Crossroads E-Newsletter:07/20/06

JULY 20, 2006

CATHOLICOS ARAM I WORKING WITH ECUMENICAL LEADERS
TO SECURE HUMANITARIAN AID FOR LEBANON
Gerges Saleh, the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Dr. Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) are in communication with His Holiness Aram I concerning the situation in Lebanon and especially to discuss humanitarian aid.

The Catholicos told the ecumenical leaders that aid is needed immediately. He also emphasized the necessity of an immediate cease-fire.

During the past few days His Holiness has received messages of support by telephone and email from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, Archbishop Mesrob Moutafian, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the president of the Protestant Federation of France.

The MECC has established a central emergency relief committee to work in collaboration with the Lebanese High Relief Committee and with the various churches and civil societies and private charitable organizations. The MECC called upon all churches worldwide to urge their governments to seek immediate cease-fire in order to end the escalation of violence that threatens the entire region.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN IS IN LISBON
Archbishop Oshagan is in Lisbon this week representing His Holiness Aram I and the Catholicosate of Cilicia at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. His Eminence has been maintaining contact with Catholicos Aram I regarding the situation in Lebanon and especially the safety of the Armenian community.

VICAR RETURNS FROM GENEVA
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General of the Prelacy, and Ecumenical Officer in the United States on behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, returned to New York from Geneva where he attended an ecumenical seminar entitled, “What It Means to be Human: Orthodox and Evangelicals in Dialogue.” This was the fourth dialogue between Orthodox and Evangelical churches which took place at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, Switzerland, July 10 to 16. Bishop Anoushavan was delegated to attend on behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia along with Ms. Nayiri Baljian, who also recently attended the World Council of Churches (WCC) 9th assembly. Ms. Baljian was elected to serve as a member of the committee that will organize future meetings.

Participants at the seminar strongly recommended continuing the Orthodox-Evangelical dialogue in the same forum, and as such, a similar seminar has been tentatively scheduled for the summer of 2008 at Bossey.

TWO ARTICLES OF INTEREST
We call attention to two recent articles in the press, both dated July 16, 2006. One is an editorial in the Los Angeles Times, entitled “Speak no evil?” The editorial starts out with this observation: “What happens when you refer to Turkey’s 1915-1923 genocide of Armenians, accurately as ‘genocide’? In Turkey, you face a possible three-year jail term, even if it wasn’t you using the term but a character in your novel. In the United States, you just lose your job as ambassador to Armenia.” To read the editorial click here.

The other is an article in the Sunday Herald (Scotland) written by Ian Bell which touches on a variety of important issues including moral high ground, denial, reparation, and the current Middle East situation. The author notes: “When the scales are balanced, all moral weight rests with the murdered. Part of Turkey’s reluctance to face responsibility for the Armenians stems, it is said, from a fear of reparations. How many millions, how many billions, might have to be paid to achieve some sort of settlement? Germany’s democracy has been paying vast sums to Jews for a long time, after all, in an effort to answer that same impossible question. Something is owned and the world, its rational portion at least, knows as much.” To read the article click here.

FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION
This Sunday, July 23, the Armenian church celebrates one of her five Tabernacle Feast Days: Transfiguration (Aylakerputiun / Vartavar). The Feast of Transfiguration is marked fourteen weeks after Easter. It commemorates an episode in the New Testament recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Peter.

The Transfiguration took place on the “Holy Mountain” (believed to be Mt. Tabor) where Jesus had gone with Peter, James, and John to pray. As He was praying, “His face shone like the sun and His garments became white as light.” The Patriarch Moses and Prophet Elijah appeared at His side (Mt. 17:1-8). It was at this moment that His appearance was transfigured revealing Himself as God to His disciples as a voice from above said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased Listen to him.”

