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
PRELATE TO CELEBRATE EASTER DIVINE LITURGY AT ST. MARY'S CHURCH IN GLENDALE
On Sunday, April 1, 2018, the glorious Resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ will be joyfully celebrated in Prelacy Churches.
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will celebrate
Divine Liturgy and deliver his Easter message at St. Mary's Church in
Glendale. Divine Liturgy begins at 10:30 a.m. Very Rev. Fr. Torkom Donoyan,
Vicar General, will celebrate Easter at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino.
Divine Liturgy begins at 11:00 a.m.
On Monday, April 2nd, Easter Memorial Day, the Prelate and clergy
will gather at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills "Hall of Liberty" and Forest Lawn
Glendale "Church of the Recessional" for requiem service, which begins at
10:00 a.m.
We invite our faithful to participate in the spiritually uplifting
Easter services and be strengthened by the spirit and message of the
Resurrection.
***
EASTER SERVICE TO BE HELD AT ARARAT HOME IN MISSION HILLS
On Wednesday, April 4, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, and clergy members will visit Ararat Home in Mission Hills to
conduct Easter services and convey their blessings to the residents and
faculty.
The celebration will begin with a prayer service at the Nursing
Facility at 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy will follow at the Sheen Memorial
Chapel celebrated by Archpriest Fr. Vicken Vassilian, who will also deliver
the sermon. A prayer service will then be held at the Assisted Living
Facility. A luncheon will follow.
***
MAUNDY THURSDAY VIGIL SERVICE AT ST. SARKIS CHURCH IN PASADENA
On the evening of Thursday, , the solemn vigil service
commemorating the betrayal, arrest, trial, suffering, and crucifixion of our
Lord Jesus Christ was held in Prelacy Churches, with H.E. Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, presiding over the service at St. Sarkis
Church in Pasadena.
The moving service was comprised of Gospel readings detailing the
last hours of our Lord's earthly life, as well as psalms, prayers, and
hymns. Candles representing Christ, the eleven apostles, and 1 black candle
representing Judas were placed before the altar, and distinguished with each
Gospel reading, in the end only that of Christ remaining lit.
The Prelate began his message by citing the seven last words our
Lord Jesus Christ spoke from the Cross, the message of which is the love,
mercy, obedience, and submission to God. The unspeakable suffering and
torture that Jesus endured for our sins was the supreme example of His love
and mercy for mankind, said His Eminence, who added that even in His last
moments on the Cross, Jesus granted salvation to the criminal on the cross
next to Him and sought forgiveness for those who persecuted Him. The Prelate
added that the Crucifixion was the climax of Jesus' obedience and sacrifice,
stating that Jesus was born by obedience and died by obedience, with His
final words being "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit." The Prelate
invited the faithful to trust absolutely in the Lord in all aspects of our
life and submit to His will, and concluded by praying that we look to our
crucified Savior as the way, the truth, the life, and the light, and for His
light to permeate within our spirits.
***
WASHING OF THE FEET SERVICE AT ST. GARABED CHURCH
IN HOLLYWOOD
On Thursday, , Maundy Thursday was commemorated in
Prelacy Churches with a number of poignant services. In the morning, the
institution of the Eucharist by our Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper was
commemorated with Divine Liturgy and the offering of Holy Communion. H.E.
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, presided over the service at Holy
Martyrs Church in Encino.
In the afternoon, the act of Christ washing the feet of His
disciples during the Last Supper was commemorated with clergy washing the
feet of young faithful. The Prelate presided over the service, delivered his
message, and conducted the washing of feet at St. Garabed Church in
Hollywood.
In his message, the Prelate highlighted the virtues of love,
devotion, and sacrifice. The Lord and Teacher took on the role of a servant;
He became a servant and in doing so He offered a supreme example to the
Apostles and for us all, he said. And when Peter objected to his Lord
washing his feet, Jesus answered "If I do not wash you, you have no part
with Me," alluding to the ultimate sacrifice that He would bear for them.
Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles was a beautiful expression of His
love for them, and is an invitation for us all to love one another with the
same devotion and sacrifice, said His Eminence, and concluded by praying for
the grace and blessings of our Lord to be upon all the children.
***
HOLY TUESDAY COMMEMORATION AT HOLY MARTYRS CHURCH IN ENCINO
On Tuesday, March 27, 2018, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, presided over Holy Tuesday service and delivered his message at
Holy Martyrs Church in Encino. Ten Sunday School students participated in
the service representing the ten maidens of the day's parable.
The Parable of the Ten Maidens is the story of the heavenly kingdom,
said the Prelate, and the path to the heavenly kingdom was initiated on Palm
Sunday when our Lord Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem for the last time and
until His arrest preached and taught in the Temple through various parables
announcing the coming of the His kingdom and how to inherit it.
