Photos courtesy of Joe Almasian & John Dagdigian
On Monday, February 17, 2020, crews were on hand for the construction of the newly-designed steeple of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church. Members of the Building Committee and others were also present during the construction hours. Due to the generosity of many major donors, the dream of having an Armenian-style dome gracing Saint Gregory Church and hovering over the skyline of North Andover has finally become a reality. Currently, a three foot tall Armenian cross is being cast and will be installed over the steeple very soon.
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Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room… As you’ve probably noticed from my messages these past few years, I am a person who can be deeply inspired by music and the meaningful texts that accompany it. This year is no exception, as I find myself once again finding a powerful message in some of the music that the Christmas season has to offer. One perennial favorite of mine (as I’m sure it is of many others) is the universally acclaimed and well-known Christmas Carol “Joy to the World.” This song first appeared in 1719 in a literary work entitled The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and worship, by English clergyman, Theologian and hymn writer Isaac Watts. During the 17th Century, musical arrangements of this text were published several times, bearing little resemblance to the tune we would recognize today. An 1836 anthology of Occasional Psalms and Hymn Tunes, published by Boston-based American composer, church musician and educator Lowell Mason, printed the text and tune pretty much as we know it today. The version exactly as we know it today comes from an 1848 version of the periodical The American Psalmist, which was edited by Mason himself. Both of these sources list the name of the tune as “Antioch” and Mason attributes to the great British composer of the previous century, George Frederick Händel. (As a side note, Lowell Mason was the man responsible for introducing music education into the Boston Public School system.) Watts’ original text was meant to be a free interpretation of the 96th and 98th Psalms, which mention the coming of the Lord and the charge to all creatures of the earth, as well as the heavens and nature itself to shout out to the Lord joyfully. The final verse also alludes to God’s punishment of the first man Adam, as recorded in Genesis 3:17-18. It depicts a beautiful scene in which all the heavens and the earth rejoice at the arrival of the newly-arrived Jesus and although there is no explicit reference to the Incarnation or the Nativity per se, the text itself lends itself beautifully to the Christmas story and the Good News of the birth of our Lord. One of my favorite lines from this carol is “Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room…” Let every heart prepare him room. Try to think back to a time when you knew something was arriving or something big was about to change in your life – something new was coming. Perhaps it was when you transitioned from one job to another, or you moved to a new home, began a new hobby or you simply decided it was time to redecorate your surroundings in a new style. All of us have found ourselves at one point or another in any number of these type of situations – situations of the sort where we find ourselves on the cusp of something new or daring, something that promises to change our lives, represent a new beginning or a departure from old circumstances. Whether we have pursued an education, gotten married, welcomed children, embarked on a new career, moved to a new country or what have you, there is an air of anticipation and excitement surrounding these novelties. This is precisely because each in its own way promises something new, to open up a new horizon before us and to bring us to new territories where we will (hopefully) be furnished with new possibilities and surroundings. This continuous “regeneration” of our life circumstances is part of the joy and mystery of our life. We do not remain static throughout our lives, rather God takes us on a long journey, the course of which is charted with new designation points and destinations along the way. Of course, there are some things that remain constant, including the skills, life lessons and pieces of wisdom we pick up along the way. Yet there is one thing all of the above have in common: they require preparation. And more specifically, they require an “out with the old, in with new mentality.” Preparing room for the new thing that is coming down the turnpike. Your decorations from the old office don’t match the décor of the new one. You need to make space for all those new materials you bought for that new hobby. A new family member is arriving and it’s time to clean out the old rec room to make room for a nursery. This means taking stock, making decisions… Preparing room. When we think of the Incarnation of our Savior, therefore, we must understand that the impact the arrival of the Savior of the world would have on us is decidedly no less powerful when it comes to our spiritual lives. If he is to come and abide in us, then naturally we need to make some preparations for him. This is why I am so moved by the reminder that at the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and the savior of my heart, I need to prepare room for him. Each one of us is responsible for welcoming and re-welcoming our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into our hearts at Christmastime and throughout the year. When we welcome him into our heart and ask him to be Lord of our life, we must therefore expect to have to prepare room for him to live inside there. So, we must then ask the question: in order to prepare this room, of what must we rid our hearts in order to do so? Simply put, “the old self.” Saint Paul writes in letter to the Ephesians, “…Put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by lusts, and… be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and… clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) When we get rid of our old self, which is “corrupt and deluded by lusts,” we make room for Christ to come into our hearts and create a new, holy and righteous person within us. Can you take a minute to think of certain aspects of your life that you would like to assign to the “old self pile” (in other words, the no longer needed “discard in the trash” pile)? Is it that bad cursing habit you have? That one secret addiction or vice that nobody knows about but is hurting your relationship with your families? Gossiping about and slandering others? That grudge you still hold against that person because you simply aren’t able (or willing) to forgive? Apathy towards your faith? Pushing sexual boundaries to impropriety? Your temper? Your resentments? Your fears? Your despair? There can be many other examples, but we shall suffice to say that all of the above mentioned things are part of what Saint Paul refers to as “the old self” and must be removed from our hearts and lives if we are to truly prepare room for Jesus Christ to come dwell in us. Therefore, dearly beloved, during this holy season of our Lord’s birth and revelation, let us joyfully prepare room in our hearts for the arriving Savior of the World, Jesus Christ, by asking him to remove our old, corrupted ways of thinking and living, and establishing us as new creatures for his service and the glory of his heavenly kingdom. Amen. Fr. Stephan Baljian, Pastor Feast of Holy Nativity & Theophany January 6, 2020 On Sunday afternoon, January 5, 2020, parishioners of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church gathered to begin the celebration of the Holy Nativity & Theophany (Birth & Revelation) of our Lord Jesus Christ. Following the Mid-day (Jashoo) & Evening Services, as evening drew near, students of Saint Gregory Church's Sunday/Armenian School read the ten readings from the Old Testament foretelling the birth and revelation of the promised Messiah, who was born in a stable in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago. This services is known as Jrakalooyts because it traditionally takes place during the lighting of the church lanterns on Christmas and Easter Eves.
At the conclusion of the Jrakalooyts readings, the altar curtain was drawn and amid a joyful atmosphere the Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy began. Young and old joined together in singing "Christ is born and revealed!" At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the students led the procession of the choir, deacons, Der Hayr and all the faithful to Jaffarian Hall where a beautiful Christmas Eve (khutoom) table had been set. Der Hayr read the final Gospel reading about the shepherds and the angels, after which our "spiritual home" of Saint Gregory Church was blessed (bread, water and salt). In his remarks, Der Hayr reminded the faithful that it was not enough that the shepherds heard the glad tidings of the angels. Not only were they moved to get up and say, "Let us go to Bethlehem," but also once they had encountered the new-born Lord and Savior, they went away praising God and proclaiming the good news -- as they had no doubt learned from the angels. He reminded the joyous crowd that they too needed to sing "Glory to God in the highest" tonight, so that the fallen world would hear the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. The following morning, Monday, the faithful once again gathered for the solemn Holy Divine Liturgy on the occasion of our Lord's Holy Nativity and Theophany. A delicious luncheon, hosted by the Board of Trustees, followed in Jaffarian Hall. This past holiday season, Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, in conjunction with our Prelacy, once again participated in the program to aid needy Armenian families with food and groceries during the New Year/Christmas seasons. Under the leadership of (Holy See of Cilicia) Christian Education Department chair, Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian, for the second year this program was enacted in order to take into consideration the difficult economic circumstances in Lebanon and the struggle for many Armenian families to get by with limited opportunity for employment.
As in the past year, an appeal was made to all the Prelacies of the Catholicosate for support of this program, by which a donation of $100 (U.S.) would sponsor a family with sufficient groceries for the home. Last year's donation of $500 was generated from the revenues received by the previous year's National Representative Assembly, which was hosted by our parish, and was made in honor of Saint Michael's Church (our next door neighbors), expressing our appreciation for their generous donation of use of the church's meeting hall for one of the sessions of the Assembly. This year, following a special appeal by Der Hayr made over two Sundays in December, our parishioners generously donated $780 toward this important program. Below, we provide a copy of the thank you letter received by our Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian.
Dear compatriots,
I praise the Almighty, who made it possible for the whole of mankind and the Armenian people to welcome the year 2020. In general, years and feasts seem a calendar repetition. Yet for us, rational beings, they are a wonderful opportunity for both a renewal and a reassessment of life with a different understanding. With this understanding, I want to contemplate the year 2020 through the lens of the three magi who are headed to Bethlehem: the three magi, who represent their contemporary society’s religious and royal class as well as that of those who studied the movements of celestial bodies. In other words, our days’ astronomers and scientists are a wonderful example of hope for mankind, with their consistent and conscious labor of research. It was no coincidence that the star headed to the manger was revealed to the three magi. They were conducting long studies, which were crowned with their gift of the celestial mystery. And once they revealed that heavenly gift, they dutifully set out for a long and treacherous journey, full of hope, which was finally rewarded—oh, miracle!—with the message of the highest reverence, kneeling before the manger and presenting their loving gifts to the king of kings, the lord of lords, the infant Jesus Christ. This is what serious and thoughtful research and examination means, dear compatriots, with persistence and unshakable hope in mankind. And I believe that, under this light, 2019 was indeed a promising year. Following long decades of joint work by all our community organizations—ecclesiastical, lay, political—what a great news it was that the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States unanimously accepted and recognized the Armenian Genocide as an unobjectionable and indisputable truth. Who believed that a few years after the Genocide the first Armenian republic would be founded? Who believed that the Soviet order would collapse and that our current republic would be established? This is, dear compatriots, what living with engagement and hope means. I want the year 2020 to be flooded with this truth, because we, as we remind you in our diary, this year we will observe the centenary of the Treaty of Sèvres, steeped in the spirit of the second centenary of the birth of Khrimian Hayrig. Yes, we must never surrender before the difficulties of daily life. On the contrary, as I said, with our gaze fixed on the celestial star headed to Bethlehem, that is, with persistence and hope and diligent collective work, we will surely fulfill our dreams. With this belief, this hope and this love, as Paul the Apostle says, when you put your hands to the plough, always look forward. We too, along with the three magi, let us head towards the realization of our first call to Jesus Christ and let us say to each other on Jan. 6, “Christ is born and revealed!”. And with that spirit of renewal in the year 2020, let us be able as Armenians, as Christian Armenians, renovate ourselves in our pilgrimage from life to the eternal life. One more time, I wish you all a Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. Christ is born and revealed! Blessed is the revelation of Christ! Archbishop Anoushvan Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the United States New Year & Christmas 2020 Armen Jeknavorian Honored With Prestigious Award On Saturday evening, November 9, during the annual banquet of the Armenian National Committee of America, Mr. Armen Jeknavorian, a member of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, chairmen of the Men's Club, past Chair of the Board of Trustees and past National Representative, received the Vahan Cardashian Memorial Award for his years of service to the Armenian community of the Merrimack Valley and activism for the cause of local and national recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Receiving the award along with Armen were his two brothers, Ara, & Ara Jeknavorian, who have also distinguished themselves with years of service and activism. This years banquet was hosted by the Merrimack Valley Chapter of the Armenian National Committee and took place on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Also receiving rewards that evening (Spirit of Armenia) were Congressman James McGovern (Representing Mass. 2nd District) and Prof. Taner Akcam of Clark University, a Turkish historian with a long history identifying the Armenian Genocide as such and outspoken critic of the modern Turksish Republic's ongoing denial of the historical fact. Among other dignitaries present, Mr. Aram Hamparian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee, who updated the crowd on the recent passage of U.S. House of Representatives' Resolution 296, which formally recognized the Armenian Genocide. Representing His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, was Rev. Archpriest Antranig Baljian, pastor of Saint Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown and member of the Religious Council of the Prelacy. We would like to offer our sincerest congratulations to Armen and to the Jeknavorian family for a job well done! Armen Jeknavorian, recipient of the 2019 Cardashian Award, pictured here with Board of Trustees members and National Representatives of Saint Gregory Church. From left to right: Gregory Minasian (NRA delegate), Mrs. Carol Minasian, Steven Mahlebjian (BOT), Sylvia Mahlebjian (BOT), Armen Jeknavorian (recipient of Cardashian Award), Mrs. Sossy Jeknavorian (NRA delegate), Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian (Pastor), Christine Kourkounian (Past BOT Chair), Armen Kourkounian (BOT) Recent St. Gregory Sunday/ Armenian School graduate Meline Almasian received the Menas Bogosian Memorial Scholarship from the Armenian-American Veterans Sam Manoyan Post #1 during their recent dinner-dance. She is pictured here with Der Hayr Saint Gregory Church Trustees Armen Kourkounian and Steven Mahlebjian Over the years, many of our Sunday School alumni have received the Menas Bogosian scholarship award, which is awarded annually by the Armenian-American Veterans of Lowell, Sam Manoyan Post #1. Over the years, this scholarship program has aided many young Armenian-American students from the throughout the Merrimack Valley.
