Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Armenian Sisters’ Academy Celebrates 30 Years of Academic Excellence

January 5, 2012

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Sisters’ Academy
Contact: Tsoleen Sarian
Tel: 508-561-3697
Email: [email protected]

BOSTON, MA: The Armenian Sisters’ Academy (ASA) will celebrate three
decades of academic excellence on Saturday, February 11th at the
Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Armenia’s First Ambassador to the US, and
Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Rouben Shugarian will
offer remarks during the evening’s festivities. The ASA celebration
will recognize and honor the accomplishments and successes of the
school thanks to the gifted faculty and dedicated parents.

The Lexington, MA school fosters a sense of integrity, Armenian identity,
passion for learning and strong citizenship through Christian values.
Recent accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges, Inc., along with small classroom size, ensure students receive an
education second-to-none. Created by vision, faith and courage in 1982,
the school has blossomed to a vibrant, thriving community that lifts and
upholds these values far and wide. The 30-year milestone celebrates the
fruits of these values demonstrated by the successes of the alumni who have
passed through its halls.

The celebration also looks forward to the growth and future of the school.
Open to all families, of all denominations, the ASA welcomes families to
the acclaimed elementary school and nursery program, and offers an after
school arts program and summer activities. With the success of 30 years,
the future is bright for the cherished ASA.

Thanks to the generosity of numerous sponsors of the 30th anniversary
celebration, proceeds will go towards scholarships and an endowment
campaign to ensure the longevity and excellence of the school for
generations to come.

For more on the 30th Anniversary Celebration, please contact the school
directly at 781-861-8303. For further information about our upcoming
open-house, admissions and the school mission and philosophy, please visit
, or call 781-861-8303.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

Live television broadcast of Christmas Mass via satellite from Antelias –
January 6th, 2012

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) will broadcast
LIVE via satellite the Christmas Mass presided over by His Holiness Aram I,
from St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, on Friday 6 January
2012, beginning from 8:00 am UTC (GMT). For the Americas and Australia,
check your local LBCI program schedule for exact time.

The Noursat and the MTV will also be broadcasting LIVE via satellite the
Christmas Mass.

For more details on how to receive Noursat in your area, click on the
following link:

To watch live via internet click here
This service is for USA and
Canada only.

* Check below your local listings for broadcast dates and times in your
area:

