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: www.westernprelacy.org IN MEMORIAM: BISHOP NORAYR ASHEKIAN His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, the Cilician Brotherhood, and Prelacies mourn the passing of Bishop Norayr Ashekian, who entered eternal rest on Friday, . On this somber occasion, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate sent a letter of condolence to His Holiness on behalf of the Prelacy family and expressed his sympathies to his late colleague's loved ones. By the ordinance of the Prelate, on Sunday, July 23rd, "Der Voghormya" prayers will be offered in all Prelacy Churches for the soul of Bishop Norayr Ashekian. May his memory remain ever blessed. *** DEACON KHATCHIG SHANNAKIAN TO BE ORDAINED TO THE PRIESTHOOD ON THE FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION We are pleased to announce to our faithful that on Sunday, July 23, 2017, on the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will ordain Deacon Khatchig Shannakian to the priesthood during Divine Liturgy at St. Mary's Church in Glendale, assisted by the Vicar General, Very Rev. Fr. Torkom Donoyan. Very Rev. Fr. Vache Balekjian and St. Mary's Church Pastors will also assist in the service, and Holy See of Cilicia Seminary Dean, Very Rev. Fr. Boghos Tinkjian, will participate. The ceremony of the Calling to the Priesthood will take place the evening prior at 7:30 p.m., also at St. Mary's Church. We invite our faithful to attend and witness the poignant sacrament, celebrate the Feast of Transfiguration, hear the Prelate's message, and receive the first blessing of the newly ordained priest. *** REQUIEM SERVICE ON THE 7TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSING OF ARCHBISHOP SUMBAT LAPAJIAN On Sunday, July 16, 2017, the eve of the Fast of Transfiguration, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, presided over Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon at Holy Cross Cathedral in Montebello, after which requiem prayers were offered at the gravesite of Archbishop Sumbat Lapajian on the seventh anniversary of his passing. Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Parish Pastor Rev. Fr. Ashod Kambourian. Parish Dean, Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian and Very Rev. Fr. Jirayr Tashjian from the Diocese of France participated in the service. The Prelate's sermon was on the day's Gospel reading from Matthew 14:13-21, the feeding of the five thousand by our Lord Jesus Christ. After giving a brief overview of the miracle, the Prelate expounded on the meaning and lessons of the reading, emphasizing first the boundless and unconditional compassion of our Lord evidenced through His healing of the sick, second, that we must cast all worry and doubt and turn to Christ in all circumstances or He will provide for all of our needs, third, that with God the impossible becomes possible, and finally, that we too are commissioned to help our fellow man in the example of our Lord. Thus, he urged the faithful to look to our Lord alone for strength, wisdom, courage, and comfort, and turn to Him to satiate our hunger and quench our thirst, for He is sufficient for all our needs and will abundantly bless us. Next, the Prelate paid tribute to Archbishop Sumbat Lapajian, "a faithful servant who lived and served with absolute dependence on and trust in God alone, strengthened and nourished by the daily bread and living water of our Lord Jesus Christ." His Eminence highlighted the legacy of Archbishop Lapajian as a good and true shepherd, an able spiritual leader, and a father figure to many, noting that he lived a purposeful life dedicated to glorifying God and building up our church. Finally, the Prelate announced that a Library-Museum is in the works adjacent to the Cathedral, regarding it a fitting and well-deserved tribute to a remarkable man who was such a beloved presence in the community. On the eve of the fast of Transfiguration, the Prelate concluded his sermon by praying for the radiating Light of Christ to renew and empower all. At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy, the Prelate, clergy, and congregation gathered at the gravesite of Archbishop Lapajian located outside the Cathedral, where prayers for the repose of his soul were conducted. A memorial reception followed. *** LEBANESE CONSUL GENERAL VISITS THE PRELACY On Thursday, July 20, 2017, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, welcomed the visit of the Honorable Johnny Ibrahim, Consul General of Lebanon in Los Angeles, who was accompanied by former Executive Council member and Consulate supporter Mr. Toros Kejejian. The Consul General had come to personally invite the Prelate to the second annual Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference for North America, which will be held on September 23 and 24 in Las Vegas under the auspices of H.E. Gebran Bassil, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants. The purpose of the conference is to bring members of the Lebanese Diaspora together and to tighten the bond between the Diaspora, Lebanon, and partners in North America. The conference will present