February 22, 2007
	CLERGY OF THREE NORTH AMERICAN PRELACIES GATHER ON WEST COAST FOR GHEVONTIANTZ Each year on the occasion of the Feast of St. Ghevont, the clergy gather for a conference where they explore mutual concerns and share in a rejuvenating time of renewal and fellowship. Several years ago the three North American prelacies marked the occasion together. It was so successful that they decided to continue this practice every two years. This year the Western Prelacy hosted the three-day joint clergy conference from February 12-14, under the auspices of Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, and Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of Canada. The conference included meetings, religious services, and visits to some area schools, churches and the new Prelacy headquarters.
The clergy returned to their own parishes spiritually renewed and prepared to continue their attentive and devoted service to the faithful.
	40th DAY REQUIEM SERVICE FOR HRANT DINK Archbishop Oshagan has directed all parishes within the Eastern Prelacy to offer a requiem service on Sunday, March 4, on the occasion of the 40th day of the death of the Hrant Dink. The noted journalist was assassinated in Istanbul last month. In New York City, a united requiem service will take place at St. Vartan Cathedral, 34th Street and Second Avenue, with the participation of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America; the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of America; and the Armenian Missionary Association of America. The requiem service will begin at 1:30 pm, following Sunday services in the individual churches. The guest preacher at the requiem service will be The Reverend Canon Francis V. Tiso, Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Speakers during the reception/
program that will follow the requiem service include Peter Steinfels, who covers religious news for the New York Times and writes the Beliefs column; Anna Kushner, coordinator of the Freedom to Write Program at PEN American Center; and Sonya Frye of the Overseas Press Club. The students of the Hovnanian School (New Jersey) will offer an audio/visual presentation about Hrant Dink.
PRELACY LENTEN SERIES BEGINS The first of the six Prelacy Lenten Meditations took place yesterday evening, Wednesday, February 21. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program focuses on the seven vices and seven virtues. Last evening, Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General, inaugurated the series with his thoughts on “Pride and Humility.” Bishop Anoushavan began his meditation by noting that not all pride is bad, and not all humility is good. For example a parent can be very proud of a child. And we should not be so humble as to lose our self-worth. When we view the great universe that God created, we are humbled knowing that we are a small part, and nothing compared to God, but because we live in God we are worth more than we can imagine. Next Wednesday, Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, pastor of St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, New York, will speak about Envy and Brotherly Love. The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the St. Illuminator’s Ladies Guild, and the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). All of the programs take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general schedule: Lenten Service at 7:30 pm in the Sanctuary; Lecture at 8 pm in Pashalian Hall, followed by questions and answers, a light Lenten meal, and Fellowship. For a complete schedule of lectures click here. MUSICAL ARMENIA The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place Sunday, March 25, 2 pm, at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25. Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan (accompanied by Evan Solomon) and the Ararat Trio, comprised of Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian, violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello. Serge Barseghyan has appeared as a soloist in the United States and Europe, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, and Valencia. Patil Harboyan was awarded first prize at the Margo Babikian Piano Competition in Lebanon and the Armenian Allied Arts Association Competition in Los Angeles. Van Armenian has served as concertmaster of the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra in Japan and of the Colorado-based National Repertory Orchestra. Hrant Parsamian was awarded highest prizes at the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition and the Olga Koussevitzky Competition. The Musical Armenia concerts have been presented since 1982. Its goal is to showcase the talents of young Armenian artists. If you would like to purchase tickets and/or become a sponsor of this year’s Musical Armenia concert please contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail to sophie@armenianprelacy.org. 2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For details click here. SUNDAY OF THE EXPULSION We are now in Great Lent (Medz Bahk) and the Church has taken on a mournful and penitential manifestation. The altar is closed, symbolic of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Holy Communion is not offered during the Divine Liturgy. It is a period of reflection in our spiritual journey toward Easter. Each of the Sundays during Lent has a theme. This Sunday, the second Sunday of Lent, is the Sunday of the Expulsion (Artaksman Kiraki). The message for the Sunday of the Expulsion continues with the theme of last week’s Paregentan Sunday, namely Adam and Eve’s fall and banishment from Paradise because of their disobedience. “Of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” (Genesis 2:17) With their expulsion from Paradise, humankind was thus condemned to experience death, pain and sorrow. The hymns sung on the first two Sundays of Lent remind us of the expulsion, and give sinners the good tidings that they may render themselves worthy through repentance. U.S. AMBASSADOR VISITS HIS HOLINESS The Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon, Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, met with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, last week. Participating in the meeting was Dr. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. State Department’s director for Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. For nearly two hours, His Holiness and his visitors discussed the situation in Lebanon with all its aspects and the possibilities of ending the continuing conflict. The Catholicos expressed concern at the continuation of the conflict, saying that Lebanon is on the path to self-destruction with the politicians unfortunately not realizing the consequences of the dangerous situation. Analyzing the current deadlock, the Pontiff said that in his view an initiative by Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with some regional powers, is the only serious alternative that can bring an effective and permanent resolution of the current conflict. This initiative, the Pontiff said, should aim to bring together the political and community leaders of Lebanon and engage them in comprehensive and in-depth discussion on all major problems facing Lebanon, and reach agreement. 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows: May 5—In the New England area in Providence, Rhode Island. May 12—In the Mid-Atlantic area in Teaneck, New Jersey. May 18—In the Mid-West in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National Representative Assembly. Watch for details. IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE… “Armenian history is the story of a nation’s constant struggle against its neighbors and other foreign powers to safeguard its physical existence and its spiritual convictions. The struggle has been punctuated not only with humiliating defeats, but also with great triumphs. The greatest of these was the invention of the Armenian alphabet and the ensuing flourishing of Armenian literature, which revealed the perseverance, wisdom, and national character of the Armenian people. Their struggles have instilled in Armenians a certain ability to grapple with difficulties, to overcome geographic handicaps, and to excel in the activities they undertake, intellectual and otherwise. The intrinsic meaning of their literature, then, is a reflection of their ceaseless strivings for survival and accomplishment.” The Heritage of Armenian Literature, Volume I (Wayne State University Press) The Encyclical issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language is on the Prelacy’s web page. To read the encyclical in Armenian click here. To read the encyclical in English click here. SPEAKING OF LITERATURE… Most major print and television news outlets reported this week about the auction of a number of first edition copies of the works of John Steinbeck last weekend. The collection sold for more than $200,000. What most of the news reports did not say was that five of the titles—including the most valuable, Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck’s epic 1939 novel of migrant workers during the Depression era—were purchased by a Jim Dourgarian, a Bay Area antiquarian bookseller who specializes in Steinbeck’s work. John Steinbeck (1902-1968) received the Pulitzer Prize for Grapes of Wrath, and in 1962 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. A large part of the success of Grapes of Wrath is that it is a good story, a slice of American history. As one critic noted, “You can read about the lives of migrant workers in history books, but if you read it in Steinbeck’s version, you live and breathe it.” DAILY BIBLE READINGS Bible readings for today, February 22, is Romans 6:3-14. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:3-14 For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click here.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS February 21 to March 28—2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great Lent. Lenten service at 7:30 pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme: Seven Vices and Seven Virtues. For further information click here. February 25—Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois. February 25—First membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts. March 4—Second membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts. March 4—Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, North Andover, Massachusetts. March 4—Membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts. March 4—Membership meeting, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. March 18—Membership meeting, St. Illuminator Cathedral, New York City. March 18—Membership meeting, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut. March 25—Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm. Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan, piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello). April 1—Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. April 14—Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For information, 617-924-7562. May 5—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island. May 6—30th anniversary of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, Terrace on the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm. May 7—Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers’ Day Luncheon, St. Regis Hotel, New York City. May 12—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New Jersey. May 12—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian. May 18—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly. May 20—“Hello Ellis Island” and Reception, St. Stephen’s Church Hall, Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562. July 1-8—St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For information click here. August 7—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf tournament at Blackstone Country Club. August 19—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church picnic. September 29—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley. December 1—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church bazaar. December 9—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.
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