Buenos Aires (Argentina) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 5:00:00 AM
Yerevan (Armenia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:00:00 Noon
Canberra (Australia – Australian Capital Territory) Friday, January 6, 2012
at 7:00:00 PM
Sydney (Australia – New South Wales) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 7:00:00 PM
Darwin (Australia – Northern Territory) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 5:30:00
PM
Brisbane (Australia – Queensland) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:00:00 PM
Adelaide (Australia – South Australia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:30:00 PM
Hobart (Australia – Tasmania) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 7:00:00 PM
Melbourne (Australia – Victoria) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 7:00:00 PM
Perth (Australia – Western Australia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:00:00 PM
Vienna (Austria) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Manama (Bahrain) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:00:00 AM
Brussels (Belgium) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Manaus (Brazil – Amazonas) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:00:00 AM
Salvador (Brazil – Bahia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:00:00 AM
Brasilia (Brazil – Distrito Federal) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:00:00 AM
Recife (Brazil – Pernambuco) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 5:00:00 AM
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil – Rio de Janeiro) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:00:00
AM
Sao Paulo (Brazil – São Paulo) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:00:00 AM
Sofia (Bulgaria) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Calgary (Canada – Alberta) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Edmonton (Canada – Alberta) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Vancouver (Canada – British Columbia) Midnight between Thursday, January 5,
2012 and Friday, January 6, 2012
Winnipeg (Canada – Manitoba) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
St. John’s (Canada – Newfoundland and Labrador) Friday, January 6, 2012 at
4:00:00 AM
Yellowknife (Canada – Northwest Territories) Friday, January 6, 2012 at
1:00:00 AM
Halifax (Canada – Nova Scotia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:00:00 AM
Ottawa (Canada – Ontario) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Toronto (Canada – Ontario) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Montreal (Canada – Quebec) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Québec (Canada – Quebec) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Regina (Canada – Saskatchewan) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Whitehorse (Canada – Yukon Territory) Midnight between Thursday, January 5,
2012 and Friday, January 6, 2012
Nicosia (Cyprus) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Prague (Czech Republic) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Copenhagen (Denmark) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Cairo (Egypt) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:00:00 AM
Papeete (France – Tahiti) Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 10:00:00 PM
Paris (France) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Berlin (Germany – Berlin) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Frankfurt (Germany – Hesse) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Athens (Greece) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Budapest (Hungary) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
New Delhi (India – Delhi) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:30:00 PM
Kolkata (India – West Bengal) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:30:00 PM
Tehran (Iran) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:30:00 AM
Baghdad (Iraq) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:00:00 AM
Jerusalem (Israel) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Rome (Italy) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Kuwait City (Kuwait) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:00:00 AM
Amsterdam (Netherlands) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Auckland (New Zealand) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 PM
Chatham Island (New Zealand) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:45:00 PM
Wellington (New Zealand) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 PM
Oslo (Norway) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Azores (Portugal) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 7:00:00 AM
Lisbon (Portugal) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 8:00:00 AM
Doha (Qatar) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:00:00 AM
Bucharest (Romania) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Krasnoyarsk (Russia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:00:00 PM
Moscow (Russia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:00:00 Noon
Saint-Petersburg (Russia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:00:00 Noon
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:00:00 AM
Stockholm (Sweden) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Bern (Switzerland) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Geneva (Switzerland) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Zürich (Switzerland) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Damascus (Syria) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
Istanbul (Turkey) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:00:00 AM
London (U.K. – England) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 8:00:00 AM
Montgomery (U.S.A. – Alabama) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Anchorage (U.S.A. – Alaska) Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 11:00:00 PM
Phoenix (U.S.A. – Arizona) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Little Rock (U.S.A. – Arkansas) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Los Angeles (U.S.A. – California) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012
and Friday, January 6, 2012
Sacramento (U.S.A. – California) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012
and Friday, January 6, 2012
San Diego (U.S.A. – California) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012
and Friday, January 6, 2012
San Francisco (U.S.A. – California) Midnight between Thursday, January 5,
2012 and Friday, January 6, 2012
San Jose (U.S.A. – California) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012
and Friday, January 6, 2012
Denver (U.S.A. – Colorado) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Hartford (U.S.A. – Connecticut) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Dover (U.S.A. – Delaware) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Washington DC (U.S.A. – District of Columbia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at
3:00:00 AM
Miami (U.S.A. – Florida) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Orlando (U.S.A. – Florida) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Pensacola (U.S.A. – Florida) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Atlanta (U.S.A. – Georgia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Honolulu (U.S.A. – Hawaii) Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 10:00:00 PM
Boise (U.S.A. – Idaho) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Chicago (U.S.A. – Illinois) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Indianapolis (U.S.A. – Indiana) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Des Moines (U.S.A. – Iowa) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Topeka (U.S.A. – Kansas) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Louisville (U.S.A. – Kentucky) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
New Orleans (U.S.A. – Louisiana) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Augusta (U.S.A. – Maine) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Baltimore (U.S.A. – Maryland) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Boston (U.S.A. – Massachusetts) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Detroit (U.S.A. – Michigan) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Minneapolis (U.S.A. – Minnesota) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
St. Paul (U.S.A. – Minnesota) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Jackson (U.S.A. – Mississippi) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
St. Louis (U.S.A. – Missouri) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Billings (U.S.A. – Montana) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Lincoln (U.S.A. – Nebraska) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Las Vegas (U.S.A. – Nevada) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012 and
Friday, January 6, 2012
Concord (U.S.A. – New Hampshire) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Newark (U.S.A. – New Jersey) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Albuquerque (U.S.A. – New Mexico) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
New York (U.S.A. – New York) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Raleigh (U.S.A. – North Carolina) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Bismarck (U.S.A. – North Dakota) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Columbus (U.S.A. – Ohio) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Oklahoma City (U.S.A. – Oklahoma) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Salem (U.S.A. – Oregon) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012 and
Friday, January 6, 2012
Philadelphia (U.S.A. – Pennsylvania) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Providence (U.S.A. – Rhode Island) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Columbia (U.S.A. – South Carolina) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Sioux Falls (U.S.A. – South Dakota) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Nashville (U.S.A. – Tennessee) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Dallas (U.S.A. – Texas) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Houston (U.S.A. – Texas) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Salt Lake City (U.S.A. – Utah) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Montpelier (U.S.A. – Vermont) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Richmond (U.S.A. – Virginia) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:00:00 AM
Seattle (U.S.A. – Washington) Midnight between Thursday, January 5, 2012 and
Friday, January 6, 2012
Madison (U.S.A. – Wisconsin) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 2:00:00 AM
Cheyenne (U.S.A. – Wyoming) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:00:00 AM
Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi) Friday, January 6, 2012 at
12:00:00 Noon
Dubai (United Arab Emirates – Dubai) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:00:00
Noon
Montevideo (Uruguay) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 6:00:00 AM
Vatican City (Vatican City State) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:00:00 AM
Caracas (Venezuela) Friday, January 6, 2012 at 3:30:00 AM