His Eminence recounted the Parable of the Ten Maidens, of the five
wise maidens who had enough oil for their lamps and were thus worthy of
greeting the groom and the five foolish who ran out of oil and thus were not
present when the groom arrived. In the olden days, one could not light a
lamp without oil; what is the "oil" of our lives today asked the Prelate. It
is the grace of God and the Holy Spirit, he said. "Jesus, the bridegroom,
will one day return; and in order to be ready to greet Him we must have oil
in our lamps at all times, like the wise maidens, by being in communion and
communication with Him and keeping our hearts and souls open to Him at all
times. God gave us the necessary tools to be in communion and communication
with Him; He gave us our church, the teachings of our church fathers, our
rites, and more, and all of these are to increase the oil in our lamps. And
the source of the oil is His Word and His teachings. With its plentiful
services, Holy Week is the perfect opportunity to fill up the oil in our
lamps. In the example of the wise maidens, prior to His coming let us be
alert and spiritually ready to meet Him by knowing and uniting with Christ
so that we too may be worthy of greeting Him and inheriting His heavenly
kingdom."
***
PALM SUNDAY AT FORTY MARTYRS CHURCH IN ORANGE COUNTY
On Sunday, March 25, 2018, Prelacy Churches were filled with
faithful and beautifully adorned with palm fronds for the celebration of
Palm Sunday, the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, celebrated Divine Liturgy,
delivered his sermon, blessed young faithful during the children's
procession, and conducted the Opening of the Portals service at Forty
Martyrs Church in Orange County. Parish Pastor Rev. Fr. Karekin Bedourian
and Archpriest Fr. Hrant Yeretzian assisted at the altar.
The Prelate began his sermon by joyfully greeting the parish
community with chants of "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who
comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" giving thanks to God
for granting the opportunity to once again collectively celebrate Palm
Sunday.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem He was bringing the message of His
kingdom and His peace, said His Eminence. Just a day before He had raised
Lazarus from the dead and was now entering Jerusalem triumphantly for the
last time to cleanse the temple of moneychangers and merchants. It was the
Jewish Passover and thousands had descended upon Jerusalem. Having heard of
Jesus and His miracles, they had gathered to witness the coming of the
Messiah and greet Him with chants of Hosanna. In addition to His followers
and innocent children, His opponents, the Scribes and Pharisees, who a few
days later would call for His crucifixion, were also present.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem knowing well that the path would lead to
the Cross, yet He continued on for us, so that through His Resurrection on
Easter Sunday He would lead mankind from despair to hope, from sorrow to
joy, from darkness to light, from death to life, stated the Prelate. As the
crowds were laying down their cloaks before Jesus, they were symbolically
relinquishing control and submitting themselves to Him. And that is what we
are called to do today; to lay down our cloaks before Jesus, open the
portals of our hearts and souls to Him, and surrender to His will, he
stressed.
Speaking on the large number of children who were among the
multitude who greeted Him in Jerusalem, the Prelate exhorted, "let their
innocence be an example for us all to emulate, and as the children lined up
to welcome Jesus with joy and enthusiasm, let us welcome His glorious
Resurrection with renewed faith and pure hearts and souls."
Finally, the His Eminence touched on the Opening of the Portals
ceremony which symbolizes the Second Coming of Christ and the opening of the
doors of salvation, and invited the faithful to follow the service
attentively, to open the doors of their hearts and souls to Him, and with
humility and atonement to beseech the Lord to open for us the door of His
mercy and make us worthy of inheriting the Kingdom which He has prepared for
us.
Following the sermon, the Prelate exited the church in a procession
and circled the courtyard blessing the multitude of faithful and children in
particular who had gathered to receive his blessings with decorated candles
in hand. Afterward, the Prelate and assisting clergy conducted the Opening
of the Portals service, with young John Calkins serving as the Godfather.
***
ARI GUIRAGOS MINASSIAN SCHOOL'S 32ND ANNUAL BANQUET
On Saturday, March 24, 2018, Ari Guiragos Minassian School of Orange
County celebrated its 32nd anniversary with a banquet held at "Gugasian"
Hall with the theme "Growing Together." H.E. Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate, attended and conveyed his congratulatory message.
Forty Martyrs Church Parish Pastor Rev. Fr. Karekin Bedourian and Board of
Trustees members, Board of Regents Chair Mrs. Lisa Gaboudian, School Board
members, representatives of community organizations, parents, and sponsors
were among the guests in attendance.
The program opened with remarks by Mr. Kevork Keshishian on behalf
of the School Board. Fr. Karekin delivered the invocation. Fourth grade
student Arpi Aywazian and second grade student Kristina Tatarian presented
songs and recitations. Principal Ms. Sanan Shirinian spoke on the School's
latest endeavors and advancements, conveyed her thanks and well wishes to
the School family and to Forty Martyrs Church Board of Trustees for their
unwavering support.
The Prelate delivered his message congratulating and commending the
school family. He expressed his joy at joining the community for the
celebration as Ari Guiragos Minassian School has a special place in his
heart dating back over thirty years and fondly recalled the School's early
days. His Eminence served as parish dean and a teacher at the School over
thirty years ago.
Referencing the evening's motto, "Growing Together," His Eminence
commended the community's collective efforts which have led to the School's
continuous progress over the past thirty-two years. He stressed the
importance of unity in our service to our parishes, schools, and our nation,
stating that "in order to grow together we must work together, with harmony,
goodwill, and honesty, with one mind, one accord, and one goal, the good of
the collective." He blessed the devoted servants who have dedicated their
time and efforts to building churches and schools, blessed the memory of the
founders who are no longer with us, and commended all those who continue to
serve in their example for the flourishing of Ari Guiragos School, including
the Principal, past and present board members, faculty, parents, alumni,
benefactors and sponsors.
***