As in many other instances, a pagan feast was combined with the new Christian feast. In this case, the pagan feast of Vartavar, when Armenians would decorate the temple of the Goddess Asdghig with roses, doves would be released, and people would engage in water games (do you remember being sprinkled—in some cases drenched—with water?). Asdghig was the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and water. Vartavar is the name-day for those named Vartkes, Vartavar, Vart, Alvart, Zevart, Lousvart, Nevart, Baidzar, Vartanoush, Vartiter, Varvar, to mention a few.

In the Armenian tradition, the day after each of the five major feast days is designated as a Memorial Day, or Remembrance of the Dead. The faithful visit the cemeteries to venerate their departed loved ones.

SPONSOR AN ORPHAN
More than 700 orphans are currently being supported through the Prelacy’s Orphan Sponsorship Program. There are many more children in Armenia and Artsakh who need assistance and are waiting for sponsors. The annual cost is only $200. To read about the Orphan Sponsorship Program click here.

REMEMBERING ARSHILE GORKY
Tomorrow, July 21, is the 58th anniversary of the death of the abstract expressionist painter Arshile Gorky (Vostanik Manoog Adoyan). He was born on April 15, 1904, in the village of Khorkom on Lake Van. Seeing his birthplace in recent years we were immediately struck by the influence of his early years on his artwork, especially in the use of colors. He fled the area in 1915 during the Genocide and eventually settled in the United States where he began his career. He was one of many promising young artists during a period when American art came into its own and New York City became the world’s art capital. One reason for this was the large number of European artists who came to the U.S. before the war, and the artists’ program in the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—a part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” to jumpstart the economy during the Great Depression. WPA provided jobs for artists—as well as other professions—and artists were commissioned to produce works including murals in public buildings. The years preceding Gorky’s death were filled with tragedy and immense suffering: his art studio (including many of his paintings) was destroyed by fire, he was stricken by cancer, his marriage failed, and an automobile accident paralyzed him. On July 21, 1948, at age 44, he committed suicide. Today his artwork is displayed in nearly every major museum around the world.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

July 22—Ladies Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, and Ani Chapter of Armenian Relief Society co-host gala dance at Greek Orthodox Annunciation Church. For information, 401-286-8107.

August 6—St. Stephen Church picnic at Camp Haiastan. For information 781-326-5764.

August 6—Reception in honor of V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian and Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian following church services at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. All are invited to attend.

August 8—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Annual Golf Tournament, 11:30 am registration. Blackstone Valley Country Club, Sutton, MA. For details contact David, 508-234-3261.

August 13—Annual Blessing of the Grapes picnic, sponsored by Sts. Vartanantz Church at Dunkerhook Park (Pavilion D), Paramus, New Jersey, 1 to 5 pm. For information, 201-943-2950.

August 13—Annual picnic, Holy Cross Church, Troy, New York.

August 13—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual picnic at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts.

August 13—Annual picnic of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, on the church grounds.

August 20—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Annual Church Picnic, 12 noon on the church grounds. For details: 508-234-3677.

September 10—Annual picnic of St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.

September 10—Annual picnic of St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack Valley, at the American Legion grounds in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

September 15—Family Night at St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, 6 pm at Jaffarian Hall.

September 18—11th Annual ACEC/School golf outing at Stow Acres Country Club, Stow, Massachusetts. For information, 781-326-5764.

September 24—36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts.

September 25—Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, 3rd Annual Golf Outing and Award Dinner at Raceway Golf Course, Thompson, Connecticut. Registration 7:30 a.m. For information 508-872-9629 or church office 508-852-2414.

September 28—4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950.

October 1—Banquet honoring Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian on the occasion of his recent elevation, at Terrace in the Park, Flushing, New York, 3 pm. Details will follow.

October 8—81st anniversary celebration of St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.

October 22—Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration.

November 5—Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.

November 11-12—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual “Armenian Fest” at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox, add email@armenianprelacy.org to your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to: info@armenianprelacy.org

If you wish to receive future issues of the Crossroads E-Newsletter in your E-mail Inbox, send an e-mail message with your name and your full e-mail address to email@armenianprelacy.org and write "subscribe" in the subject line.