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 6764 (20120103) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

Glendale News Press, CA
Jan 4 2012

Intersections: Breaking bread with two identities

January 04, 2012|By Liana Aghajanian

Every Saturday morning for most of my life, it has been the sweet,
lingering smell of fresh-baked bread, rather than an alarm clock, that
has lulled me out of a drowsy haze and brought me gently back to
reality.

In a ritual initiated by my dad, the piping-hot baked dough wrapped in
a simple paper bag and delicately decorated with sesame seeds found a
way home with him before ending up on the kitchen table, where its
aroma swirled around the house until it found and awakened me.

It was devoured almost immediately, while the loaf of toast routinely
used during the week for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that ended
up in lunch boxes remained untouched. It wasn’t just any kind of
bread. It was barbari, an Iranian flatbread whose origins began many
hundreds of years ago in a part of the world that I was born in, but
that couldn’t be any more different than the one I grew up in.

The marriage of my multilayered identity, including our beloved
barbari tradition, is perhaps most evident during this time of year.
On Saturday, a mad dash to the bakery, followed by a feeding frenzy,
took place. Soon after, gingerbread men were made, Ralphie and his Red
Ryder BB gun was watched on a loop in `A Christmas Story,’ and
presents were wrapped. And a few days after 2012 was ushered in by the
Rose Parade in neighboring Pasadena, the holidays will start all over
again for many families like mine as we celebrate Armenian Christmas
on January 6, better known around the world as `Epiphany.’

Growing up as a child of immigrants is a harrowing experience,
littered with pangs of insecurity and identity issues that stay with
you. Pulled between two worlds, you find yourself not really fitting
in anywhere, trudging through life with cultural issues that make that
already awkward phase of adolescence and being a teenager all the more
– well, awkward.

Caught between the Verdugo Hills and the Caucasus Mountains, barbari
and toast, Christmas and Epiphany, your dual identities wage internal
war with each other. Your sense of now and here competes with your
parents’ sense of then and there.

It happens that the weight of making peace with a multilayered
identity is sometimes overwhelming. You feel an ultimatum must be
made, a decision must take place; and embracing one surely means
losing the other layers. But there doesn’t have to be a sense of loss.

Chrétienté.info
4 janv 2012

Quand la Turquie exterminait les chrétiens du Liban
Le Salon Beige , le 4 janvier 2012

Suite à la pénalisation de la négation du génocide arménien et aux
réactions turques, Maroun Charbel rappelle cet autre massacre, dans
Présent :

« Il était alors normal que ma réflexion me porte vers cet autre
génocide turc : celui contre la population chrétienne du Mont-Liban
tout au long des quatre années de la Grande Guerre. Systématiquement,
méthodiquement, les Chrétiens du Mont-Liban ont été assiégés, affamés,
enlevés, déportés par ordre du gouvernement Jeune-Turc, celui-là même
qui massacrait les Arméniens.

Le Mont-Liban était depuis son statut organique de 1864, au lendemain
des massacres de 1860, une province autonome de l’Empire ottoman avec
son statut propre. Les Jeunes-Turcs, pur produit des Lumières,
considéraient que tout habitant de l’Empire était citoyen ottoman et
donc soumis aux mêmes règles, dont le service militaire obligatoire.
Le régime des capitulations était balayé, comme celui des « Millet »
qui faisaient des communautés religieuses non islamiques autant de
petites nations au sein de l’Empire, et le Mont-Liban perdait son
statut de province autonome.

