgy and delivered his message at Holy Trinity
Church in Fresno on the occasion of the 111th anniversary of the church.
Parish Pastor Rev. Fr. Vahan Gosdanian and deacons assisted at the altar.
Prior to the sermon, the Prelate gave thanks to Almighty God for
granting the blessed day together to celebrate Divine Liturgy the 111th
anniversary of the parish. Reflecting on the Pontifical Visit of H.H.
Catholicos Aram I to the Church and Sunday School in October of last year,
the Prelate noted that His Holiness places a great deal of importance and
priority to educating our youth and providing them with the necessary
knowledge and tools to develop their unique Armenian Christian identity, and
that we are all called to do the same, for our youth are the future leaders
who will continue in our path and that of our forefathers, which is why we
must instill and root in them our faith, values, and heritage from a young
age so that they are fully prepared to take the lead.
Given that it was the eve of the Fast of the Catechumens, the
Prelate gave a brief background on the fast, which is observed only in the
Armenian Church.
The sermon was on the day’s Scripture reading from the Gospel of
John which told of one of the most dramatic miracles in the earthly ministry
of our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus walking on water in the midst of a dark and
stormy sea.
Speaking on this passage, the Prelate noted the following; “We all
face storms in our lives. The nature of our storms may vary, but there is
none among us who hasn’t at some point in his or her life been faced with a
difficult and trying situation. In the midst of it all, we need to remain
strong and hopeful, for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is always with us.
Rather than feel overwhelmed, helpless, and alone, we need to weather our
storms with faith and turn to God to lead us to shore. God sees our
troubles, and when we come to the place where we stand in awe of His power
and His plan, the storms will cease to frighten us. We all need our Savior,
and the good news is that He is here. We need only to lift our eyes and
hear Him whisper in His reassuring voice, “Do not fear, it is I.” He will
bring us safely to shore.”
The Prelate then once again congratulated the parish on their 111th
anniversary, commended the servants and volunteers for their service and
contributions, and urged the faithful in attendance to actively participate
in the mission of our church and in our community life so that together we
can overcome any and all obstacles that may arise.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the Prelate presided over the 111th
anniversary banquet, hosted by the Pastor and Board of Trustees. Executive
Council member Mr. Bill Sahatdjian participated in the Liturgy and Banquet.
(Click here for full press) (Click here for photos)
PRELATE ATTENDS ANCA TELETHON KICK-OFF
On Thursday, February 2, members, supporters, and friends of the
ANCA gathered at the Glendale Hilton for the kick-off to the ANCA Telethon
2012, which will be held on Sunday, May 20 with the theme “Armenian Pride,
Armenian Power, Armenian Progress”. This is the third ANCA Telethon, with
the first held in 2006 and the second in 2009.
The Prelate attended and delivered his blessings, message, and
encouragement. He commended the members and volunteers of the ANCA for
their diligent efforts to raise awareness and educate the world about our
history, our cause, and our rights. He also gave thanks to the sponsors and
donors who have supporter the ANCA throughout the years and urged them to
once again express their support at the upcoming Telethon.
DAVIDIAN-MARIAMIAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION ANNUAL APPRECIATION NIGHT
On the evening of Tuesday, January 31st, Davidian & Mariamian
Educational Foundation held their annual appreciation night at the Armenian
Society of Los Angeles Hall in Glendale.
This annual event serves to commend individuals and organizations
who make advancements in the field of education. This year’s honorees were
the Armenia’s Ministry of Diaspora, which was named “Organization of the
Year”, and Dr. Kathy Fundukian-Torossian who received the “Educator of the
Year” honor.
The Prelate attended the event and delivered his message, commending
the Davidian and Mariamian Educational Foundation and the evening’s honorees
for providing the foundation and the tools to help our youth develop their
identities as Armenians and help them grow into productive citizens and
leaders of our community. Rev. Fr. Ardak Demirjian accompanied the Prelate.