JULY 20, 2006
CATHOLICOS ARAM I WORKING WITH ECUMENICAL LEADERS TO SECURE HUMANITARIAN AID FOR LEBANON Gerges Saleh, the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Dr. Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) are in communication with His Holiness Aram I concerning the situation in Lebanon and especially to discuss humanitarian aid. The Catholicos told the ecumenical leaders that aid is needed immediately. He also emphasized the necessity of an immediate cease-fire. During the past few days His Holiness has received messages of support by telephone and email from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, Archbishop Mesrob Moutafian, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the president of the Protestant Federation of France. The MECC has established a central emergency relief committee to work in collaboration with the Lebanese High Relief Committee and with the various churches and civil societies and private charitable organizations. The MECC called upon all churches worldwide to urge their governments to seek immediate cease-fire in order to end the escalation of violence that threatens the entire region. ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN IS IN LISBON Archbishop Oshagan is in Lisbon this week representing His Holiness Aram I and the Catholicosate of Cilicia at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. His Eminence has been maintaining contact with Catholicos Aram I regarding the situation in Lebanon and especially the safety of the Armenian community. VICAR RETURNS FROM GENEVA Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General of the Prelacy, and Ecumenical Officer in the United States on behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, returned to New York from Geneva where he attended an ecumenical seminar entitled, “What It Means to be Human: Orthodox and Evangelicals in Dialogue.” This was the fourth dialogue between Orthodox and Evangelical churches which took place at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, Switzerland, July 10 to 16. Bishop Anoushavan was delegated to attend on behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia along with Ms. Nayiri Baljian, who also recently attended the World Council of Churches (WCC) 9th assembly. Ms. Baljian was elected to serve as a member of the committee that will organize future meetings. Participants at the seminar strongly recommended continuing the Orthodox-Evangelical dialogue in the same forum, and as such, a similar seminar has been tentatively scheduled for the summer of 2008 at Bossey. TWO ARTICLES OF INTEREST We call attention to two recent articles in the press, both dated July 16, 2006. One is an editorial in the Los Angeles Times, entitled “Speak no evil?” The editorial starts out with this observation: “What happens when you refer to Turkey’s 1915-1923 genocide of Armenians, accurately as ‘genocide’? In Turkey, you face a possible three-year jail term, even if it wasn’t you using the term but a character in your novel. In the United States, you just lose your job as ambassador to Armenia.” To read the editorial click here. The other is an article in the Sunday Herald (Scotland) written by Ian Bell which touches on a variety of important issues including moral high ground, denial, reparation, and the current Middle East situation. The author notes: “When the scales are balanced, all moral weight rests with the murdered. Part of Turkey’s reluctance to face responsibility for the Armenians stems, it is said, from a fear of reparations. How many millions, how many billions, might have to be paid to achieve some sort of settlement? Germany’s democracy has been paying vast sums to Jews for a long time, after all, in an effort to answer that same impossible question. Something is owned and the world, its rational portion at least, knows as much.” To read the article click here. FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION This Sunday, July 23, the Armenian church celebrates one of her five Tabernacle Feast Days: Transfiguration (Aylakerputiun / Vartavar). The Feast of Transfiguration is marked fourteen weeks after Easter. It commemorates an episode in the New Testament recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Peter. The Transfiguration took place on the “Holy Mountain” (believed to be Mt. Tabor) where Jesus had gone with Peter, James, and John to pray. As He was praying, “His face shone like the sun and His garments became white as light.” The Patriarch Moses and Prophet Elijah appeared at His side (Mt. 17:1-8). It was at this moment that His appearance was transfigured revealing Himself as God to His disciples as a voice from above said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased Listen to him.” As in many other instances, a pagan feast was combined with the new Christian feast. In this case, the pagan feast of Vartavar, when Armenians would decorate the temple of the Goddess Asdghig with roses, doves would be released, and people would engage in water games (do you remember being sprinkled—in some cases drenched—with water?). Asdghig was the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and water. Vartavar is the name-day for those named Vartkes, Vartavar, Vart, Alvart, Zevart, Lousvart, Nevart, Baidzar, Vartanoush, Vartiter, Varvar, to mention a few. In the Armenian