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DID YOU MISS US LAST WEEK?
Last week’s Crossroads (Thursday, July 19) was scratched due to
the underground steam pipe explosion near Grand Central Terminal that
occurred about 6 pm on Wednesday, July 18. The Prelacy office is located
just a block or two from the area and we were in the so-called “frozen
zone” unable to enter the area Thursday morning.
The explosion came on a day that had been filled with violent thunderstorms
and heavy rain, so the initial sounds were attributed to another thunderstorm
in the area. But, it soon became apparent that this was something else—and
of course everyone’s thoughts went to the worst scenario with visions
of 9/11. The burst of what we now know was steam seemed to reach as high
as the skyscrapers nearby, including the beautiful and majestic Chrysler
Building, which many people initially thought was the target of an attack.
At that point it was difficult to distinguish steam from smoke and in
what is one of the busiest areas of New York people took to the streets,
running uptown or downtown, or towards the rivers east and west, as fast
as possible.
Tragically one woman died of cardiac arrest and two people, in a tow truck
that was passing by, are in critical condition with serious burns. Many
people—perhaps up to fifty—were less seriously injured.
Manhattan is an exciting place, and I guess most of us would not want
it to be otherwise. But sometimes “boring” sounds like a welcome
interlude.
ARCHBISHOP
OSHAGAN AT CATHEDRAL THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday, July 29, the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, will preside over
the Divine Liturgy at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City.
BISHOP NAREG
VISITS PRELACY
Bishop Nareg Alemezian, the ecumenical officer of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia, was in the New York area this week and visited the Prelacy offices
on Monday, July 23. Bishop Nareg and Bishop Anoushavan attended a gathering
of Church World Service at the Interfaith Center in Manhattan, where Bishop
Nareg was invited to address the group. Later that same day, Bishops Nareg
and Anoushavan, joined with Archbishop Oshagan, in a visit to the New
York headquarters of the international organization Religions for Peace,
of which Catholicos Aram I is an honorary president.
VICAR ATTENDS
DEDICATION AT CAMP HAIASTAN
Last weekend the Vicar, Bishop Anoushavan, attended the blessing and dedication
of the new “Hye Hope Pavilion” at Camp Haiastan in Franklin,
Massachusetts, dedicated to the memory of Linda Bahtiarian Demarest. The
new pavilion will serve as the cornerstone structure at the entrance of
the lower camp, providing a sheltered location for camper activities as
well as outdoor dining and social events. It will also serve as a place
for parents and visitors to gather on arrival, departure and visiting
days. Linda Bahtiarian Demarest died last August at age 39 after a valiant
five-year battle against breast cancer. She had designated a portion of
her estate toward the construction of the pavilion, and her family has
joined the camp in actively raising additional funds to cover the cost
of construction. If you would like additional information about the camp,
this project, or would like to donate go to www.camphaiastan.org.
2007 DATEV
ON THE WEB
A description of the 2007 St. Gregory of Datev Summer Institute and many
photographs are on the Prelacy web page. Click
here.
AUTHOR MARGARET
AJEMIAN AHNERT
VISITS PRELACY TODAY
Margaret Ajemian Ahnert, the author of the recently published and highly
acclaimed The Knock at the Door: A Journey Through the Darkness of
the Armenian Genocide, visited the Prelacy offices today where she
met with the Prelate and the Vicar.
Reviewers have described The Knock on the Door as a “powerful
book” that “tells an important historical tale in a very interesting
way.” The book relates the story of the author’s mother, Ester,
a survivor of the Armenian Genocide.
Publishers Weekly, the book industry’s most important publication,
in reviewing the book noted, “While Ahnert’s oral history
doesn’t offer a rigorous historical account or analysis of the systematic
slaughter, but rather supplements works like Peter Balakian’s The
Burning Tigris and Taner Akcam’s A Shameful Act, its
force lies in the interplay between the narratives of mother and daughter.
Together, their stories realize in intimate but accessible terms the vagaries
of historical memory and Ester’s determination to tell the truth
despite the understandable urge among some victims to forget in the face
of an official policy of denial from Turkey that continues today.”
U.S. AMBASSADOR
VISITS CATHOLICOS ARAM I
Jeffrey Feltman, the Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon, visited
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, in Bikfaya,
Lebanon, last week. They met for more than one hour discussing recent
political developments and the attempts to stabilize the country. The
Catholicos welcomed the efforts of the Ambassador and expressed his views
about bringing Lebanon out of its current stalemate.
REPRESENTATIVES
OF CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL
LEADERS MEET IN ANTELIAS
The representatives of Christian spiritual leaders in Lebanon convened
in Antelias on July 18. Participants included: Bishops Roland Abou Jaoude,
Boulos Matar and Yousef Beshara from the Maronite Church; Bishop Elias
Acude from the Greek Orthodox Church; Primate Bishop Kegham Khatcherian
on behalf of His Holiness Aram I; Bishops Salim Ghazel and Elias Rahal
from the Greek Catholic Church; Bishop Michel Kassardji from the Chalcedonic
Church; Bishop George Saliba from the Syrian Orthodox Church; and Dr.
George Mrad from the Evangelical Church. Absent from the meeting was the
representative of the Armenian Catholic Church, Bishop Hovhannes Teyrouz.