Le blocus était total et comme si cela ne suffisait pas une invasion
de criquets ajoutait un malheur au malheur et détruisait tout sur son
passage. Donc, plus de récoltes, mais aussi plus de semences. Plus de
180 000 Libanais devaient mourir de faim, plus de 20 000 étaient
déportés en Cilicie et en Arménie et consignés dans les maisons des
Arméniens envoyés à la mort, des dizaines de milliers d’orphelins
erraient dans les rues. Le Liban chrétien perdait plus du tiers de sa
population. La guerre finie, les premiers secours arrivent avec les
troupes françaises. Mais des milliers de Chrétiens ne pensent alors
qu’à une chose : embarquer pour n’importe où, et mettre entre l’islam,
les Turcs et eux, la mer et les océans. »

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:

January 4, 2012
Special Christmas and New Year issue

Baptism of Christ, from a 1330 Gospel from the
Armenian Cathedral and Museum, New Julfa, Isfahan (Iran)

VIDEO: A CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN

Glory to Your Revelation, Lord

During these joyful holidays, the greatest commemoration is Gods
revelation to humankind through the birth of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. Gods love with His perfection and warmth brought us
closer to God; God visited us so His pure and graceful love would
become contagious and spread to those who are human beings like us. We
no longer ask, Who is my neighbor? (Luke 19:29); the revelation of
Jesus, our God, once and for all established the commandment that we
must express our love of God by loving our neighbor.

Gods revelation was the greatest news the world received since the
creation up to the birth of Jesus. It was greater than any discovery
or invention by humans, incomparable and even unfathomable to the
human mind and comprehension. Currently in our everyday lives we enjoy
using new inventions and concepts that are introduced. The true
Christian regards these to be the manifestation of the creative spirit
given to them by God; the same strength with which God created the
universe and humans. He gave to us His grace enabling us to continue
his creation in this world. All wisdom and power belong to Him. God
gave that power to humans so that on the eighth day of creation humans
should make worthy the grace and power that belong to God and which
weave the glory of God. It is with this understanding that we must
look at our own creation in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). We
must praise God; give Him our thanks for His boundl!
ess creative power and for his good grace.

On the occasion of the birth and revelation of Christ, when the
celebrations bring spiritual joy to all of us, it is necessary to
reflect on what God gave us with His revelation. Was it an ordinary
visit that ended with His ascension, or a new way of life that is an
inseparable part of our nature, from our birth until our unification
with Him in the Kingdom prepared for Christians?

First, God revealed to us His love. The Apostle John very clearly
defines Gods nature when he says, God is love, (1 John 4:8). That is
the embodiment of Supreme Power. God was incarnated so that Christians
would be like Him and find the way and the secret that leads to the
road to humanitys deification. We will find that road when we honor
that commandmentthe first and greatestthat Christ reminded us of: Love
your Lord God with all your heart and soul, with all your mind, all
your power (Mark 12:30-31). The second command is a continuation: Love
your neighbor as yourself. Only then will we be filled with the grace
that will make us God-like.

Second, Gods revelation to humankind is a reminder of the freedom He
gave to us. It is a freedom that raises humans above mere mechanical
created beings, and who are able to recognize and select that which
leads to the road worthy of salvation. Freedom is not anarchy, but
rather it is that condition when by respecting others we can cleanse
our souls, especially by remaining free of the chains of sin, and the
threat of the death of the soul. The first man, Adam, was unable to
utilize this freedom in its proper manner. The opposite of freedom is
disobedience to Gods will. Freedoms reward is eternal life, while the
wages of disobedience and sinfulness is death (Romans 6:23). Christ
was revealed to give us life, abundant life (John 10:10).