tradition, the day after each of the five major feast days is designated as a Memorial Day, or Remembrance of the Dead. The faithful visit the cemeteries to venerate their departed loved ones. SPONSOR AN ORPHAN More than 700 orphans are currently being supported through the Prelacy’s Orphan Sponsorship Program. There are many more children in Armenia and Artsakh who need assistance and are waiting for sponsors. The annual cost is only $200. To read about the Orphan Sponsorship Program click here. REMEMBERING ARSHILE GORKY Tomorrow, July 21, is the 58th anniversary of the death of the abstract expressionist painter Arshile Gorky (Vostanik Manoog Adoyan). He was born on April 15, 1904, in the village of Khorkom on Lake Van. Seeing his birthplace in recent years we were immediately struck by the influence of his early years on his artwork, especially in the use of colors. He fled the area in 1915 during the Genocide and eventually settled in the United States where he began his career. He was one of many promising young artists during a period when American art came into its own and New York City became the world’s art capital. One reason for this was the large number of European artists who came to the U.S. before the war, and the artists’ program in the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—a part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” to jumpstart the economy during the Great Depression. WPA provided jobs for artists—as well as other professions—and artists were commissioned to produce works including murals in public buildings. The years preceding Gorky’s death were filled with tragedy and immense suffering: his art studio (including many of his paintings) was destroyed by fire, he was stricken by cancer, his marriage failed, and an automobile accident paralyzed him. On July 21, 1948, at age 44, he committed suicide. Today his artwork is displayed in nearly every major museum around the world.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS July 22—Ladies Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, and Ani Chapter of Armenian Relief Society co-host gala dance at Greek Orthodox Annunciation Church. For information, 401-286-8107. August 6—St. Stephen Church picnic at Camp Haiastan. For information 781-326-5764. August 6—Reception in honor of V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian and Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian following church services at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. All are invited to attend. August 8—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Annual Golf Tournament, 11:30 am registration. Blackstone Valley Country Club, Sutton, MA. For details contact David, 508-234-3261. August 13—Annual Blessing of the Grapes picnic, sponsored by Sts. Vartanantz Church at Dunkerhook Park (Pavilion D), Paramus, New Jersey, 1 to 5 pm. For information, 201-943-2950. August 13—Annual picnic, Holy Cross Church, Troy, New York. August 13—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual picnic at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts. August 13—Annual picnic of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, on the church grounds. August 20—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Annual Church Picnic, 12 noon on the church grounds. For details: 508-234-3677. September 10—Annual picnic of St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut. September 10—Annual picnic of St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack Valley, at the American Legion grounds in Haverhill, Massachusetts. September 15—Family Night at St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, 6 pm at Jaffarian Hall. September 18—11th Annual ACEC/School golf outing at Stow Acres Country Club, Stow, Massachusetts. For information, 781-326-5764. September 24—36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts. September 25—Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, 3rd Annual Golf Outing and Award Dinner at Raceway Golf Course, Thompson, Connecticut. Registration 7:30 a.m. For information 508-872-9629 or church office 508-852-2414. September 28—4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950. October 1—Banquet honoring Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian on the occasion of his recent elevation, at Terrace in the Park, Flushing, New York, 3 pm. Details will follow. October 8—81st anniversary celebration of St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut. October 22—Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration. November 5—Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut. November 11-12—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual “Armenian Fest” at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island. Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web site. To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox, add email@armenianprelacy.org to your address book. Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please credit Crossroads as the source. Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to: info@armenianprelacy.org

If you wish to receive future issues of the Crossroads E-Newsletter in your E-mail Inbox, send an e-mail message with your name and your full e-mail address to email@armenianprelacy.org and write "subscribe" in the subject line.