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NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
CONVENES IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN
The National Representative Assembly (NRA) convened today, May 17, at
St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, Michigan. The NRA is the highest legislative
body of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America,
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 by their respective parishes.
The clergy began their conference earlier, on Tuesday afternoon. The NRA
began today and will conclude on Saturday, May 19.
Today’s sessions included the delivery of two major addresses by
the Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, and Jack Mardoian,
Esq., chairman of the Executive Council.
In his address to the Assembly the Prelate focused his attention to the
true mission of the Church. He spoke about the “sacred duty”
of the church “to administer spiritual and national sustenance to
the children of our nation, to turn our community life meaningful, purposeful
for our church and nation and our motherland. In this way we give our
children a sense of belonging, a firm identity and consciousness, because
without these the flame that Haig, our nation’s patriarch, rooted,
that emanated from the Illuminator, and intensified by Sahag-Mesrob will
be extinguished.” His Eminence described the mission of the church
as a “continuous stream, to preach the Gospel, to illuminate the
souls of our children, to educate their minds, and to kindle in them the
flame of our spiritual, national and cultural values, so that they recognize
our sacred forefathers and strive to emulate them.”
In his keynote address Jack Mardoian, elaborated on a number of themes
including the upcoming dual anniversaries in 2008 (110th anniversary of
the founding of the Armenian Church in America and 50th anniversary of
the Prelacy’s affiliation with the Great House of Cilicia), the
changing needs of our community including the educational curriculum for
our clergy, the need for updated and appropriate educational texts, the
change in demographics, parish-prelacy relations, and the imperative for
better communications. He challenged the delegates to consider these serious
issues with the goal of finding solutions. “You have been called
here as the delegates, clergy, and board members from your respective
parishes, to review the programs and mission of our Prelacy. It is your
work, as the supreme legislative body of our Prelacy, to advise the Executive
Council on the progress of its ongoing work and to propose programs which
will enhance our ability to serve effectively and to realize our mission
as a church.”
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Ambassador Armen
Martirossian, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the
United Nations, attended and offered his warm congratulations recalling
that Oshagan Srpazan was the first person to officially welcome him when
he first arrived in New York.
The keynote address, delivered by Judge Sarkis Teshoian, provided a vivid
appreciation of the forty years of dedicated and creative service Archbishop
Oshagan has given to the Church in various capacities.
The third celebration will take place tomorrow evening, Friday, May 18,
in Dearborn, Michigan, for the parishes in the Mid-West and the delegates
attending the National Representative Assembly. As he did in Providence
and New Jersey, Judge Teshoian will deliver the keynote address.
VOLUMES
6, 7 AND 8 OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN
LITERATURE SERIES IS PUBLISHED IN ANTELIAS
The sixth, seventh, and eighth volumes of the 13-volume series on ancient
Armenian literature have been published thanks to the joint efforts of
the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Armenian Affairs Department of the
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This massive undertaking is the first
comprehensive study of Armenian literature covering the period from the
fifth century to the eighteenth century.
The three most recent volumes were published with the blessings of His
Holiness Aram I under the supervision of Dr. Zaven Yegavian, director
of the Armenian Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The
sixth and seventh volumes cover Armenian literature of the eighth century.
The eighth volume includes all of the hymns of the Armenian Church.
CHILDREN’S
BIBLE IN MODERN ARMENIAN PUBLISHED
A “Children’s Bible” has been published through the
joint efforts of the Christian Education Department of the Catholicosate
of Cilicia and the Bible Society of Lebanon. His Holiness Aram I praised
the work which is in modern Armenian and includes colorful illustrations.
The Executive Director of the Bible Society of Lebanon, Michael Bassous,
recently visited His Holiness, at which time they discussed a number of
future joint projects by the Bible Society and the Catholicosate’s
Christian Education Department.
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.
IN CELEBRATION
OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE…
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
designated 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language. In celebration of
this year-long tribute, each week we will offer an interesting tidbit
about the Armenian language.
Heed then this advice,
my little son,
That comes from your mother’s heart,
This day I place in your trust,
The Armenian language,
A treasure from which you must never part.
Hold it always close
like a lover
For power to you it will impart.
Like the sacred snows of Mount Ararat,
Or your ancestors’ ashes,
Keep it always near your heart.
The third and ninth
stanzas of
Message to My Child by Silva Kaputikian
To read the message
of His Holiness in Armenian click
here.
To read the message
of His Holiness in English click here.
TODAY IS FEAST
OF THE ASCENSION
Today, May 17, is the Feast of the Ascension (Hambardzoom) of
our Lord Jesus Christ, which comes forty days after the Resurrection.
According to Biblical scripture the Ascension took place at the village
of Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, in the presence of our Lord’s
disciples. After giving them commandments and blessings, the Lord was
“received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God,”
(Mark 16:19), and “a cloud received him out of their sight,”
(Acts 1:9). In the early centuries of Christianity Hambardzoom
was one of the most popular feast days for the faithful and was celebrated
with merriment and festivities. There are many traditions associated with
this dominical feast. Perhaps the best known in current times is fortune-telling
(vijakakhakh), as popularly related in the opera Anoush.
SUNDAY IS
SECOND PALM SUNDAY
This Sunday, May 20, is Second Palm Sunday (Yerkrort Tzaghkazard).
The seventh Sunday of Easter is called Second Palm Sunday, based on the
readings for that day. Beginning with New Sunday, the Armenian Church
reads from the four Gospels every day in their proper order, and in that
order the sections relating to Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, as
described in the four Gospels, coincides with the seventh Sunday of Easter,
hence the designation “second Palm Sunday.”
DAILY BIBLE
READINGS
Bible readings for today, May 17, are: Luke 18:1-14; Acts 1:1-14; Matthew
28:16-20; Matthew 19:1-15; Mark 10:13-27.
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain
to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him;
but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20.
For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click
here.
MOTHER’S
DAY AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL
A luncheon and program dedicated to Mother’s Day will take place
following the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, May 20, 2007, at St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City. Honored as the Mothers of
the Year will be Yn. Vartouhi Der Kaloustian, Mrs. Azadouhi Vartanian,
and Mrs. Lusig Khatchadour. For information contact the church, 212-689-5880.
80th ANNIVERSARY
OF LINDBERGH FLIGHT
Monday, May 21, is the 80th anniversary of the historic nonstop solo transatlantic
flight made by the 25-year-old Charles A. Lindbergh. His 3,610-mile trip
from New York, aboard the single engine monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis,
took 33 hours and 32 minutes, much of it through sleet. He landed at Le
Bourget Airfield near Paris on May 21, 1927. Lindbergh and his plane came
back to New York by ship. |
CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
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.
May
20—Divine Liturgy, Luncheon and Program dedicated to Mother’s
Day, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, Sunday, May 20.
Honored mothers: Yn. Vartouhi Der Kaloustian, Mrs. Azadouhi Vartanian,
and Mrs. Lusig Khatchadour. For information, 212-689-5880.
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.
July
7—St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, gathering
at the home of the parish priest, Rev. Father Bedros Shetilian.
July
21—Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode
Island, and ARS Ani Chapter present “A Hye Summer Night 2.”
For information 401-286-8107.
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
27—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, 5th
Annual Golf Outing at River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey.
Registration begins at 11 a.m. and tee time at 1 p.m. For information,
201-943-2950.
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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