opportunities in the energy, knowledge, economy, banking, financial, and entertainment sectors. Mr. Kejejian is a member of the organizing committee. The Prelate thanked the Consul General for the invitation and commended the initiative, which not only strengthens the bond between the Diaspora and Lebanon but also allows for the opportunity for individuals to contribute to the prosperity of Lebanon. *** PRELATE CONGRATULATES CONSUL GENERAL OF LEBANON ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN On Thursday, July 20, 2017, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, sent a congratulatory letter to the Honorable Johnny Ibrahim, Consul General of Lebanon in Los Angeles, on his appointment as Ambassador of Lebanon to the Vatican. On behalf of the Western Prelacy Religious and Executive Councils and community of faithful, the Prelate extended heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Ibrahim, stating, "You have distinguished yourself in your diplomatic mission through your meritorious service and are truly deserving of this great honor." His Eminence also expressed appreciation for the genuine friendship, collaboration, and the closeness Mr. Ibrahim has exhibited toward our Prelacy and the Armenian-American community in the past five years as Consul General of Lebanon in Los Angeles, and wished his boundless success in his new post. *** HOMENETMEN VETERANS VISIT THE PRELACY On Thursday, July 20, 2017, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, welcomed the visit of a group of Homenetmen veterans, who had come to congratulate His Eminence on his 40th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood and 20th anniversary as Prelate. The group was headed by Mr. Zakar Chorbajian, an exemplary and long-standing member of Homenetmen, and included celebrated soccer players. Vicar General Very Rev. Fr. Torkom Donoyan and Very Rev. Fr. Vache Balekjian participated in the meeting. The Prelate warmly welcomed the guests and commended their great contributions in the fields of athletics, scouting, and more. On behalf of the group, Mr. Chorbajian thanked the Prelate for the meeting, lauded his meritorious leadership and his great achievements during his tenure as Prelate. Recalling that the Prelate was honored by Homenetmen last year with the organization's extraordinary medal, he wished His Eminence continued great successes in his service. On this occasion, the group presented a plaque to the Prelate inscribed with congratulatory well wishes. During the remainder of the visit, the guests recalled memories from Beirut and their victories as members of the Bourj Hammoud team, which are recorded in Beirut, Bulgaria, Romania, and all the way to Korea. They spoke also on how Homenetmen has inspired them and their service to the Armenian Cause through the organization. Finally, they noted that Homenetmen veterans are still active on the field, attending practices, and contribute financially to the best of their abilities, among others to Syrian-Armenian relief efforts and by sponsoring a room in the Homenetmen San Fernando Valley "Masis" Chapter's new center in honor of renowned soccer player Apo Nenejian. The Prelate once again commended the service of the Homenetmen veterans and presented mementos to all. *** PRELATE ATTENDS FAITH MEETING AND PRESS CONFERENCE HOSTED BY MAYOR ERIC GARCETTI On Thursday, July 20, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Bishop David O'Connell, and the Mayor's Interfaith Collective hosted a meeting of faith leaders followed by a press conference to launch and promote the Days of Compassion initiative, a partnership between the City and more than 100 religious leaders aimed at eradicating homelessness by building permanent supportive housing throughout Los Angeles. The Prelate participated and expressed the Prelacy's solidarity to tackling this critical issue. *** PRELATE CONGRATULATES ARPA INSTITUTE ON ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY On Saturday, July 15, the 25th anniversary of the ARPA Institute (Analysis Research and Planning for Armenia) was celebrated with a day-long conference titled "Armenians and Armenia in the 21st Century: A Strategy for Long-Term Development," followed by a banquet at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. Rev. Fr. Ghevont Kirazian attended the conference and banquet. The Prelate's congratulatory message was published in the 25th anniversary commemorative booklet, through which he greeted the Board of Directors and members of the ARPA Institute and wished for the milestone anniversary to impel them all to continued successes and even greater achievements in their vast and valuable service to the prosperity of our homeland. His Eminence lauded the institute's tremendous accomplishment in an array of fields including economics, political science, health, education, law, industry, technology, and more, stating, "the dedicated members of this worthy organization have initiated and succeeded in fulfilling remarkable projects for the benefit of our brethren in Armenia and the Diaspora, and for that are deserving of our collective praise and gratitude." ***