Third, trust in Gods intervention and role in our lives. Humility and
modesty are expected virtues of Christians and prods us to attribute
all our discoveries and inventions to Gods wisdomHis image that is
within us. Otherwise, arrogance and boasting distance us from that
feeling of modesty, and instead of recognizing God as the source of
our grace, talent and ability, we attribute our accomplishments solely
to ourselves, only to our skill and ability, and our material brain.
Self-confidence in human ability, and modern-day humanism and
secularism, have greatly distanced us from God. They have removed us
from the spiritual inner world of faith. Creating new idols on stages
and screens, turn us bankrupt of moral and family values and holiness.
As Christians we cannot perceive the world, and its new inventions,
without recognizing Gods will and power. As Christians we cannot
attribute purely to our own ability the things we cr!
eate, invent, and discover, since for Christians the source of
everything is God Himself. The revelation of Christ reminds us of Gods
eternal presence, accomplishment, and ability. Christians cannot
forget that they bear the image of God that was given to them when God
formed man of dust from the ground, and gave His breath of life,
creating a living being, a creative being (Genesis 2:7).

On the occasion of the great holy day of Gods revelation, let us
praise our Lords graceful visitationHis revelation from the modest
manger. May His grace spread into our homes so that we will be
strengthened in His love, emancipated from sin, and be worthy of our
freedom.

Christ is Born and Revealed.

Glory to Your Revelation, Lord

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN

Prelate
Armenian Apostolic Church of America
Eastern Prelacy

Holy Nativity 2012

To read the Prelates message in Armenian click here (

).

PRELATES CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

Christmas Eve, January 5, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan will preside
over the Bible readings and the Christmas Eve Liturgy at St. Sarkis
Church in Douglaston, New York. Rev. Fr. Nareg Teterian, pastor of
St. Sarkis will celebrate the Divine Liturgy.

Christmas Day, January 6, His Eminence will celebrate the Divine
Liturgy, deliver the sermon, and officiate over the Blessing of the
Water service at St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York
City. Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of the Cathedral, will assist
the Prelate at the altar.

VICARS CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

Christmas Day, January 6, His Grace will celebrate the Divine Liturgy,
deliver the sermon, and officiate over the Blessing of Water service
at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York. Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian,
pastor of St. Sarkis, will assist the Vicar at the altar.
Following the service Bishop Anoushavan will visit the Armenian Home
in Flushing, New York, to convey the Good News and join the residents
at their Christmas dinner.

JANUARY 7 IS MEMORIAL DAY

As is the custom in the Armenian Church, the day after each of the
five great tabernacle feasts is a Memorial Day. Each is preceded by a
week-long fast (longer for Easter) and followed by a day of
remembrance of the dead. Traditionally, the Divine Liturgy is
celebrated on Memorial Days, and afterwards the faithful go to the
cemetery to venerate their loved ones and have the graves blessed by
the priest.
The Feasts of Easter, Transfiguration, Assumption, and Exaltation of
the Cross are on Sundays and their memorial days are on
Mondays. Christmas is on the fixed date of January 6, and therefore
Memorial Day can fall on any day. This year it is on a Saturday.

BIBLE READING

The 2012 Liturgical Calendar and Daily Bible Readings according to the
Typicon of the Armenian Apostolic Church are now available on the
Prelacy web site ().

Bible reading for Friday, January 6, Christmas and Epiphany, are:
Titus 2:1-15; Matthew 1:18-25; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Matthew 3:1-17.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his
mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived
together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her
husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to
public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had
resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your
wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will
bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people
from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken
by the Lord through the prophet: Look, the virgin shall conceive and
bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with
us. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord
commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations
with her until !
she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25).

For a listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click here (

).

On the occasion of the Holy Nativity and Epiphany we wish everyone a
blessed New Year.
May your homes be filled with the Light of our Lord.

Khrisdos dzunav yev haydnetsav.
Orhnyal e haydnoutyounun Krisdosi.

Christ was Born and Revealed.
Blessed is the Revelation of Christ.

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])

APA, Azerbaijan
Jan 4 2012

Draft law considering criminalization of denial of made-up `Armenian
genocide’ to e presented to French Senate this month

[ 04 Jan 2012 19:54 ]
Strasbourg. Fuad Gulubeyli – APA. The draft law considering the
criminalization of denial of genocides recognized by the French
legislation including the draft law on made-up `Armenian genocide’
adopted on December 22 in French National Assembly will be presented
to the French Senate till the end of January.

France’s `France info’ radio reports that the French government passed
decision on this draft law’s quickest approval and Mrs. Valérie Boyer
and members of ruling party in the French Parliament were involved in
the acceleration of this work. The delivery of the draft law adopted
by the National Assembly to the supreme chamber of the parliament is
considered as a step taken towards the complete adoption of the
document.