The latest recipient from among our Saint Gregory Sunday/Armenian school alumni was Meline Almasian, daughter of Joe and Kim Almasian of Westford, parishioners of Saint Gregory Church. Meline is currently a freshmen at the University of New Hampshire, studying mechanical engineering. Meline was one of two recipients of the 2018 Youth Service Award presented by the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America. She graduated from Saint Gregory Sunday/Armenian School this past May. Congratulations to Meline and to the entire Almasian family! Photos courtesy of Violet Dagdigian, Mardo Kevorkian & James Haddad On Sunday, September 8, Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Merrimack Valley held its Annual Picnic. Celebrated on the Feast of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God, this year's picnic day had an added bonus to it-- the visit of our Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian. Archbishop Anoushavan presided over the Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon of the day. His message focused on the genealogy of Jesus Christ and his being born from the Virgin Mary. His Eminence relayed "through God's providential grace given through Christ, we are all part of God's family now. Even though we may not know our own genealogy completely, due to the circumstances of genocide and upheaval experienced by the Armenian people, we know the origins and genealogy of our Lord, going all the way back to Abraham and to Adam, the first man. Because we received adoption through him, this becomes our genealogy too. This is how as a family, we are invited 'home' to be with God in his heavenly Kingdom." Following the Divine Liturgy & Requiem services, the Annual Picnic got rolling as the noon hour approached. New and old faces, parishioners, friends and visitors arrived in droves during those early afternoon hours. The weather cooperated and provided a pleasant time for everyone involved. Our dedicated team of volunteers, from the set-up crew to the kitchen crew, raffle tickets, clean-up and everything in between, was on hand to make for one of our most successful Annual Picnics in recent memory. The food was delicious. The band was top notch. It was great to see so many friends come out to support us. We are grateful to all our devoted workers and to all who came and supported this year's Annual Picnic making it a resounding success. Perhaps the highlight of the afternoon was the Great Procession of the Holy Cross, which was led by Archbishop Anoushavan himself. While this ceremony would normally be conducted one week later, on the major Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we felt it would be fitting once again to offer this beautiful service on the day of the Annual Picnic so that our parishioners and friends in attendance would be inspired and spiritually fulfilled.
Joining Srpazan Hayr and Der Stephan were several clergyman from local Armenian churches, along with their families. The deacons and acolytes of Saint Gregory Church, as well as youth and members of the Board of Trustees also participated in the procession. Many of the faithful followed the Procession of the Cross as pilgrims, remembering our Lord's words when speaking of his impending crucifixion, "If anyone would serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, let my servant be there also." (John 12:25) Following the Procession, Srpazan Hayr personally received the pilgrims and the rest of the faithful for a blessing and handed them each a sprig of the blessed Sweet Basil that lay at the foot of the cross. Through the traversing of the four sides of our church property, with a special prayer and blessing being given for each one, the four corners of the world were blessed through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Cross. We were all reminded of God's precious gift to us in the form of the earth and nature. We found ourselves fortunate to be the beneficiaries of his graciousness as we enjoyed this year's Annual Picnic. Wise Old MenToday is July 18, 2019. The day has finally arrived. Today is my 40th birthday... To say that it has not occupied a significant portion of my thoughts, fears and overall mental energies over the last few years would certainly be a misstatement. On many occasions I have found myself pondering the rapid approach of this magical – almost mystical – number, admittedly ambivalent about its approach, wondering with fascination about its significance, importance and impending impact upon my still young(ish) life. I am sure to many readers this would seem a pedestrian subject to engage. Many of you have crossed this bridge before. Many of you have reassured me that the road of life does indeed continue beyond the passage of this milestone. Many of you in looking back have confidently reassured me and those in my age group that – compared to what lies ahead – we of this age are still but sprawling infants in the nursery of life and existence. Yet, the time has come for me to experience this rite of passage for myself, and as I do so (really for the past several years leading up to this moment) I find my mind is drawn to contemplate the more rustic or cavalier questions that may arise on such an occasion: What have I accomplished thus far and what do I hope to accomplish in the future? How long will I live and will I have one of those “mid-life crises” everyone always talks about? What will become of my health, happiness, capabilities and strength as I enter this new phase and beyond? These are all questions, I suppose, that would come naturally to any reticent 39-and-holding-year-old. Why should I be any different? When I was a boy, we had among our children’s books an illustrated collection of Bible stories created especially for children. (It’s been so long I confess I’ve forgotten the name of the book). In this book, there was a chapter entitled “Wise Old Men.” I can’t remember about which exactly of the sections of the Bible it was written (the Prophets? Or the Apostles maybe? The Judges of Israel?). All I can remember from the picture on the title page of the chapter was a depiction of two middle-aged men sporting colorful tunics (like the kind in which we’d imagine Sts. Peter or Paul to have strolled around in) and long graying beards. Of course, it’s also worth mentioning the page number upon which this picture/chapter could be found. You guessed it—page 40!!! “40” the number, in Biblical language, often refers to a long period of time in general, or to a period of trial and testing, or the time it takes for one generation to reach its stature and/or a satisfactory level of maturity before giving way to the next. Forty years of life, therefore, would mean that person had lived a long time, experienced much and learned much from those experiences. So, in such a way my young, impressionable mind came to associate the number 40 with “Old Men” or being old. Not exactly a 39-year-old’s favorite predicament to be in, is it? I pause to take stock of my life now: Colorful robes? Check. Beard? Check. 40? Check. Uh-oh. I’m one of the “Old Men,” or at least I feel like I am. But wait, what about “wisdom?” Last night, before we drifted off to sleep, my lovely wife Yeretsgin Alice posed to me an astounding question: “What did you learn in your 30’s?” Simple, yet direct and invitatory. I have to admit, I was stunned. I sat in silence for a moment as suddenly a whole wave of thoughts rushed into my mind… thoughts about life lessons that were complex and intricate, difficult at times (like this one, in fact) to put together or express cohesively. It took a few more minutes still before I could even open my mouth and find the words with which to begin my answer. (If any indication of this predicament could be alluded to, that my first utterance was “I learned how to change diapers” may be the most telling!) What an important question had been posed to me in the final hours of my fourth decade of life! What have I learned in the last one? Where all this time I had been contemplating the existential, consumed with the specious, the plenitudes and platitudes of overgrown advice, all pertaining to my impending age-doom, I suddenly found myself thrust into a new, brighter light under which to examine my prevailing attitudes. “What have I learned?,” in other words, “What wisdom have I gained?” Perhaps it is too much beyond the scope of this essay, or too out of focus to be able to clearly depict my entire vision… or it could be just slightly too personal for me to divulge everything that was expressed during our ensuing discussion. Suffice it to say that it was the sentiment of said discussion that compels me to write these lines to you today. In his book of Proverbs, King Solomon quips, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the holy one is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). In that microcosmic recall of the elapsed time between birthday number 30 and birthday number 40, I realized in a moment how far I had come through God’s grace. In one decade, the life lessons I had been taught, both whimsical and monumental, seemed truly miraculous and awe-inspiring. Reverence (=”fear”) for God has been crucial for me to gain wisdom. Whenever growth or learning have occurred, they have done so in conjunction with a humble acceptance of God’s love and his will for my life. Indeed, I have seen this with near axiomatic certainty: wherever God was willing to impart upon me wisdom and understanding – in any matter at all – reverence toward the Lord and seeking to know the “Holy One” (=God) in my life would be the only way it could be wholly and securely imparted to me. This is not to imply that I did not tender many failures, as well as missed opportunities for learning along the way. What is of importance is that I choose at the present moment no longer to belabor those things about which I have very little knowledge and much uncertainty, but rather to relish the joy of what I had learned along the way. Now, for reasons of practicality (and so that you, the reader, can at least say that you came away from the experience of reading this paper having learned something of my imparted wisdom), I would like to share with you just a few of my insights: One thing I have learned to try to put the needs of others before my own (like Jesus did), but also to speak up for myself when the need arises (Couples nicely with: fatherhood, marriage, priesthood). Additionally, I learned that one should listen to people, really listen to them in a way through which I might be able to truly hear what they are trying to say (Try your skills through: friendship, mentoring, parenting). Moreover, I learned to always give thanks at all times and for all things, and to never take for granted that one’s health, status, position, relationships or anything else will remain static forever. What may be a present reality for you today maybe a distant memory tomorrow. Cherish what you have – yes, even the difficulties – and give thanks to God, for it is through good circumstances and bad circumstances that God has forged your character and each trial is a way for God to whittle away at you until you become his perfectly sculpted masterpiece. Most profoundly, I have also learned that the greatest joy there can ever be in life is found in singing the praises of the One who created me and in sharing that joy with others. This is the essence of life in God’s Kingdom and in order for us to inherit it then, we must learn to live that life as a reality now. Most importantly of all, I have learned that God loves me for the person he made me to be, not for who I might aspire to be (or fall short of being). And furthermore, the greatest sign and promise of this love and acceptance is our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he invited me and all of us to share in his divine life and love. Through his Holy Cross – whose care lifts up all human beings to the heavens, whose silence absorbs the cries and joyful shouts of all the ages, which encapsulates both the grace of salvation given and the gratitude for it received and which leads all the peoples of the earth in a great, glorious paean of praise – I can now see the true depth and breadth of his love for me, and feel compelled more and more every day to make knowledge of the Holy One, Jesus Christ, my utmost priority for my remaining years. During this decade and the many more to come. May God turn us all into "Wise Old Men." Two of Our Late Pastors RememberedThis photograph appeared in the Armenian Weekly in June of 2010, along with an obituary eulogizing recently deceased Archpriest Fr. Arshag Daghlian (right). Der Arshag served as pastor of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Merrimack Valley from its consecration in 1970 until his departure in 1985. He is pictured here with Rev. Fr. Vartan Kassabian, who had served the Saint Gregory community as its priest from 2003 until his untimely passing in March of 2009. Both of these men of God were faithful and loving shepherds of our community. The Weekly article and the photograph were provided by one of Saint Gregory's own, the late Tom Vartabedian, who went to his eternal rest in November 2016. May the Lord grant rest to their soul in heavenly light.
Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Republic of Armenia & Annual Spring Food FairPhotos courtesy of Violet Dagdigian & Gregory Afarian
Editor's Note: The year 2019 has been declared the "Year of the Armenian Media" by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia. Following this theme, the students of the Pre-K - 1st Grade class of Saint Gregory's Sunday School presented a newsletter entitled "Sunday Children's Bulletin" to the parishioners of Saint Gregory Church during the annual year-end commencement ceremony. Special thanks to our teachers for compiling this wonderful and informative piece of literature. We reproduce it here below.
On Sunday, May 19, the Saint Gregory Sunday/ Armenian School held its annual year-end closing exercises and cultural program. Following the Divine Liturgy, the students filed into the church sanctuary in order to present a program based on the various things they had learned throughout the Sunday School academic year. During the program, each student received a certificate of completion for the academic year. This year's sole graduate was Meliné Almasian, daughter of Joe & Kim Almasian. Meliné has been an outstanding student in our Sunday/Armenian School and was one of the recipients of the Prelacy's Youth Service Award during last year's National Representative Assembly that convened in North Andover. The dedicated Sunday School staff, under the capable direction of Mrs. Sossy Jeknavorian, deserves a high amount of gratitude for their commitment in volunteering to teach and guide our children throughout the year. On behalf of the students and parents, the teachers presented Digin Sossy with a small gift in appreciation for her work as Sunday/Armenian School Principal. Following the presentation in church, students, parishioners, family members and friends participated in a delicious buffet luncheon in Jaffarian Hall, prepared by the parents and staff. A large crowd was on hand to watch the annual Armenian School hantes, which consisted of poems, readings, songs and dances performed masterfully by our students.