The meeting was a preparatory meeting for the upcoming summit of Patriarchs
in November. The summit will be dedicated to discussing the presence of
Christianity in Lebanon with all its aspects.
DIRECTOR AND
SPONSOR OF “SCREAMERS”
VISIT HIS HOLINESS
His Holiness Aram I received the director of the documentary “Screamers,”
Carla Garabedian and the sponsor of the movie, Raffi Manougian. Attending
were members of the Cilician Brotherhood and representatives of the Committee
of Defense of the Armenian Cause. They discussed the need to make information
on the Armenian Genocide accessible to the public on an international
level. His Holiness praised director Carla Garabedian for successfully
contributing to this objective through the medium of motion pictures.
IN CELEBRATION
OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE…
To read the message of His Holiness in Armenian click
here.
To read the message of His Holiness in English click
here.
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 and literature:
“As pointed out by Antoine Meillet, the noted French Armenologist,
the alphabet created by Mesrop, with its thirty-six characters (two more
were added in the eleventh-twelfth centuries) was so well suited to the
sounds of the Armenian language that it has served its purpose for more
than fifteen hundred years without requiring any major change, in spite
of the dialectal diversification that has occurred over this long period
of time. Even though the alphabet was conceived in a Syriac-dominated
milieu, Western influence was obvious. The most important characteristics
of the alphabet can be summarized as follows: each letter represents only
one phoneme and each phoneme is designated by only one letter, with the
exception of the sound [u], which is represented by a combination of two
letters; each vowel is written individually; the language is written from
left to right, in contrast to all Semitic languages; and there are no
diacritical marks. It is a comparative latecomer among the alphabets of
the ancient world, which perhaps accounts for its higher degree of phonetic
precision.”
The Heritage of Armenian Literature, Volume I
DAILY BIBLE
READINGS
Bible readings for today, July 26, are: Genesis 4:1-50; Numbers 20:23-30;
Deuteronomy 34:5-12; Joshua 24:29-33; 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13; Hebrews 11:1-31;
Luke 20:34-40.
Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land
of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the
land of Moab, opposite Bethpeor, but no one knows his burial place to
this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight
was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses
in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses
was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because
Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing
as the Lord had commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet
in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled
for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the
land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land,
and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power
that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. (Deuteronomy
34:5-12)
For listing of the
entire week’s Bible readings click
here. |
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NEW AT THE
BOOKSTORE
An Armenian alphabet book, Ayppenaran, is available at the Prelacy bookstore.
Printed in Yerevan, in Western Armenian orthography, it is a wonderful
first book for children. It is an oversize, colorful book with nice illustrations.
It comes with a poster suitable for mounting. Price is $20.
For information about this book and others contact the bookstore, by email
at books@armenianprelacy.org or by phone at 212-689-7810. For other books
and gifts available at the Prelacy Bookstore click
here.
SONS AND GRANDSONS
OF ST. GREGORY
REMEMBERED THIS SATURDAY
This Saturday, July 28, the Armenian Church remembers the sons and grandsons
of St. Gregory the Illuminator: Sts. Aristakes, Vrtanes, Housik, Grigoris,
and Daniel (who was not related, but was a distinguished student |
| CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
July
9 to July 20—St. Sarkis Church Summer Camp, Douglaston,
New York, for ages 5 to 12. Prayers and hymns, Armenian classes, introduction
to the bible, arts and crafts, sports, and much more. Monday to Friday,
10 a.m. to 3:00 pm. Lunch and snack will be served. Summer camp is sponsored
by Mr. and Mrs. Antranig and Marion Boudakian. Enrollment limited to 30
students. Registration deadline June 5. Minimum donation $75. For information,
718-224-2275.
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. For information www.armenianchurchofwhit.org
or 508-234-3677.
August
12—Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, Divine
Liturgy and Blessing of the Grapes St. Illuminator’s Cathedral,
New York City. Luncheon, organized and prepared by the Cathedral’s
Ladies Guild, will follow the services. For information 212-689-5880.
August
12—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, annual
church picnic at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts. For information
401-831-6399.
August
19—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts,
annual church picnic. For information www.armenianchurchofwhit.org
or 508-234-3677.
August
19—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Annual
church picnic and Blessing of the Grapes at Dunkerhook Park, Pavilion
D, Paramus, New Jersey. For information 201-943-2950.
September
9—Annual picnic of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley
at American Legion Grounds in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
September
25—Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts,
4th annual golf outing at Juniper Hill Golf Course, Northboro, Massachusetts.
Registration at 8 am. Tee off at 9 am. $125 includes golf cart, dinner
and prizes. For information 508-852-2414.
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. For information www.armenianchurchofwhit.org
or 508-234-3677.
October
21—St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, celebrating
the 20th anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Fr. Nerses Manoogian, under
the auspices of the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan. For information www.saintgregory-philly.org
or 215-482-9200.
November
4—37th anniversary of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley
and ordination of Nishan Dagley to the office of acolyte and stole bearer.
Presided over by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General
of the Prelacy.
November
10-11—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island,
annual “Armenian Fest,” at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston,
Rhode Island. For information 401-831-6399.
December
1—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts,
annual church bazaar. For information www.armenianchurchofwhit.org
or 508-234-3677.
December
9—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts,
50th anniversary celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562. |