France officially recognized made-up `Armenian genocide’ on January
29, 2001. The draft law considering the criminalization of denial of
the made-up genocide was once adopted in the National Assembly on
October 12, 2006. But on May 4 2011, French Senate considered this
draft law groundless and didn’t approve it. But on December 12, the
French National Assembly adopted this draft law. The government
supports the adoption of this law.

Aysor, Armenia
Jan 4 2012

Serzh Sargsyan, Bako Sahakyan attend hospital opening ceremony

On 4 December President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan together
with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan attended a solemn ceremony of
opening the renovated military hospital after Valery Maroutyan in the
village of Ivanyan.

President Sahakyan stressed the importance of this institution for the
defense army noting that health care of the servicemen is among the
pivotal components of the fighting efficiency of the armed forces and
the state will continue to keep in the spotlight the solution of such
issues.

On the same day the Presidents were present at the demonstration
classes organized in one of the training centers of the Defense Army.
Afterwards in the NKR ministry of defense they met with senior staff
of the republic’s armed forces.

Armenian and Karabakh Defense Ministers and other officials were
present at the events, Artsakh President’s press office reported.

news.am, Armenia
Jan 4 2012

Armenia’s economic policy is not expected to turn – Economy Minister

January 04, 2012 | 11:13

By Samvel Avagyan

Below is an interview with Armenia’s Minister of Economy, Tigran Davtyan.

How would you evaluate the past year in terms of Armenia’s economy?

Positively. I believe serious developments took place in Armenia’s
economy. It began to rebuild since 2010, when we had a little growth.
And this growth doubled in 2011. It is very important that this
rebuilding is occurring on the account of the development of the real
sector, specifically of industry. In 2011, industry, agriculture, and
export played the role of the locomotive. The sole domain where we had
a reduction was construction. And this is only natural, and this
contributed to the formation of the economy’s balanced structure. For
example, the industry’s GDP rate was 11-12 percent in the beginning of
the year, but now we are approaching 20 percent. Armenia is becoming
an industrial country, where the real sector plays a great role. That
is why we underscore not only the 5-percent economic growth, but also
the current logical structural changes. I should also note the
double-digit industrial growth, the 25-percent growth in export, and
the 20-percent growth in investments.

In 2011, we had serious investments in close to a dozen enterprises,
and more than a dozen new enterprises were operated. And all these
enterprises meet with best international standards.

I should also note that we confirmed 21 investments projects through
postponing the payment of the value added tax, and as a result we
attracted 84 billion drams [approx. US$ 219,643,394] worth of
investments. By using this tool alone, we had 2.5 thousand new jobs.

Several legislative documents were introduced to the National
Assembly. First, this was the main law `On Free Economic Zones,’ and
the principled changes made in the law `On Inspections.’ I should also
mention the adoption of the four fundamental laws of the
standardization system, and the dozens of other projects. In general,
we made the legislative field comply with international standards.

Is the new industrial strategy toward export a turn in the economic
policy, as many consider?

No, I would not consider it a turn. It is in keeping with the policy
in 2011, but it contains a new accentuation. That is, we deem this
direction more important, and view it as a priority. We have always
done these operations, and now we specify two directions: industry and
export. We underscore the industry which has an export direction. This
strategy differs from the previous approaches in the sense that it
will not impact on the economic developments, but rather the economic
developments must reflect on the strategy. This is a document which
lives not with its own life, but, rather, it is directly
interconnected with our operations where are reflected those
operations which we already are carrying out. We did not wait for this
document to be approved, to enter into force, and only then to start
carrying it out.

The document also has a second part, which is more technical, and
where the concrete domain projects are depicted. The Government does
not approve these concrete projects, since the domain project must be
flexible and it should change, be clarified, and amended during its
course.

This year is an election year. Does that have an impact on the
Government’s steps and programs?

The election year will certainly have an impact on the processes,
accentuations, and operations. Any government in any country feels
that impact. But our policy will remain the same. Our steps will be
just as precise as in the previous years. Of course, we ought to turn
more attention to solving the social problems, but I do not think that
the election process would have an adverse, or an obstructive, effect.
If we recall the previous election years, we would see there was no
substantial impact on economic development.