One of the highlights of the program was a stunning performance by little Lucy Kevorkian of Komitas Vartabed's song Gakavig, accompanied by Der Hayr at the piano. The students of our Sunday/Armenian School continue to learn about our Armenian Apostolic Faith and the culture and heritage of Armenian forefathers. We congratulate all the staff, students and parents on another successful year of learning and we wish you all new successes in future years. Delegates to the National Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America are shown here with His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate; Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishyan, Vicar General, Members of the Religious & Executive Councils, Executive, Prelacy Clergy, Executive (Tivan) of the Assembly & Delegates to the National Association of Ladies' Guilds Assembly. The 3-day Assembly took place at the Sheraton Tara Hotel in Framingham, under the sponsorship of St. Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church of Whitinsville, Massachusetts The Clergy of the Eastern Prelacy, (front row, l to r) Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Archpriest Nerses Manoogian, Very Rev. Sahag Yemishyan, Vicar General, H.E. Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate, Very. Rev. Fr. Ghevont Pentezian, Archpriest Antranig Baljian, Rev. Fr. Mikael Der Khosrofian, (back row, l to r) Rev. Fr. Kapriel Nazarian, Rev. Dr. Vahan Kouyoumjian, Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Rev. Fr. Torkom Chorbajian, Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian The Religious & Executive Councils of the Eastern Prelacy; (front row, l to r) Susan Chitjian Erickson, Archpriest Nerses Manoogian, Jack Mardoian Esq., Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate, Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishyan, Vicar General, Karen Jehanian, (back row, l to r) Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Raffi Ourlian, Veh Bezdikian, Harry Seoylemezian, Mark Philips Պատգամ՝ Գերշ. Տ. Անուշաւան Արք. Դանիէլեանի Ուղղուած Տարեկան ԺողովինԳերապատիւ եւ Արժանապատիւ հոգեւոր հայրեր, Ազգային Երեսփոխանական Ժողովոյ մեծարգոյ եւ ազնուափայլ անդամ-անդամուհիներ, Էջմիածնական Թեմի Առաջնորդ՝ Գերաշնորհ Տէր Դանիէլ Եպիսկոպոսի ներկայացուցիչ, Քոյր կազմակերպութեանց ներկայացուցիչներ, եւ «Հայրենիք» շաբաթաթերթի ներկայացուցիչ։ («Հայրենիք» շաբաթաթերթը առանձնացուցի, անոր համար որ ինչպէս բոլորիդ ծանօթ է՝ Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ. Արամ Ա Կաթողիկոս 2019 տարին հռչակած է Հայ Մամուլի Տարի, եւ հետեւաբար կ՛ողջունենք մեր մէջ Հայրենիքէն հեռու, բայց միշտ Հայրենիքի կեանքով առլցուն "Հայրենիք" շաբաթաթերթի ընտանիքի ներկայայցուցիչը)։ Հիւսիսային Ամերիկայի Արեւելեան Թեմի որպէս հինգերորդ առաջնորդ, Երեսփոխանական Ժողովի իմ անդրանիկ պատգամիս մէջ առաջին հերթին կ՛ուզեմ որդիական խոնարհազգաց երախտագիտութիւնս յայտնել Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ Հայրապետ՝ Նորին Սուրբ Օծութիւն Տէր Տէր Արամ Ա. Կաթողիկոսին, որ իր հայրական օրհնութիւնը տուաւ առաջնորդական ընտրութեանս, եւ աւելին՝ փութացուց Արքեպիսկոպոսութեան տիտղոսը շնորհել։ Շնորհակալութեան երկրորդ խօսքս կ՛ուղղեմ Ազգային Երեսփոխանական ժողովի անցեալի ու ներկայի անդամներուն, եւ իրենց պատկան համայնքներուն անխտիր, որոնք գովելի նախանձախնդրութեամբ ու նուիրուածութեամբ բոլորուելով Ազգային Առաջնորդարանի շուրջ, վեց տասնամեակներու վրայ գործեցին մեր ժողովուրդի բարօրութեան ու յառաջդիմութեան համար, եւ վերջին ժամանակներուն մեր վտիտ ուսերուն վստահեցան Առաջնորդական այս լուծը։ Շնորհակալութեան երրորդ խօսքս կ՛ուղղեմ Ազգային Վարչութեան Կրօնական ու Քաղաքական ժողովներու անդամներուն, հոգեւոր եղբայրներուս առհասարակ, ինչպէս նաեւ Ազգային Առաջնորդարանի պաշտօնէութեան, որոնց անվերապահ աջակցութեամբ անցնող ութը ամիսներուն հոյակապ իրագործումներու ականատես եղանք ամէնքս։ Շնորհակալութեան չորրորդ խօսքս կ՛ուղղեմ մեր քոյր կազմակերպութեանց, ինչպէս նաեւ ազգայիններու, որոնց գործակցութիւնը երաշխիքն է Թեմիս հզօրացման ու զարգացման։ Յուսով եմ որ Ամենակարողին օգնութեամբ եւ ամէնքիդ գործակցութեամբ, ակնկալուած յոյսերը կ՛արդարանան։ Եւ վերջապէս շնորհակալութիւն կը յայտնեմ Հիւսիսային Ամերիկայի եւ Գանատայի Հայոց Առաջնորդ՝ հոգեւոր եղբայրներուս Գերաշնորհ Տէր Մուշեղ եւ Բաբգէն Արքեպիսկոպոսներուն, որոնց հետ մշտական կապի մէջ ըլլալով, մեզի վիճակուած առաքելութիւնը մեր ոյժերու ներած չափով կը փորձենք ի գործ դնել, ինչպէս նաեւ Արեւելեան Ամերիկայի Էջմիածնական Թեմի Առաջնորդ՝ Տէր Դանիէլ եպիսկոպոս Ֆնտըգեանին իր անկեղծ ու սրտբաց գործակցութեան համար։ (Սրբազան Հայրը անցեալ Կիրակի Մայր Աթոռ Սուրբ Էջմիածնի մէջ ձեռնադրուեցաւ եւ օծուեցաւ Հայ Եկեղեցւոյ Իշխան՝ Եպիսկոպոսութեան կարգով, եւ կը խնդրեմ Տէր Աւետ Քահանայ Թէրզեանէն որ յանուն Պատկառելի Ժողովիս մեր սրտագին բարեմաղթութիւնները փոխանցէ Առաջնորդ՝ Դանիէլ Սրբազան Հօր)։ Ամերիկեան ցամաքամասին վրայ անցնող երեսուն եւ հինգ տարիներու ծառայութենէս ետք որպէս քարոզիչ, հովիւ, եւ առաջնորդական փոխանորդ՝ հոգելոյս Տէր Մեսրոպ Արքեպիսկոպոսին, ապա Բարձրաշնորհ Տէր Օշական Արքեպիսկոպոսին, այսօր Առաջնորդական պաշտօնի պատասխանատուութեան բարձրագոյն գիտակցութեամբ երբ մտածումներս կ՛ուզեմ բաժնել ձեզի հետ որպէս նոյն նպատակին լծուած գործակիցներ, փոխադարձ վստահութեան ու գործակցութեան մթնոլորտին մէջ կ՛ուզեմ իմ ըմբռնումովս յստակեցնել Ազգային Առաջնորդարանի եւ անոր ենթակայ Ծուխերու ինքնութիւնը եւ առաքելութիւնը, եւ այս պրիսմակէն դիտուած՝ շարունակել մեր ծառայութիւնը նախնեաց ուղիով, վերաշխուժացնելով այս հոգեւոր հաստատութեան ծրագիրները՝ ի խնդիր մեր ներքին կառոյցներու հզօրացման, եւ արտահաս օժանդակութեան շարունակման։ Ինքնութեան/պատկանելիութեան շրջագծէն ներս ամենէն յատկանշական հաստատումը ինծի համար եղած է Սուրբ Պատարագի ընթացքին գոհաբանական աղօթքի ընթացքին օրուան կաթողիկոսին անուան յիշատակման առթիւ արտասանուած սա բառերը.- "եւս առաւել զեպիսկոպոսապետն մեր եւ զպատուական հայրապետն՝ Ամենայն Հայոց Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ"։ Չեմ գիտեր թէ երբեւիցէ անդրադարձած էք Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ՝ այս գողտրիկ անուան գեղեցկութեան ու ջերմութեան, եւ անկէ ճառագայթող ու մեզ իրար շաղախող ներքին ոյժին։ Այո՛, Սուրբ եւ անմահ Պատարագի աղօթքով նուիրականացած այս մաղթանքը որքան որ մեր ուշադրութիւնը կը կեդրոնացնէ Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ Աթոռի գահակալի անձին, նոյնքան՝ նաեւ Սուրբ Աթոռի էութեան եւ առաքելութեան։ Այլ խօսքով, Կիլիկիոյ Կաթողիկոսութիւնը հոգեւոր եւ վարչական կեդրոն ըլլալով հանդերձ՝ ներկայիս հաստատուած Լիբանանի մէջ, մեծ Տուն՝ մեծ Ընտանիք մըն է, որ Աստուծոյ շունչով լեցուած ու ժողովուրդի ծառայութեան առաքելութեամբ զսպանակուած, անդրանցնելով աշխարհագրականօրէն գծուած ամէն սահման կամ տարածքային հասկացողութիւն, կ՛ընդարձակուի ու կը տարածուի նիւթեղէն տունի մը չորս պատերէն, կամ հաստատութեան մը պարիսպներէն դուրս, եւ կը դառնայ համայնական Մեծ Ընտանիք։ Այդ մեծ ընտանիքին մաս կը կազմէ Ամերիկայի Արեւելեան Թեմի Ազգային Առաջնորդարանը իր Ծուխերով`1957 թուականէն ի վեր։ Այս հասկացողութեամբ ներքին անխզելի կապ մը՝ Կաթողիկոսարան-Թեմ-Համայնք, մեզ կը դարձնէ ՄԷԿ ամբողջութիւն, մէկ՝ էութեամբ, եւ մէկ՝ առաքելութեամբ։ Հետեւաբար, իւրաքանչիւր Ծուխ-համայնքի պատասխանատու պաշտօնի վրայ գտնուող անձինք՝ Ազգային Երեսփոխանական Ժողովի, հոգաբարձութեանց ու յարակից մարմիններու անդամներ, պարտին հասկնալ իրենց դերակատարութիւնը, եւ զայն թարգմանել համայնական կեանքին մէջ՝ բաժնելով այս գաղափարախօսութիւնը իրենց ծխականներուն հետ։ Այլ խօսքով, մտածել ու ըսել որ եկեղեցւոյ մը պարտաւորութիւնները կը սկսին ու կը վերջանան տեղական համայնքի սահմաններով, մեզ կը հեռացնէ իրապաշտ ճանաչողութենէ եւ կ՛առաջնորդէ իրավիճակի մը որ դատապարտուած է ճահճացումի եւ ի վերջոյ ոչնչացման։ Այնպէս ինչպէս մարմնի իւրաքանչիւր բջիջը կամ անդամը ինքն իր մէջ ամբողջութիւն մը ըլլալով հանդերձ՝ իր գոյութիւնը կը պահպանէ ու կ՛իմաստաւորէ աւելի մեծ ամբողջութեան մը յարաբերաբար, նմանապէս իւրաքանչիւր Ծուխ/համայնք՝ ըլլալով հանդերձ ինքնավար ամբողջութիւն մը, իր աւիշը կը ստանայ Թեմի եւ Կաթողիկոսութեան փոխադարձ յարաբերութեան ընդմէջէն։ Ի մի բան, երբ իրարմով եւ իրարու համար ապրինք ու գործենք, Ծուխ-Թեմ-Կաթողիկոսութիւն՝ նուիրապետական այս կառոյցը չոր ու ցամաք պաշտօնական կարգ ըլլալէ կը դադրի, եւ ինչպէս վերեւ բնութագրեցինք, կը դառնայ Մեծ Տուն-Ընտանիք։ Եւ իւրաքանչիւր ծխական ինքզինք զգալով այդ Մեծ Տան անդամ, ըստ այնմ կը շնչէ ու կը գործէ անոր առողջութեան համար, ոչի՛նչ կը խնայէ անոր բարօրութեան համար, եւ միշտ կը հրճուի անոր յառաջդիմութեամբ, միշտ հաւատալով որ ինչ որ կ՛ընէ Մեծ ընտանիքին համար, ըրած կ՛ըլլայ իրեն համար։ Մեր պատկանելիութեան առաջին խաւը յստակեցնելէ ետք` որպէս Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ Կաթողիկոսութեան մեծ ընտանիքին առողջ անդամներէն մին, կ՛ուզեմ ընդարձակել հաւատքի ինքնութեան շրջագիծը ընդհանրական Հայ եկեղեցւոյ սահմաններէն դուրս, որպէս Քրիստոնեաներ, որ սկիզբ առաւ երկու հազար տարիներ առաջ եւ Հայ ժողովուրդի ինքնութեան անբաժանելի բաղադրիչ մասը դարձաւ 1700 տարիներէ ի վեր։ Քրիստոնեայ աշխարհի մաս կազմելով, դրական բարիքներով հարստացած ենք, միաժամանակ մեր անսակարկելի ներդրումը բերած ենք անոր յառաջդիմութեան ։ Այս ուղղութեամբ, յաճախ կ՛առարկուի թէ քրիստոնէական մեր հաւատքը պատճառ դարձած է որ դիւրին ձուլուինք՝ ապրելով քրիստոնեայ աշխարհի մէջ։ Սակայն, երբ պատմութեան ձայնը լսենք, պիտի տեսնենք որ 17 դարերու փորձառութեան ընդմէջէն տարբեր է իրողութիւնը։ Հայ Եկեղեցին իր հաւատացեալներով՝ միշտ շրջապատուած ըլլալով հանդերձ զինք կլանել փորձող ոչ-քրիստոնեայ, բայց մանաւանդ քրիստոնեայ մեծամասնութիւններով, իր ինքնուրոյնութիւնը պահած է, աւելին՝ հոգեւոր առաքելութեան կողքին արդարացուցած է ազգային դիմագծի պահպանման դերակատարութիւնը, լուծ մը՝ որմէ զերծ են առհասարակ Քրիստոնեայ միւս եկեղեցիները։ Բաւ է միայն ակնարկ մը նետել Հայ Եկեղեցւոյ ծիսական օրացոյցին, եւ մենք պիտի նկատենք այնպիսի նրբութիւններ՝ որոնք զարմանք պիտի պատճառեն ո՛չ միայն մեր հաւատքի, այլեւ մեր ինքնութեան պահմանման վրայ անոնց ունեցած որոշադրիչ դրոշմին։ Առանց մանրամասնութեանց երթալու, նշենք բոլորիս ծանօթ յատկանշական օրինակներ։ Հայ Եկեղեցին որքան որ պատմական հիմքերէ առաջնորդուած՝ ի գին ամէն զոհողութեան հաստատ մնացած է Քրիստոսի Ծննդեան թուականի անշարժութեան վրայ՝ զայն տօնախմբելով Յունուար վեցին, միւս կողմէ, Աստուածամօր Վերափոխումն ու Խաչի Վերացման տաղաւար տօները, որոնք անշարժ են Ուղղափառ եւ Կաթողիկէ աշխարհին մէջ, մեր հայրերը փոխադրած են մօտիկ Կիրակին։ Պարզ պատահականութի՞ւն, թէ՞ յստակ ուղղութեան մը արտայայտութիւն։ Նաեւ՝ Քրիստոնեայ աշխարհին հետ տօնելէ ետք Խաչի նուիրուած երեք տօներ, Հայ Եկեղեցին աւելցուցած է Վարագայ Սուրբ Խաչ տօնը, որ կը շեշտէ մեր առանձնայատկութիւնը, բայց մանաւանդ՝ պատմական պայմաններու բերումով, այսօր վառ կը պահէ մեր իրաւատիրութեան ոգին։ Իսկ Հոկտեմբեր ամիսը նուիրագործելով որպէս մշակոյթի ամիս եւ լուսարձակի տակ բերելով մշակոյթի կարեւորութիւնը, Հայ Եկեղեցին ովկիանոսներէն անդին ափ առած հայորդիին կը վերյիշեցնէ իր արմատներուն գիտակից ըլլալը եւ կը շեշտէ մշակոյթով սնանելու այժմէականութիւնը։ Այս հասկացողութեամբ, ամէն ամիս տօնախմբուող սուրբերը կամ աւանդութիւնները կը միտին մեզ ամրապնդել Հայ հաւատքին եւ ինքնութեան մէջ։ Եզրակացութիւն՝ Հայ Եկեղեցին, նախանձախնդիր իր հօտի ինքնուրոյն պաշտպանութեան, կը գործէ ընդհանրականին մէջ առանձնայատկութիւն պահպանելու լուրջ մտահոգութեամբ, զերծ պահելով իր բանաւոր հօտը լուծումէ, ձուլումէ եւ մասամբ նոցին ուծացումներէ։ Բաւ է, որ մեր կարգին մենք եւս անդրադառնալով Հայ Եկեղեցւոյ օրհնաբեր դերակատարութեան, զայն թարգմանենք մեր անձնական եւ հաւաքական կեանքին մէջ։ Երրորդ անբաժանելի խաւը մեր պատկանելիութեան՝ մեր Հայեցի ինքնութիւնն է, որ կեանք առաւ 4512 տարիներ առաջ Հայկ նահապետի ազատատենչ նետէն արձակուած աղեղով, եւ սուրալով դարերու հուրի եւ սուրի ընդմէջէն, անկախ Մայր հայրենիքի թէ արտերկրի մէջ ծնած ըլլալու որակաւորումներէն՝ Ամերիկահայ, Լիբանանահայ եւ կամ այլ երկրի Հայ, այսօր իր դարաւոր ընթացքը կը շարունակէ աշխարհի չորս ծագերուն ապրող իւրաքանչիւր գիտակից հայու մէջ։ Անդրադառնալով մեր գաղութին, այսօրուան ամերիկահայը