NEW
YORK, NY (October 20)—His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos
of the Great House of Cilicia, arrived at New York’s JFK
airport yesterday evening, where he was welcomed by a small
number of dignitaries and officials. His Holiness, coming from
San Francisco, after completing a very successful Pontifical
Visit to the West Coast, was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirosian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy and Staffbearer
V. Rev. Fr. Housig Mardirosian.
Because of airport security, His Holiness was greeted as he
stepped from the aircraft, by four people including His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy;
His Excellency Antoine Azzam, Consul of Lebanon; Jack Mardoian,
Esq., chairman of the Prelacy’s Executive Council; and
Dr. George Dermksian, chairman of the Steering Committee.
His Holiness and entourage were escorted to an area in the terminal
where members of the Executive Council and Steering Committee
were waiting to greet His Holiness. Two young students, Nvair
Oranjian and Levon Zohrabian were the first to greet His Holiness,
presenting him with white roses. Mrs. Lilian Hairabedian presented
the bread and salt, which the Catholicos blessed in the traditional
Armenian ceremony of thanksgiving.
The Catholicos expressed his joy at being in New York again,
a place which is very familiar to him having spent some of his
youthful years as a student at Fordham University.
After informally greeting those who had gathered to welcome
him, His Holiness and his entourage were ushered into waiting
cars and taken by police escort to the Pierre Hotel.
Hrashapar
Service
His Holiness was officially welcomed by the New York metropolitan
area community as he began his visit to the Eastern Prelacy
with a Hrashapar Service at St. Illuminator’s Armenian
Apostolic Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City. The
service, which took place in the sanctuary, was followed by
a reception and Achahampouyr in the Cathedral’s Pashalian
Hall.
Attending the service were the members of the clergy serving
the Eastern Prelacy, His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirosian,
Prelate of the Western Prelacy, and His Eminence Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern).
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan welcomed His Holiness
and expressed the community’s joy with the pontiff’s
visit, which is in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of
the Armenian Theological Seminary and the 10th anniversary of
the election and consecration of Aram I. Archbishop Oshagan
noted that although only ten years have passed since the enthronement
of His Holiness, the achievements of those years represent a
much longer time span. His Holiness’s visit, he said,
will bring new vitality to us, will strengthen our faith in
our church and the Great House of Cilicia.
Archbishop Oshagan expressed special words of thanks to Archbishop
Barsamian in appreciation of his presence.
His Holiness addressed the congregants expressing his thanks
for the warm welcome. He spoke of the Seminary and its contributions
to the advancement of the Armenian church and nation during
the past 75 years. He spoke about the “oneness”
of the Armenian Church and the role it has played in keeping
the nation together. He emphasized the close partnership between
the Homeland and the Diaspora that must be maintained. He emphasized
the vital necessity of remaining faithful to our religious,
humanitarian and national values.
His Holiness was escorted by procession and the singing of Giligia
into Pashalian Hall where the Pontiff accepted the good wishes
of the many parishioners and friends who patiently waited to
personally pay their respects.
The Catholicos’s visit to the Eastern Prelacy will continue
through to November 1. Besides the New York metropolitan area,
His Holiness will visit Washington, DC, Boston, and Chicago,
before returning to Antelias.
Visit
to Prelacy Office
Earlier in the day, His Holiness paid a visit to the Prelacy
office where he met with members of the clergy serving the Eastern
Prelacy, as well as members of the Executive Council, Steering
Committee, Prelacy Ladies Guild, and Prelacy staff personnel.
Mesrob
Mashtotz Medal Awarded
In a private ceremony at the Prelacy office, His Holiness conferred
the Mesrob Mashtotz Medal on composer Sirvart Karamanuk. The
93-year-old composer from Istanbul is currently visiting North
America where a series of tributes in her honor are planned
this month. Several personal friends including pianist Sahan
Arzruni who is helping organize the tributes accompanied her.
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His
Holiness being escorted by, left to right: V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan
Tanielian, Vicar General of the Eastern Prelacy; Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate; His Holiness; Antoine Azzam, Consul
of Lebanon; and Archbishop Moushegh Mardirosian, Prelate of
the Western Prelacy, who accompanied His Holiness from California
to New York. |
Nvair
Oranjian and Levon Zohrabian present flowers to His Holiness. |