How justified do you consider Moody’s rating agency’s latest assessment?

Moody’s is a fairly renowned organization, and I see nothing bizarre
in this assessment. For the most part, the change in the rating is
conditioned by outside risks, and Armenia is a part of global economy;
it is linked with the Russian market and the European market alike,
and, to some extent, with that of the US, too. The risks and negative
expectations in that region could adversely reflect on our economic
growth, and, in that sense, that little clarification (drop) cannot be
considered substantial. The ratings of numerous countries, including
of US, are being dropped. But our developments are proceeding
positively, and this year we will have a better macroeconomic
condition. As case in point, the state budget deficit will drop until
the 3.1-percent level of GDP, albeit it was 7.5 percent during the
crisis. In any case, the assessments of Moody’s are professional and
we cannot underestimate them.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

“TURKEY SHOULD LOOK AT ITS OWN RECORD ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DENIAL,”
Said Aram I in his TV Interview

On Friday 23 December 2011, during an interview with OTV, the Lebanese
station, and the Yerkir Media, His Holiness Aram I criticized the position
of Turkey vis-à-vis the Middle East, and its response to the recent vote on
the Armenian Genocide in the House of Representatives (USA) and the French
Parliament Bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial. He also challenged
Turkey to look at its own history, which is built on bloodshed, persecution
and genocide, before criticizing other countries for their democratic
values.

In response to a question regarding Christian presence in the Middle East,
Catholicos Aram I expressed his dismay at the fact that Turkey is preparing
an “International Conference on Christian Presence in the Middle East”. He
said: “Sadly, does not return the movable and immovable properties belonging
to the Armenian Church and the people and continues to deny the victims of
the Genocide the right to compensation. All that Turkey wants today is to
appear as the guardian of the rights of Christians in the Middle East”. His
Holiness then added that no Armenian besides representatives from the
Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople should participate in this so-called
‘International Conference.’

He then informed the journalists that from 26 to 28 January 2012, a meeting,
organized by the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of
Churches, will be held at the Catholicosate in Antelias. Participants in
this meeting will assess Christian presence in the Middle East and discuss
ways to strengthen Christian-Muslim dialogue in the region.

When asked to comment on the recent Genocide vote by USA House of
Representatives and the Genocide Denial Bill by the French Parliament, His
Holiness Aram I welcomed the two initiatives. He said that they reflect a
commitment to human rights, and he particularly thanked the French
Parliament, noting that he had already written to President Nicolas Sarkozy.

In the end he thanked the Hay Tad Committee in France and all Committees who
continue to work for justice for the Armenian Cause.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

‘PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITY LIFE MEANS ACTING RESPONSIBLY AND WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY’
Said Catholicos Aram I to the members of HEHOM

Around one hundred persons, alumni and current members of the Armenian
Church University Student Association (HEHOM) met on 27 December to
celebrate Christmas and New Year together.

The President of the Association, Mr. Hagop Handian, and the Director of the
Youth Programme of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, Rev. Mesrob Sarkissian,
welcomed the participants. After dinner, the alumni and current members
shared experiences and discussed ways and means through which HEHOM might
contribute to building sustainable Armenian communities in Lebanon, the
diaspora and Armenia.

After dinner, in his closing message, His Holiness Aram I spoke of the
radical changes in the world that also touch Armenians. He said that we
cannot remain indifferent to these changes. We should, he said, “either
adapt to these changes or adopt them unquestioningly.” He went on to say
that “in either case, we need our youth to lead us. So far, we have not
provided the sufficient spiritual, national or communal space for our
younger generations to take responsible positions in our structures. Only
through dialogue with them and their inclusion in our community life, will
we develop common responsibility and accountability towards one another.”
The Catholicos then concluded: “God created the universe, and then humanity
in his ‘image’. He made humanity stewards of creation. It is therefore, the
responsibility of humanity to build a sustainable world inspired by faith
and a vision guided by mutual accountability. Today we invite our younger
generation to join us in building our common life by fusing our professional
know-how to the Christian vision inherited from our forefathers.”

After His Holiness Aram I left, HEHOM alumni and members discussed how to
respond to the challenges posed by the Catholicos.

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