առաւելաբար ինքզինք կը բնորոշէ որպէս Եղեռնէն քիչ առաջ կամ ետք Ամերիկեան ցամաքամասին վրայ ոտք դնող հայորդիներու շառաւիղ՝ ճանչցուած որպէս բնիկ ամերիկահայ եւ կամ յետ համաշխարհային երկրորդ պատերազմի Միջին Արեւելքի ու Եւրոպայի զանազան երկիրներէ ալիք առ ալիք ժամանող սերունդներու զաւակ՝ որպէս եկուոր Հայ։ Ընկերաբանական երեւոյթ մը, որմէ Հայ հաւաքականութիւնը չէր կրնար զերծ մնալ։ Արդ, Ամերիկեան ցամաքամասին վրայ որպէս հին, կամ միասնաբար հին ու նոր հայեր, երկու պարագաներուն ալ միշտ ապրած ենք որպէս փոքրամասնութիւն կազմող նոր տարր մը՝ խայտաբղէտ ազգերու ձուլարանին (Melting Pot) մէջ: Երկու զանգուածներէն յառաջացած Ամերիկահայը բեւեռացումէն դէպի միեղինութեան՝ յստակ բիւրեղացում գտնելու ճամբուն վրայ է, եւ մեր մաղթանքն է որ ղեկավարութիւնը այս հոլովոյթին փութացուցիչը (catalyzer) հանդիսանայ։ Ինչ որ այստեղ կ՛ուզեմ շեշտել, սակայն, հետեւեալն է. ինքնութեան որոնումի երթին մէջ Ամերիկահայը թօթափելով անցնող տասնամեակներու հոգեբանութիւնը, ինքզինք պարտի դաւանիլ ո՛չ թէ որպէս Համիտեան ջարդերէն կամ ցեղասպանութենէն ճողոպրած, կամ աւելի ուշ ժամանած լուսանցքային հաւաքականութիւն մը, այլ որպէս Ամերիկեան կեանքի բաղադրիչ տարրերէն մին, որ 1618 թուականին յանձին Մարթին The Armenian-ի մետաքսի մշակման ճարտարարուեստը ներկայացուց այս նոր աշխարհին։ Այնուհետեւ, շերամի թելը երկարելով՝ տաղանդաւոր հայորդիներ ժամանելով, հին աշխարհի փորձառական հարստութիւնը փոխանցեցին նոր աշխարհին, որուն արժանաւոր քաղաքացիներն ենք այսօր: Ուստի, ստորակայութեան ամէն բարդոյթէ զերծ պէտք է զգանք եւ ներկայանանք մեր շրջապատին, ինչպէս համաշխարհային համբաւ վայելող անմահանուն արուեստագէտ Շարլ Ազնաւուր յայտարարած է իր ինքնութեան գծով, թէ ինք 100% Ֆրանսացի կը զգայ, աւելցնելով որ 100% Հայ կը զգայ։ Արդարեւ, երբոր հպանցիկ ակնարկ մը նետենք Ամերիկեան կեանքի այլազան մարզերէն ներս Հայ հանճարի ու տաղանդի ներդրման, անգամ մը եւս պիտի ճշմարտուի պատմահայր Մովսէս Խորենացիի բնութագրումը, թէ՝ «թէեւ փոքր ածու ենք, սակայն պարծանքի բազմաթիւ դէմքեր ու գործեր կան հայ կեանքի մէջ»։ Ա՛յս է որ պէտք է ջամբենք մեր նորահաս սերունդին, որպէսզի Հայու իր հինգ հազարամեակներու փառապանծ արմատին պատուաստելով չորս դարերու ամերիկահայու ինքնութիւնը, եւ զայն զուգորդելով Ցեղասպանութենէն յարութիւն առած եւ վերջին երեսնամեակին վերանկախացած հայրենի պետականութեան հետ, գիտակցութեան առողջ եւ հպարտ ենթահողին վրայ ուռճանայ որպէս Ամերիկահայ, եւ ըստ այնմ նորահաս ոստեր արձակէ՝ հպարտ իր անցեալով եւ ներկայ աշխարհի մէջ իր դերակատարութեամբ, իր առատ բերքը ի սպաս դնելով տեղական կառոյցներու ուժեղացման, ինչպէս նաեւ աշխարհի չորս ծագերուն իր հայրենակիցներու եւ առ հասարակ մարդկութեան կարիքներու արտահասնումով։ Ինքնութեան հետ խորապէս առնչուած է առաքելութիւնը, որ անսահման է իր հորիզոններով, ինչ որ կը մղէ մեզ մնայուն կերպով նորոգուելու եւ ստեղծագործելու։ Ներկայ խօսքի սահմաններուն մէջ, առաքելութեան գծով պիտի բաւականանամ երկու կէտեր միայն առանձնացնել եւ լուսարձակի տակ առնել՝ Հաւատք եւ Երիտասարդութիւն։ Ա. Եկեղեցւոյ առաջնահերթ առաքելութիւնը ըլլալով մեր Տիրոջ Յիսուս Քրիստոսի աւետարանով ժառանգուած հաւատքի տարածումը, եւ կեանքի մէջ անոր գործադրումը, ինչ որ ընտրութեանս առթիւ կազմակերպուած ճաշկերոյթի իմ սրտի խօսքովս յայտնած էի, այստեղ դարձեալ կը կրկնեմ ու կ՛ըսեմ.- Մեր անշեղ առաքելութեան որպէս ուղեգիծ՝ մեր աշխատանքին կարեւոր բաժինը պիտի տրամադրենք հոգեւոր կեանքի աշխուժացման, որպէսզի հաւաքական կերպով ապրինք հաւատքի գարունը՝ ծաղկեալ պահելով մեր հայրերէն ժառանգած այնքան հարուստ եւ պանծալի հոգեմտաւոր անդաստանը, իր բոլոր մարզերով։ Հաւատքը ո՛չ որպէս կոյր, անգիտակից, կամ առաւելագոյնը՝ աւանդական, բարեպաշտական, ծիսական արտայայտութիւն, այլ որպէս ամբողջական վստահութիւն՝ որպէս մղիչ ոյժ մեր երկրաւոր ու երկնաւոր երազներու իրագործման՝ անձնական թէ հաւաքական մակարդակներով։ Արդարեւ, հաւատքը ո՛չ միայն Արարիչին հետ արարածի հաղորդակցութեան անզուգական կապ է եղած Հայուն համար, այլ անով պարուրուած եւ այլակերպուած է ողջ Հայ կեանքը։ Հաւատքո՛վ ծնունդ առաւ Մեսրոպածին այբուբենով Հայ մշակոյթը, հաւատք՛վ զրահապատուած Հայ զօրականը յաղթանակի սաղմոսներ արտասանելով պատերազմի դաշտ սուրաց՝ ինչպէս կը վկայեն պատմագիրները, հաւատքո՛վ Հայ քարակոփը շունչ եւ լեզու տուաւ քարին՝ որպէսզի խաչքարով պատգամէ զոհողութեան ոգին, հաւատքո՛վ լծեց մշակը իր եզները եւ արեւաբացին երգեց՝ «Օրհնեալ է Աստուած, լուսը լուսացաւ, վեր կացէք գութանաւոր», հաւատքո՛վ ցանեց սերմնացանը իր հացահատիկները՝ Եղեռնի անմահանուն նահատակ Դանիէլ Վարուժանի բառերով, թէ «Մշակ՛, ցանէ՛․․․ծիտերն ինչ փոյթ թէ հատիկներդ կ՛աւարեն. տեղը Աստուած պիտի մարգրիտ սերմանէ», հաւատքո՛վ տառապեցաւ իր ժողովուրդի ցաւերը Խրիմեան Հայրիկ եւ իր աղօթքները քաջարի մարտիկները հանեցին լեռները, հաւատքի աստղադիտակով մայր բնութեան ու տիեզերքի գերազանց գեղեցկութիւնն ու ներդաշնակութիւնը զննելով, Խարբերդի մէջ ծնած եւ Ամերիկայի մէջ գործած գրագէտ Համաստեղը մտքի ու սրտի քնարով երգեց՝ «Կը հաւատամ, որ կաս, Տէ՛ր, որովհետեւ կը զգամ քու շունչը ծաղիկներուն մէջ», եւ վերջապէս երկիւղած հաւատքո՛վ է որ շուրջ երկու ամիսներ առաջ՝ Շաբաթ, 30 Մարտին, Հայաստանի Հանրապետութեան պաշտպանութեան նախարար՝ Տիար Դաւիթ Տօնոյեանը, Սուրբ Լուսաւորիչ Մայր եկեղեցւոյ մէջ Ցեղասպանութեան Նահատակաց Խորանին առջեւ իր անձնական խաչը օրհնել տալով, զայն վզէն անցուց, որպէս խաչակիր Պաշտպանութեան նախարար։ Այս բոլորը կը մէջբերեմ անոր համար որ առհասարակ ամէնքս, որպէս Լուսաւորչաւանդ եկեղեցւոյ սուրբ Աւազանէն վերածնած եկեղեցական կամ աշխարհական, կեանքի տարբեր ասպարէզներու մէջ կամ ընկերային կարգերու վրայ գտնուող քրիստոնեայ հայեր, առանց զոհ երթալու նիւթէն կամ գաղափարախօսութիւններէ բխած ըմբռնումներու, ամէնքս ապրինք եւ չզրկենք զմեզ հայրենաւանդ հաւատքի կենդանարար ու օրհնաբեր բարիքներէն։ Առանց ամչնալու խոստովանիլ ու ապրիլ հաւատքը կ՛ենթադրէ ինքնութեան գերագոյն գիտակցութիւն, որ կ՛ոսկեզօծէ մեր մարդկային փխրուն բնութիւնը՝ յաղթահարելու ամէն տեսակի ժանգեր։ Արդարեւ, մեր Տէրը Յիսուս Քրիստոս կ՛ըսէ. «Ան որ դաւանի թէ ինծի կը հետեւի, ես ալ զայն հետեւորդ պիտի դաւանիմ Հօրս դիմաց» (Մատթ. ԺԲ 32)։ Աղօթքս է որ ինծի յանձնուած բանաւոր հօտի առհասարակ բոլոր զաւակները առանց ամօթի կանգնին Արդար Դատաւորին առջեւ, եւ լսեն Տէրունական երանաւէտ ձայնը՝ «եկէք եւ ժառանգեցէք աշխարհի սկիզբէն իսկ պատրաստուած բարիքները» (Մատթ. ԻԵ 34)։ Ինծի համար մեծ ուրախութիւն է այս ուղղութեամբ գործակից ունենալ Թեմիս Գերապատիւ եւ Արժանապատիւ հոգեւոր եղբայրներս, որոնք գիտակից Տէրունական պատուէրին՝ «Տուք զկայսերն կայսեր, եւ զԱստուծոյն՝ Աստուծոյ», միշտ կը մատակարարեն իրենց վստահուած հօտին հոգեւոր սնունդը, եւ անոր կողքին ըստ պատշաճի՝ Հայ ժողովուրդի լինելութեան, արդի ընկերութիւնը յուզող, նաեւ մարդկային արդար իրաւունքներու հետ առնչուած ամէն տեսակի հարցեր։ Այժմ կ՛անցնիմ գլխաւոր երկրորդ առաքելութեան՝ Երիտասարդութեան, որ երաշխիքն է ժողովուրդի մը գոյապահպանման, եւ որուն ֆիզիքականի կողքին հոգեմտաւոր զարգացումը ո՛չ միայն կարեւոր, այլ հրամայական է։ Ինծի համար մեծ առաւելութիւն է, որ նախորդ Առաջնորդներէն կը ժառանգեմ հարուստ պաշար մը այս ուղղութեամբ։ Արդարեւ, Ազգային Առաջնորդարանը Կիրակնօրեայ վարժարաններու կողքին 32 տարիներէ ի վեր հաստատած է Սուրբ Գրիգոր Տաթեւացի՝ «Տաթեւ» անունով ճանչցուած լսարանը, ուր ամէն տարի շուրջ յիսուն պատանիներ եւ պարմանուհիներ տարբեր նահանգներէ մէկտեղուելով Փէնսիլվանիոյ մէջ, ամբողջ շաբաթ մը կ՛առանձնաշնորհուին ցօղուիլ Հայ հաւատքի, մշակոյթի, ոգիի, եւ ընկերային կեանքի բարիքներով։ Վերջին երկու տարիներուն երիտասարդական նոր առաքելութիւն մը կեանք առաւ, որուն կնքանունը պաշտօնապէս դարձաւ "Աղ եւ Լոյս" երիտասարդական առաքելութիւն։ Վստահ եմ որ հոգեկան մեծ բաւարարութիւն կը պատճառէ ամէնքիս որ Հովիւներու եւ Հոգաբարձութեանց անվերապահ աջակցութեան շնորհիւ՝ Նիւ Եորքի Սուրբ Սարգիս, Տիթրոյիթի Սուրբ Սարգիս եւ Ֆիլատելֆիոյ Սուրբ Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ եկեղեցիներու խումբերուն շարքը անցեալ Հոկտեմբերէն սկսեալ խտացաւ Սուրբ Լուսաւորիչ Մայր Եկեղեցւոյ եւ Փրաւիտընսի Սրբոց Վարդանանց եկեղեցիներու խմբակներով, որոնց շուտով պիտի միանայ Պոսթընի Սուրբ Ստեփաննոս եկեղեցւոյ խմբակը, եւ յուսով ենք որ վարակիչ դառնալով այս շարժումը, մեր համայնքները միահամուռ կերպով պիտի որդեգրեն գաղութները թարմացնող "Աղ եւ Լոյս" երիտասարդաց առաքելութիւնը։ Ուրախ եմ յայտնելու, որ նախանցեալ ամիս երիտասարդական նոր միաւոր մը եւս ծնունդ առաւ Ազգային Առաջնորդարանի գրկէն ներս՝ "Երիտասարդ Ամոլներու" խմբակը, որ իր կազմաւորման ընթացքին մէջ է։ Որպէս Ամերիկահայ գաղութ, մեզի համար մեծ առաւելութիւն է որ մեր մէջ ունինք ՀՄԸՄ-ի եւ Հայ Երիտասարդական Դաշնակցութեան (ՀԵԴ) զոյգ կազմակերպութիւնները, որոնք մեր երիտասարդներու կամքն ու կորովը կը ջրդեղեն աւանդական արժէքներով եւ Հայու արդար իրաւունքի գիտակցութեամբ։ Երիտասարդական այս միաւորները՝ ո՛չ մէկ կասկած, ունին իրենց առանձնայատկութիւնները, բայց նաեւ կը բաժնեն հասարակաց ժառանգութիւն մը, եւ որքան ղեկավարութեան կողմէ առիթ ընծայուի անոնց իրարու հետ ըլլալով՝ զիրար ճանչնալու եւ միասնաբար ծրագրելու եւ գործելու, աւելի կ՛արդիւնաւորուի համա-ազգային մեր կեանքը։ Այս ուղղութեամբ թոյլ տուէք որ միայն տեսական չըլլամ, այլ օրինակներով խօսիմ։ Փրաւիտընսի Սրբոց Վարդանանց եկեղեցւոյ ու համայնքին պատասխանատուները՝ ողջմիտ եւ հեռատես մօտեցումով դաստիարակելով իրենց երիտասարդութիւնը, որքան խրախուսիչ է տեսնել որ նոյն տղաքն ու աղջիկները ՀՄԸՄ-ի, ՀԵԴ-ի, Տաթեւի մէջ են, Խորանի վրայ են, դպրաց դասի մէջ են, ինչ որ երաշխիքն է որ վաղը անոնք՝ աւելի պատասխանատու դիրքերու վրայ գտնուելով, ապագայի մեր ղեկավարները պիտի ըլլան։ Նոյնքան շնորհաւորելի է, որ Նիւ Եորքի Սուրբ Սարգիս եկեղեցւոյ "Աղ եւ Լոյս" եւ ՀԵԴ-ի պատանիները յաճախակի միացեալ հաւաքներ կ՛ունենան եկեղեցւոյ յարկէն ներս, որոնց կը միանան նաեւ Սուրբ Լուսաւորիչ Մայր եկեղեցւոյ պատանիները։ Այս բոլորը կը վկայեն ժամանակի պահանջքներուն դիմաց՝ արթուն եւ շրջահայեաց ղեկավարութեան առողջ մտածելակերպն ու գործելակերպը։ Ահա այս ձեւով ԱՌՈՂՋ մարմին, միտք ու հոգի նշանաբանով ու գործընթացքով երբ միասնաբար աճի եւ հասակ առնէ նորահաս սերունդը, լաւագոյն գրաւականը կը դառնայ մեր գաղութներու աշխուժացման, հզօրացման, յառաջդիմութեան եւ գոյապահպանման։ Վերոյիշեալ կազմակերպութեանց զուգահեռ, կան երիտասարդական ինքնուրոյն այլ կազմակերպութիւններ, ինչպիսին են Young Professionals, Armenian Students Association, համալսարաններէ ներս Armenian Clubեր, ACYOA եւ այլք։ Սակայն, այս բոլորին կողքին ունինք երիտասարդներու հսկայ զանգուած մը, որ ինչ-ինչ պատճառներով հեռու կը մնայ Հայ շրջանակէն առհասարակ, եւ հետեւաբար Հայ կեանքը կը զրկուի մեծ դրամագլուխէ։ Ներգրաւել այդ զանգուածը կը կարօտի լուրջ եւ հետեւողական ծրագրումի, եւ բառին վաւերագոյն իմաստով մաս կը կազմէ համա-ազգային՝ հաւաքական առաքելութեան։ Երիտասարդութիւնը, ընդհանրապէս, իսկ Ամերիկայի այս տարածքին, ի մասնաւորի, ներգրաւելու խոչընդոտները շատ են՝ սերնդային, ընկերային, տնտեսական եւ այլ պատճառներ, սակայն անոնց գլխաւորները, որպէս մէկ ամբողջութիւն եթէ փորձենք խմբաւորել՝ զիրենք լսելու, հասկնալու եւ իրենց վստահելու հարցն է։ Հին սերունդը միշտ փորձած է կաղապարել նորը, զրկելով զայն իր ազատ մտածողութեան եւ գործելակերպի թռիչքէն, որ անոր ինքնութիւնն իսկ է։ Ո՛չ մէկ կասկած որ հին սերունդը շատ բան ունի փոխանցելիք նորին, եւ նորը՝ սորվելիք հին սերունդէն, այնու ամենայնիւ պէտք է ընդունինք թէ որքան որ նոր սերունդը մեր զաւակներն են, սակայն ինչպէս Լիբանանեան ծագումով Ամերիկացի հռչակաւոր բանաստեղծ, փիլիսոփայ եւ արուեստագէտ Ճպրան Խալիլ Ճպրան ըսած է՝ «Ձեր զաւակները ձերը չեն... անոնց կրնաք ձեր սէրը տալ, բայց ոչ ձեր մտածումները, որովհետեւ անոնք իրենցը ունին։ Դուք կրնաք պատսպարել անոնց մարմինները, բայց ո՛չ հոգիները, որովհետեւ անոնց հոգիները կը բնակին վաղուան բնակարանին մէջ, ուր դուք չէք կրնար այցելել, ո՛չ իսկ ձեր երազներուն մէջ... Մի՛ ջանաք զիրենք ձեզի նմանեցնել, որովհետեւ կեանքը առաջ կ՛երթայ եւ ո՛չ ետեւ»։ Արդարեւ, երբ լսենք երիտասարդութեան, պիտի սկսինք հասկնալ զիրենք ինչպէս որ իրենք են, եւ երբ ճանչնանք զիրենք, մե՛նք դուրս գալով կաղապարուած մեր ընթացքէն, պիտի վստահինք իրե՛նց՝ ե՛ւ իրենց կարողականութեան, ե՛ւ իրենց գործելակերպին, որով սերուդներու միջեւ ստեղծուած խրամատը նեղնալով, երիտասարդները պիտի զգան ջերմ ու անկեղծ գրկաբաց դիմաւորումը իրենց սերունդին, եւ գործօն անդամը ըլլալով այս Մեծ Տան, իրենց ներդրումով անվարան պիտի հարստացնեն մեր ազգը՝ բարձր վարկ ապահովելով միջազգային բեմին վրայ։ Վստահ եմ, որ այս ընթացքին մէջ ամէնքս աշակերտներ ենք, մեծ կամ փոքր՝ ամէնօրեայ դասեր սորվելու կեանքի Մեծ Ուսուցիչէն, որ Արարիչ ըլլալով հանդերձ իր արարածներուն վստահեցաւ աստուածային իր պատկերը՝ տնտեսելու այս հոյակապ աշխարհը։ Քաջ կը հաւատամ որ այսպիսի իմաստութեամբ ցանուած սերմերը Աւետարանի բառերով կը պտղաւորուին «մէկի փոխարէն երեսուն, վաթսուն եւ հարիւր համեմատութեամբ» (Մարկ. 4.8): Եզրափակելով խօսքս, կ՛ըսեմ. որպէս մեծ ընտանիք՝ կրօնական, քաղաքական, մարդասիրական, մշակութային, մարմնակրթական մեր բոլոր հիմնարկներով երբ ֆիզիքականի ու մտաւորականի կողքին նաեւ հոգեւոր դիմադրականութեամբ (immune system) օժտենք մեր երիտասարդութիւնը, ան կրնայ յաղթահարել շրջապատի այլազան ժահրերուն (virus), եւ բազմադարեան իր Հայ Քրիստոնեայի դիմագիծը ժամանակակից պայմաններուն ընդմէջէն անցընելով, ինչպէս ոսկին կրակի բովին մէջէն, դուրս գայ աւելի փայլուն եւ արժէքաւոր, տէ՛ր կանգնի իր դարաւոր արժէքներուն ու իրաւունքներուն, եւ ժամանակակից բարիքներով զանոնք առաւել եւս արդիւնաւորէ՝ միշտ իր աչքերը յառելով մեր ժողովուրդի լինելութեան խորհրդանիշ Արարատին, եւ աւելի անդին՝ յաւերժական կեանքին։ ԱՆՈՒՇԱՒԱՆ ԱՐՔԵՊԻՍԿՈՊՈՍ Առաջնորդ Ամերիկայի Արեւելեան Թեմին ԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ԵՐԵՍՓՈԽԱՆԱԿԱՆ ԺՈՂՈՎ ՖՐԷՄԻՆԿՀԷՄ, ՄԱ 16-18 ՄԱՅԻՍ, 2019 Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian Delivers Keynote Address to Annual AssemblyVery Reverend and Reverend Fathers, Honorable and esteemed members of the National Representatives Assembly, The honorable representative of His Grace Bishop Daniel Findikyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, The esteemed representative of the “Hairenik” Armenian newspaper, and the honorable representatives of all of our sister organizations As the fifth Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, in this, my first message to the National Representatives Assembly, I wish to express my filial gratitude and humble appreciation to His Holiness Catholicos Aram the First of the Great House of Cilicia, who gave his fatherly blessing upon my election as Prelate, and further, who expedited the bestowal of the rank and title of “Archbishop” to me. My next thanks are extended to the many past and current members of the National Representatives Assembly and likewise to the respective communities whom they duly represent. For more than six decades, you have worked laudably, with zeal and with dedication, encompassing every issue of our Prelacy, for the benefit and advancement of our people, and most recently, you have placed your confidence upon my unworthy shoulders to be yoked with your tireless efforts. My next thanks are extended to the Central Executive of the Prelacy, both to the members of the Religious Council and to the members of the Executive Council, and likewise to my spiritual brothers, and the members of the Prelacy Office Staff. Because of your unlimited capabilities over these past eight months, we have all witnessed a spectacular realization of dreams and a fulfillment of expectations. My next thanks are extended to all of the members of our sister organizations and fellow compatriots. Through your collaborative efforts, there is a guarantee of the strengthening and development of our Prelacy’s mission. I am prayerful that through the assistance of Almighty God, and because of all of your good works, our many hopes will be justly realized. My next thanks are extended to the representative of the “Hairenik” weekly newspaper. I have chosen to highlight the “Hairenik” because His Holiness, Catholicos Aram the First, has designated this year, 2019, as “The Year of the Armenian Press”. Therefore, while distant from the Fatherland, the “Hairenik” fills us with news of life in the Fatherland, and so I am pleased to welcome the representative of this important institution in Armenian journalism. And finally, I wish to extend my thanks to my spiritual brothers, His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, the Prelate of the Western Prelacy, and His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian, the Prelate of Canada, with whom I am in constant contact on mutual matters of the shared mission and ministry which we collectively strive to bring to fulfillment. Likewise, I wish to extend my thanks to my spiritual brother, His Grace Bishop Daniel Findikyan of the Eastern Diocese, for his sincere and open-hearted collaboration. His Grace was ordained and consecrated as a Bishop in Holy Echmiadzin just last Sunday, and I would like to ask Reverend Father Aved Terzian, who is representing the Echmiadzin Diocese today to convey our Christian love and best wishes to Bishop Daniel as he assumes his Episcopal duties. I am grateful to Almighty God for allowing me to serve for the past thirty-five years in the United States of America as a preacher, as a pastor, then as Vicar General, first under the late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, and then under Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan. Today, with further insight of the highest responsibilities of the office of Prelate, I wish to share my thoughts with you because you are co-workers toward the same objectives. In turn, in this environment of confidence and collaboration, I would like to assure the Eastern Prelacy and our individual parishes of the priority of our national identity and ecclesiastical mission. By reflecting through this prism, we should persevere in our service, using the wise direction of our predecessors, and we should reinvigorate the plans of this spiritual institution, in order to strengthen our internal structure and to further advance our ability to reach the needs of our people. Within the perimeter of identity and that sense of belonging, the most identifiable confirmation for me is found in the course of the prayers of the Holy Eucharist as the celebrant recites the name of the current head of our Church with these words: “Remember, O Lord, and have mercy upon our chief-bishop and most honorable patriarch of all Armenians of the Great House of Cilicia.” I do not know whether you have taken a moment to ponder upon the phrase, “The Great House of Cilicia”, and the beauty and warmth inherent in this affectionate name, and how we are invigorated by the rays which shine from that venerable institution into our souls. Yes, dear faithful, as much as the prayers during the Holy Eucharist which are dedicated to the Great House of Cilicia focus our attention upon the Catholicos who is seated today, so too our thoughts turn to the very existence and the ongoing mission of the Great House of Cilicia. In other words, the Catholicosate of Cilicia, presently situated in Lebanon, being the spiritual and executive center of our Church, is a great House and a great Family. It is filled with the Breath of God and is constantly occupied with the mission of service to our people. Transcending every secular boundary and perceived limit, it extends and broadens beyond the four physical walls of a house or the doors of an institution, and it turns into an all-inclusive Great Family. Since 1957, the Eastern Prelacy of the United States has remained an integral member of the Great Family. By this understanding, an indivisible bond linking the Catholicosate with the Prelacy and with the Community turns us into a single totality, with one existence and one mission. Therefore, each parish-community, and especially those individuals who are assigned with responsible duties in the National Representative Assembly, who serve on the boards of trustees, and within affiliated groups, are obliged to understand their position, and then to translate it into community life by sharing this idea and ideal with fellow parishioners. In other words, to think and to say that the obligations of a parish church begin and end only within the boundaries of the community actually distances us from the real recognition of the fact, and can condemn us to a stagnant condition and ultimately into oblivion. The individual cell or part is able to protect the existence of the whole body, and lends greater meaning to the totality through its connection to other cells and parts because of its specific functionality. So too the individual parish, with its autonomy and local operation, receives its spiritual energy through reciprocal relations with the Prelacy and with the Catholicosate. In a word, when we live and work together and on behalf of one another, the Parish-Prelacy-Catholicosate structure ceases to be a dry and stale formality, and as we have stressed just now, is transformed into a living and flourishing Great House and Great Home. And as each parishioner senses that he and she is a real member of the Great House, then the parishioner lives, breathes and exerts himself and herself for the health of the home, thinks always of promoting the well-being of the home, and is always glad to see the progress of the home. In the words of the Gospel, “Because you have done these good things for the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done it for the Glory of the Lord.” (cf. Matthew 25:40) The same may be said of every person who is a member of the great family of the Armenian Church. After establishing ourselves in the first place as being healthy members of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, I would like to widen the scope of our faithful identity as Christians beyond the general boundaries of the Armenian Church, which began two thousand years ago, and which has been an inseparable combination with the Armenian people for more than one thousand seven hundred years. Belonging as an integral member of the Christian world, we are enriched with positive benefits, and at the same time, we have made our incalculable investment in the progress of the Church. To that end, it is often argued that because of our Christian faith it has become easier to assimilate into the larger Christian world in which we are scattered. However, when we heed the lessons of history, we shall confirm that after seventeen centuries of trials and tribulations, the reality is quite different. The Armenian Apostolic Church, together with Her faithful members, has always been surrounded by other religions eager to swallow us up into their destructive maw. The threat is even greater when it emanates from the larger denominations within Christianity. Nevertheless, the Armenian Church has persevered in upholding Her separate identity and autonomy. Moreover, the Armenian Church has justified Her spiritual mission by the preservation of national objectives, a responsibility which is unique when compared with the activities of most other Christian denominations. It will be helpful to take a look at the Daily Calendar of the Armenian Church. We will discover such subtlety in ritual which will not only awaken our faith, but will impress upon our identity the need to preserve our distinct qualities. Without going into too many details, let us emphasize some dates which are characteristically special to the Armenian Church and are well known to us. The Armenian Church has remained steadfast upon the fixed date of the Nativity of Jesus Christ on the 6th of January since the earliest point in our history. At the same time, certain feast-days, such as the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God in August and the Feast of the Holy Cross in September, are carefully transferred by the Armenians to