NEW YORK, NY—The National Representative Assembly (NRA), the highest authority of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Eastern United States, will meet beginning May 17 through to May 19 at the host parish, Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. Under the auspices of the Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, the general theme of the 2006 NRA is parish development.

Prior to the NRA the clergy conference will convene Tuesday, May 16. This year, for the first time, a conference of Yeretzgeens has been organized and will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 16 and 17.

The NRA will culminate with a reception and banquet at the Fort Lee Hilton, Route 4 East, Fort Lee, New Jersey, Friday evening, May 19. The reception will begin at 7 pm, followed by dinner.

During the banquet program a number of awards will be presented including Persons of the Year, Youth Leadership Awards, and Certificates of Merit to deserving individuals from the host parish.

Yeretzgeens Conference
A new addition this year is a conference for Yeretzgeens of the Eastern Prelacy, which will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, May 16 and 17 in conjunction with the NRA. All Yeretzgeens have been invited to attend. The two sessions of the conference will focus as various aspects of the life of a priest’s wife, led by Presvytera Athanasia Papademetriou of the Greek Orthodox Faith. Yeretzgeen Joanna Baghsarian will lead a session entitled, “Women of Noble Character.”

NALG Conference
As in previous years the National Association of Ladies Guilds’ (NALG) annual conference will convene concurrent with the NRA.

Evening Public Events
Under the presidency of the parish priest, V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian, and chairman Richard Sarajian, Esq., the local host committee has been planning every detail of the event for several months.

Included in the itinerary are a number of evening events for delegates and guests as well as the community at large.

On Tuesday evening, May 16, 7:30 pm, the public is invited to attend evening Vespers at Sts. Vartanantz Church with the participation of the clergy serving the Eastern Prelacy. Immediately following Vespers, there will be a presentation of a new book, Light from Light: An Introduction to the History and Theology of the Armenian Church, by Dr. Michael B. Papazian.

On Wednesday evening, May 17, following a full day of meetings in New Jersey, Vespers service will take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, followed by a reception at the Prelacy office, 138 E. 39th Street, where the newly published book, The Historiography of Fifth Century Armenia, by Archbishop Hrant Khatchadourian, will take place. This book is the doctoral dissertation of the late Archbishop, and first Prelate of the Prelacy.

On Thursday evening, May 18, delegates and guests will visit the Hovnanian School where they will be given a tour of the school’s facilities and the students will present an encore presentation of their acclaimed Dzalabadig, a moving rendition of a story of school children in Aleppo after the Genocide.

Closing Banquet
The concluding banquet will bring delegates, guests, and local community members together, at the Fort Lee Hilton. Donation per person is $75. Reservations can be made by contacting the Sts. Vartanantz Church office, 201-943-2950 or any of the following individuals: Bea Movsesian, 201-445-6867; Sonia Setrakian, 201-313-7157; Lynn Mahlebjian, 201-440-3018.

The National Representative Assembly is the highest authority of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Eastern United States, and is charged with the task of supervising the ecclesiastical and administrative bodies of the Eastern Prelacy. The Assembly is composed of one-seventh clergy and six-sevenths lay delegates. The clergy delegates are elected by the Clergy Conference, and the lay delegates are elected by their respective parishes. Delegates are elected for a four-year term, with the opportunity to serve another four-year term. Thereafter delegates are eligible for election after a period of two years.

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