the nearest Sunday. Is this merely a simple occurrence, or is there something more significant in the inherent theology and methodology? Also, across Christendom, there are three feast-days of the Holy Cross: the Discovery, the Exaltation, and the Appearance. Yet the Armenian Church is blessed to have a fourth and distinct celebration: the discovery of the relic of the True Cross on Mount Varak which is observed as a special and national feast for us. Furthermore, the entire month of October is distinguished as a time to celebrate our unique culture and as a time to shine a spotlight upon the importance of Armenian culture. The Armenian Church reminds the newest generation, whose ancestors crossed the ocean to establish an Armenian presence upon these shores, of the importance to learn about our historic roots and to nurture our culture in this present time. In addition, the many saints who are commemorated each month during the year and the many traditions which are associated with the changing seasons serve to solidify us in our Armenian faith and identity. In summary, the Armenian Church, being zealous to safeguard the distinct character of Her faithful flock, continues to work in general to protect individual qualities of Her tradition. Our Church expresses serious concern about the possibility that the Armenian faithful might lose their identity, either by assimilating into broader society or from waxing cold against their ancestral religion and nationality. The third, inseparable layer of our relationship is our identity as Armenians, which originated 4,512 years ago when our ancestor, Haig, fired the liberating arrow from his bow. In subsequent centuries, through the ordeals of fire and sword, our Armenian identity continues to be recognized. It does not matter whether the person has been born in the Republic of Armenia or in the Diaspora as an American-Armenian or a Lebanese-Armenian or such other distinction. What matters is that in the four corners of the world, each Armenian lives and sustains knowledge of his and her identity as an Armenian. Turning our attention to our community, today’s American-Armenian largely considers himself and herself either to be the direct descendant of those Armenians who set foot upon the United States either just before or just after the Genocide, or a descendant of those Armenians who, in the aftermath of the Second World War, in successive waves, emigrated from all parts of Europe and the Middle East and settled here. This is a societal phenomenon from which the Armenians, as a collective group, cannot remain separate. Therefore, whether being part of the older generation or whether being part of the newer generation in the United States, we Armenians have always lived side by side as a new minority within the larger melting pot of American society. Out of this amalgamation, the American-Armenian has progressed from polarization to uniformity, and has found itself crystallized on a particular path. Our prayer and wish are that leadership will strive as the catalyst for this social evolution. What I would like to emphasize here, however, is the following: in the search for identity, by shaking the American-Armenian loose from the psyche of the previous decades, it is imperative to profess oneself no longer as a survivor of the Hamidian massacres or of the 1915 Genocide or as a member of a more recent emigration, but rather as belonging as an integral component of American life, just as the famous silk merchant Martin the Armenian represented when he arrived on the continent in 1618. From that point forward, the silk thread was extended as new, talented Armenians arrived to these shores, transferring the wealth of knowledge from the Old Country to the New World, and from whom we today are worthy successor citizens. Therefore, we ought to separate our feelings from every form of accumulated subordination, and instead present ourselves to the society around us, just as the internationally renowned, immortal and talented artist Charles Aznavour manifested and reflected by his individual identity. He felt one hundred percent French, and at the very same time, he felt one hundred percent Armenian. Indeed, when we take the time to observe and recount the contributions of Armenian intelligence and talent across various fields in American life, once again it validates the special Armenian character described by the famous historian, Movses of Khoren, who said: “Though we may be a small nation, nevertheless, there are numerous aspects and works of which to be proud in the life of the Armenians.” This is what we must foster in our newest generation, so that the identity of four hundred years of being American-Armenian is grafted to the illustrious root of five thousand years of Armenian identification. Add this to the resurrection of the Armenian people from the Genocide and the most recent thirty years of independence for the new government of the Republic of Armenia, and the American-Armenian will flourish upon a healthy conscience and proud base. And from this root, new growth shall blossom, proud of its past and of its role in today’s world, placing its abundant yield in the service of the strengthening of local structures, just as their fellow Armenians strive in the four corners of the world and for the general needs of humankind. Truly, the idea of mission is directly related to the idea of identity. Mission is boundless in its horizon, pushing us in a steadfast manner to renew and to create anew. In this present talk, it is crucial for me to pay particular attention to and to focus upon two aspects of mission: Faith and the Youth. The primary mission of the Church is to spread the message of the Holy Gospel of the faith which we received from our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Apostles and Church Fathers, and then to implement the Gospel message in our daily lives. This is what I revealed from my heart during my speech at the luncheon organized for my election. Here today, I wish to repeat my sentiments, and to say that as the guideline of our unswerving mission, we have delegated the important part of our efforts to engage in the awakening of spiritual life so that we may all live in the springtime of faith in a collective manner. We must preserve the blooming, rich and glorious field of spiritual understanding, together with all of its disciplines, which we have inherited from our forefathers. Faith is not blind or ignorant, nor should it be regarded as only a tradition or external expression of pious ritual. Rather, faith must have total certainty as the impetus to realize our heavenly and earthly dreams, both when professed individually and collectively as a community. Indeed, this faith has not only been the noble bond of communion between the Creator and us created beings, but by this faith, Armenian life has been enriched and transfigured over the centuries. By this faith, the alphabet was invented by Mesrob Mashdots to enhance our culture. By this faith, Armenian soldiers have been armored for victory, reciting the Psalms on the battlefield of crossed swords as our historians confirm. By this faith, Armenian masons have given breath and voice to mute stone, so the “khatchkar” stone-crosses might proclaim the spirit of sacrifice. By this faith, the Armenian farmer has yoked the oxen and at sunrise has sung the praise: “Blessed is God! The light has dawned! Stand ready, O plowman!” By this faith, the sower has sown the wheat seeds, in the words of one of the martyrs of the Genocide, Taniel Varoujhan, “O Farmer, sow the seed! The sparrows will quickly plunder the kernels; but in their place, God will cast pearls.” By this faith, Khrimian Hayrig suffered and empathized with the pains and wounds of the people, and his prayers turned even the mountains into brave warriors. By observing with the telescope of faith the original nature and universal, prominent beauty and harmony, the writer Hamasdegh, who was born in Kharpert and worked in America, sang with the harp of his mind and heart: “I believe that you exist, O Lord, because I feel your breath amid the flowers.” Finally, with solemn faith, two months ago on Saturday 30 March 2019, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, Tavit Donoyan, presented his personal cross before the altar of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide in the Cathedral of Saint Illuminator's in New York, so that it might be blessed, and then placing it around his neck, as a proud carrier of the Holy Cross. I bring all of this into the midst of our deliberations today so that all of us, Christian Armenians, who have been born anew spiritually in illumination from the apostolic font of baptism, both clergy and laity, might not fall victim to financial or ideological entrapment in the course of different careers or social setting. Let all of us live and never deprive ourselves of the life-giving faith and blessed goodness inherited from our forefathers. Without being ashamed to confess and to live, faith presupposes a superior knowledge of identity which gilds our fragile nature in order to vanquish every kind of imperfection. Our Lord Jesus Christ says: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). My prayer is for all of the faithful whom have been entrusted into my pastoral care, that we shall be able to stand before the Great Judge, without shame, and shall hear the glorious invitation: “Come, ye blessed of my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). It is a great pleasure for me in this journey forward to have the support and collaboration of my spiritual clergy brothers, who adhere to the Lord’s instruction: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Our clergymen continue to strive to nourish the spiritual needs of our faithful, and at the same time, to ensure the well-being of the Armenian people. They dutifully respond to the current questions of our society, and diligently seek answers to the needs of social justice and human dignity. Now please allow me to address the second critical part of our mission: to serve the Youth who are the guarantee of the continued existence of our people, and whose, in addition to their physical and intellectual development, spiritual formation is not only important but imperative. For me, there is a great advantage because I inherited from my predecessor prelates a rich supply of materials for this purpose. Indeed, for thirty-two years, the Prelacy has maintained the Datev Institute in conjunction with the nationwide Sunday School Program. Every year, fifty students from different parishes in the Prelacy spend an entire week in Pennsylvania, immersed in courses of study in Armenian faith, culture, spirit, and the benefits of social life. In the past two years, a new mission has been initiated on behalf of our youth which has officially become known as “Salt and Light”. I am certain that it will generate great spiritual satisfaction to know about the unlimited encouragement of the program by our pastors and boards of trustees. Saint Sarkis parish in New York, Saint Sarkis parish in Detroit, and Saint Gregory the Illuminator parish in Philadelphia, are the pioneers in organizing youth groups in the “Salt and Light” program, and starting last October, Saint Illuminator's cathedral in New York and Saints Vartanantz in Providence have also established youth groups; Saint Stephen parish in Watertown will join the expanding group very soon. We hope that the program will foster even greater enthusiasm, and that eventually all of our parishes will fully participate in the youth-oriented “Salt and Light” mission. I am happy to announce that also starting last month, a new “Young Married Couples” group was established in New Jersey, under the auspices of the Prelacy, something to be promoted and implemented in all other parishes. As American-Armenians, we also have the great advantage working together with two other youth organizations: the Armenian General Athletic Union “HoMenEtMen”, and the Armenian Youth Federation, “AYF”. These two, long-established institutions promote the will and strength of our youth with traditional values and in the understanding of Armenian justice and rights. Without a doubt, these youth groups have their individual importance and special position, and they also impart a common inheritance. Whenever their administrations allow them to interact with one another, to get to know one another better, and to work hand in hand together for a common cause and goals, our national Armenian life will be enriched and evermore productive. Please allow me a moment not to speak merely a spectator but to provide one personal experience with the young people in Saints Vartanantz parish in Providence. The leaders responsible for the church and for the community have taken a thoughtful and long-term perspective in teaching and training the young people in that parish. It is such a pleasure to see the same young girls and boys are actively involved with sports and scouting through HoMenEtMen, with history and politics through AYF, with religious studies through the Datev Institute, and with the preservation and promotion of faith through their participation in Sunday church services and in the well managed Sunday Schools. Here is the guarantee that the young people will be the leaders of tomorrow because they are being actively trained today. It is equally admirable to see the enthusiastic participation of the young people in the Saint Sarkis parish in New York, where the members of the “Salt and Light” group regularly join together with members of the AYF for activities, and very often are joined together with the youth of Saints Illuminator's cathedral in New York. These and so many other examples throughout the Prelacy confirm the thoughtful vision and dedicated work of vigilant and concerned leadership. In this manner, with the renowned motto and commitment to “A healthy body, mind and soul”, behold, it becomes possible for the new generation to grow and to thrive. This is the best chance for our parishes to secure vivaciousness, empowerment, progress, and the preservation of their long-term existence. Side by side with the well-established organizations which we have just described, there are equally fine youth-oriented groups and affiliations such as the Young Professionals, the Armenian Students Association, the A.C.Y.O.A., and various Armenian clubs on college campuses. Turning our attention to Armenian students attending university, we must understand that for many of them, it is the first time that they have been separated from their families and are now geographically and socially distant from their familiar Armenian environment. They are now facing questions about their faith, personal values, and lifestyles, often with tsunami-like upheavals to their childhood experiences. Often, in such vulnerability, our college students distance themselves from the Armenian Church and from their Armenian identity. We pray that it is a temporary situation, but we must be proactive in our concern for this important age-group. We must take the lead, making dynamic use of modern technology, to reach out to them and to assure them, in the midst of new confusion, that they are loved and always welcome, that they are not alone and always appreciated as members of the great Armenian Church family. However, even with the existence of these notable organizations and groups, there is an enormous challenge facing the Armenian community: the alienation of our youth, for various reasons, from their active participation in the life of the Church. Consequently, there is the long-term risk of a great loss of talent and financial strength in each of our parishes in the future. To address this challenge and to find positive solutions will require serious discussions and follow-through action plans. The better way to express the strategy is to describe it as a “collective mission”. In order to appeal to the youth in general, and particularly here in the great expanse of the United States, we must first recognize the impediments in the way of our mission: these are generational, societal, economic, and many other challenges of which chiefly, if we may summarize, is the ability to listen to the youth, to understand them, and to trust them. This is the question before us. The older generation has always tried to shape the next generation, though often denying the new generation its new forms of thought and expression which are actually its new identity. There is no doubt that the older generation possesses many important ideas, has learned from many experiences, and often wishes to transfer this knowledge to the next generation. At the same time, the new generation may learn many important ideas from the older generation. However, as the celebrated Lebanese-born American poet, philosopher and artist Khalil Gibran said, "Your children are not your children You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday." It is true that when we begin to listen to our youth, we will begin to understand them as they are, and we will recognize them for who they are and wish to be. By stepping away from our insistence to shape them in our image, we will place greater confidence in them, and in turn, the youth will place greater trust in us. By narrowing the gap between the generations, the youth will have a warmer feeling toward the older generation and will embrace the older generation with open hearts. In so doing, the new generation will form an active membership in our Great House. Their contributions will undoubtedly enrich our entire nation, safeguarding the highest esteem and regard toward Armenians on the worldwide stage. I am certain that in this course of action, we must all be like the disciples of the Lord, and whether we are young or old, we must learn every day from the life and lessons of the Great Teacher who has created all of us in His divine image to be just stewards of this wonderful world in which we live. I believe most surely in the Gospel truth that when seeds are sown with wisdom and love, in good and willing earth, “that the fruit will spring up and increase, and bring forth, some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred fold in yield” (Mark 4:20). In closing, please allow me to say that we are a great family, with religious, political, charitable, cultural, and athletic fundamentals. We must provide a physical, emotional and spiritual immune system to our youth so that they, in turn, may vanquish those infectious diseases and maladies which constantly surround them. Just like gold, which when refined in the furnace, emerges more lustrous and valuable, the Armenian Christian presence must stand dominant in its centuries-old values and for its rights, and with the benefit of current conditions, produce more abundant results for our youth. Then, our youth will be able to more keenly set their eyes upon the symbol of our Armenian heritage, Mount Ararat, and higher still above, to the promise of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian Prelate Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America Keynote Address to the National Representative Assembly Framingham, Massachusetts May 16, 2019 The Eastern Prelacy concluded its 2019 National Representative Assembly (NRA) last weekend. Clergy and lay delegates representing our parishes joined the Executive Council (Religious and Lay) at The Sheraton Conference Center in Framingham, Massachusetts, hosted by Whitinsville’s St. Asdvadzadzin Church. The Assembly was called to order on Thursday afternoon, May 16, by Jack Mardoian, chairman of the Executive Council, and began after the opening prayer by the Prelate Archbishop Anoushavan and the approval of the credentials committee. Words of welcome from Rev. Fr. Mikael Der Kosrofian, pastor of the host parish, greeted the delegates and guests, noting that it is an honor and privilege for Whitinsville to host this 2019 Assembly. Raffi Samkaranian, chairman of the Board of Trustees added his words of welcome emphasizing that this is the first time St. Asdvadzadzin has hosted an Assembly. “I was skeptical at first,” he confessed, “but under the leadership and supervision of Der Hayr and the amazing committee led by Barbara Berberian and Hagop Antranigian everything smoothly fell into place.” Representing Bishop Daniel Findikyan, the Primate of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), Reverend Father Aved Terzian read a message from the Primate offering warm greetings on behalf of the Eastern Diocese. “It is an honor for me to represent His Grace Bishop Daniel and to greet all of you with his warm words wishing you success as you begin your deliberations,” Father Aved said. Elected to serve as co-chairmen of the Assembly were Aram Sarafian, from Soorp Khatch Church in Bethesda, Maryland, and Simone Topouzian from St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan. Elected as the secretaries were: Andrew Asadourian (English), from St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois, and Rev. Fr. Torkom Chorbajian (Armenian), pastor of St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois. In his keynote address Archbishop Anoushavan thanked the host community for undertaking the responsibility of hosting this year’s Assembly. He also expressed thanks to the Prelates of the Western and Canadian Prelacies, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and Archbishop Papken Tcharian, respectively. He also acknowledged and thanked the two Prelates under whom he served, Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan. He also thanked the Primate of the Eastern Diocese, His Grace Bishop Daniel Findikyan for “his sincere and open-hearted collaboration. His Grace was ordained and consecrated as a Bishop in Holy Echmiadzin just last Sunday, and I would like to ask Reverend Father Aved Terzian, who is representing the Echmiadzin Diocese today, to convey our Christian love and best wishes to Bishop Daniel as he assumes his Episcopal duties.” Archbishop Anoushavan continued his sweeping and inspiring address to the Assembly, touching upon many themes about national identity, ecclesiastical mission, and the future. “By reflecting through this prism, we should persevere in our service, using the wise direction of our predecessors, and we should reinvigorate the plans of this spiritual institution, in order to strengthen our internal structure and to further advance our ability to reach the needs of our people.” His Eminence spoke about the Great House of Cilicia describing it as “a great House and great Family. It is filled with the Breath of God and is constantly occupied with the mission of service to our people,” he said.
His Eminence spoke at length about the community, identity, faith, and the younger generations. The Prelate emphasized that “the primary mission of the Church is to spread the message of the Holy Gospel of the faith which we received from our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Apostles and Church Fathers, and then to implement the Gospel message in our daily lives.” Archbishop Anoushavan told the Assembly that we need “to serve the Youth, who are the guarantors of the continued existence of our people…in addition to their physical and intellectual development, spiritual formation is not only important but imperative. For me, there is a great advantage because I inherited from my predecessor prelates a rich supply of materials for this purpose.” He then went on to describe a new mission that was started two years ago for our youth—the “Salt and Light” program, that has already been formed in five parishes and eventually all of our parishes will fully participate in the “Salt and Light” mission. The Prelate’s Keynote Address also gave recognition and tribute to all of the organizations, including benevolent, social, athletic, and youth groups who serve the community. “Even with the existence of these notable organizations and groups, there is an enormous challenge facing the Armenian community—the alienation of our youth, for various reasons, from their active participation in the life of the Church.” He described the solution as being “a collective mission,” and he emphasized that “addressing this challenge and to find positive solutions will require serious discussions and follow-through action plans.” In closing, His Eminence described the community as “a great family, with religious, political, charitable, cultural, and athletic fundamentals. . . the Armenian Christian presence must stand dominant in its centuries-old values and for its rights, and with the benefit of current conditions produce more abundant results for our youth. Then, our youth will be able to more keenly set their eyes upon the symbol of our Armenian heritage, Mount Ararat, and higher still above, to the promise of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.” On Friday, April 26, 2019, the Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church community gathered together in order to commemorate the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide and to observe the 104th Anniversary of the “Great Calamity” that came upon the Armenian people in April of 1915. Following the evening service and nakhadonag (Pre-festal observance) during which the hymns composed on this occasion were sung and the Holy Martyrs were commemorated in prayer, the faithful gathered in Jaffarian Hall for a fellowship meal prepared by the Ladies’ Guild of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church. Following the dinner, a commemorative program was held featuring students of Saint Gregory Sunday School. During the program, the students presented about the historical province of Kharpert in Armenia. In the years leading up to and during the Genocide, the vast majority of Armenian immigrants who settled in the New England area originated in Khapert Province. These included the ancestors of virtually all of the program’s participants. Also during the program, a scale model of Dzidzernagapert, the internationally known monument located in Yerevan, Armenia, and dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Martyrs, was unveiled. As a labor of love, several of the students and their parents had built the model out of cardboard and other materials. Flowers were placed all around the monument, as in real life thousands upon thousands of visitors pay their respects to the deceased by placing flowers at Dzidzernagapert every April 24th. Following the students’ presentation, Fr. Stephan Baljian, pastor of Saint Gregory Church made closing remarks. Der Hayr commended the students for their effort and for a job well done in learning about their heritage and their communal history. He reflected on the province of Kharpert, once referred to as the “Slaughterhouse Province” due to the extreme persecution and violence that took place there between the years of 1895 and 1918. In his remarks, he encouraged not only the students but also everyone in attendance to learn more about his/her family history, village of origin and more about each villages unique story and way of life. The evening ended with a benediction and the singing of Giligia. CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AN INVITATION TO PROGRESS FROM DEATH TO LIFE Paul the Apostle, in his letter addressed to the Ephesians says that God “has called us once again to life in Christ.” (Eph. 2:5) In other letters of the Apostle as well the above-mentioned fundament is emphasized, it comprises the objective of the Son of God’s mission, and therefore the focus of the Christian faith. “Death” in the scriptural understanding is not merely the end of physical existence; rather it is a distancing from God, meaning to become subject to the tyranny of sins. “Life” is the presence of God, the fidelity of man to his Heavenly Father. Christ, at the beginning of his mission on earth, said, “I came that they may life.” (John 10:10) God enacted his plan for salvation by means of Christ, his Son, once again offering life to mankind. It is necessary to approach the incarnation of the Son of God from this perspective, as well as those encounters, miracles and teachings that comprise his mission on earth. His Resurrection, facilitated by the cross, became the pinnacle of Christ’s salvific mission to once again restore mankind to life. The Christian faith, founded upon the Holy Scriptures, reminds us that- Through the Resurrection of Christ we were liberated from the bondage of sin. Man had sinned against God’s commandments and betrayed his God-given calling. Because of mankind, the Creation entrusted to him was also corrupted. As the Apostle testifies, “Through the blood of Christ we have received forgiveness of our sins.” (Eph. 1:7) Through his blood spilled on the cross, God’s Son wiped away the sin of mankind. By ascending the cross, Christ freed mankind from its sin and led it toward eternal life. Through the Resurrection of Christ we became worthy of the divine gift of becoming adopted children of God. Man, who had been called to be a co-worker of God, became a cohort of Satan. Man, who had been given the honor to be decorated with heavenly graces, by his own free will became enslaved to earthly passions. In other words, man had denied his Heavenly Father and had turned prodigal. Through the Resurrection of Christ, mankind, buried in the mud of sin and death, received a divine invitation to live a life filled with hope in resurrection. Through the Resurrection of Christ we became worthy of inheriting salvation as a heavenly gift. Man had distanced himself from God, the creature from the Creator, the child from the Father. Man had rejected the spiritual values and truths and created his own class of values, his own governance. Through his glorious Resurrection, the Son of God, who had come to the world in order to bring salvation to mankind who was in the abyss of death, opened up before him the way that leads to resurrected life. According to the testimony of the Gospel, the actualization of the Divine plan of salvation that began with Christ’s becoming man and was crowned by his resurrection will reach its completion in the second coming of Christ, when he will obliterate “the evil forces, powers and principalities,” and “the final enemy which he will destroy will be death.” (I Cor. 15:25-26) Christ’s Resurrection is a promise and at the same time an invitation, to traverse as adopted children of God: From the path of sin toward the path of salvation; From the abyss of death toward the valley of life; From the defeat of Golgotha to the victory of resurrection. In Christ’s resurrection God has granted us victory over evil, sin and death. Christ was resurrected in order that “we might live a renewed life.” (Romans 6:4) Therefore, let us live with faith, because through Christ we are reconciled with God. Let us live in hope, because we have become worthy of the gift participating in Christ’s resurrection. Let us live with Christ, because through Christ’s resurrection we have inherited a renewed life. Behold, Armenian people, the message of Christ’s glorious resurrection. -- On the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Patriarchal blessings and warm Christian love we greet the President of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Sarkisyan, and the Prime Minister, Nigol Pashinyan, as well as the President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, wishing them dedicated service to their fatherland filled with continued successes. With warm brotherly love, we greet His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, wishing him a long reign filled with church-fortifying service. We greet also the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian, and the Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian, wishing them fruitful service in the vineyard of the Armenian Church. With Patriarchal blessings and fatherly love we greet the Diocesan Prelates of the Great House of Cilicia, the clergy, the Executive Councils, those organizations and bodies that work amongst our people, and also our faithful people, praying of God that the beloved sons and daughters of our nation would live their lives strengthened by the victory of the Resurrected Christ, remaining firm in their Christian faith and faithful to the spiritual, moral and national values of our Nation. Christ is risen from among the dead. Blessed is the resurrection of Christ. ARAM I Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Holy Resurrection April 21, 2019 Antelias, Lebanon Translation: Fr. Stephan Baljian On Saturday, March 30, Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishian, Vicar General, representing Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate, attended the annual Gala Reception of the Massachusetts chapter of the Lebanese-American Council on Democracy (L.A.C.D.). Accompanying Hayr Sahag was Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, pastor of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in North Andover. This annual event is hosted by the L.A.C.D. Massachusetts chapter, in conjunction with the Boston area (Northeast Region) Consulate of the Republic of Lebanon.
The aim of the event, which took place at Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Maronite Church in Boston, was to bring the Lebanese-American community to the forefront, while also reaching out to the ethnic communities and organizations that have historically existed and thrived in Lebanon. Attending the event as guest of honor was His Excellency Gabriel Issa, Ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon to the United States of America. Also in attendance were the Consuls of the Republic of Lebanon, the Honorable Marty Walsh, Mayor of the City of Boston, Senator Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire and many other dignitaries and clergy from various communities. A representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation was also in attendance. Three prominent Lebanese-American doctors from the New England area had been selected to receive awards and were honored by Ambassador Issa during the evening’s program. Also honored that evening was Honorary Consul Mr. Ibrahim Hanna, founder and CEO of Cedar’s Foods (a Middle Eastern food company operating out of Haverhill, Massachusetts), for a lifetime of achievement and service to the Lebanese-American community. NYE Dance at the Armenian Center in LawrenceThe above advertisement appeared in the December 29, 1951 edition of "Hairenik" newspaper, announcing a New Year's Eve dance in the hall of the Armenian Center (Agoump) on Newbury Street in Lawrence. It was sponsored jointly by the Lawrence Armenian Center Executive, both ARF Committees (Lawrence and Haverhill), Armenian Relief Society (Arax Chapter) and AYF "Vartanants" Chapter. That Tuesday night New Year's Eve must have been a memorable evening, as the Armenians of this area rang in the new year 1952 with abundant food and drink, presents for everyone and the fine sounds of New England's famous Dick Shahtanian Ensemble from Lawrence. Did it really end at 3 o'clock in the morning? Does anyone "Remember When?...
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