A committee to study liturgical matters, which was formed with the blessings of and under the direction of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, with representatives from the Catholicate of Etchmiadzin, Catholicate of the Great House of Cilicia, Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Patriarchate of Constantinople, convened its first meeting at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on August 16 and 17.
The aim of the Liturgical Committee is to strengthen the mission of the Armenian Church and make it more productive, and to overcome the challenges of liturgical life and propose liturgical reforms.
The members of the Liturgical Committee of the Armenian Church are:
Archbishop Gomidas Ohanyan (co-chairman)
Bishop Arshag Khatchadurian (co-chairman)
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Archbishop Kegham Khacherian
Bishop Natan Hovhanesian
Bishop Mikayel Achabahyan
V. Rev. Archimandrite Krikor Chifjian
V. Rev. Archimandrite Vahan Hovhanesian
The committee studied issues related to the preparation of a uniform text for baptism and confirmation, to regulate canons and devotional traditions related to the sacraments. For the future tasks of the committee it was decided to consider the earlier versions of baptism and confirmation texts, as well as editions currently in use.
Click here to view the Armenian version of this communique
COMMUNIQUE
Canonical Committee of the
Catholicate of All Armenians and
Catholicate of the Great House of Cilicia
The Canonical
Committee, which was formed in 2005 with the blessings and under the direction
of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, met at the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin, August 18-19.
The
purpose of this joint committee is to assist the greater flourishing of the
mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, and to strengthen its internal
unity, as well as to study canonical issues which exist in the life of the
Armenian Church and propose solutions.
The
members of the Canonical Committee are:
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian (co-chairman)
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan (co-chairman)
Bishop Mikayel Achabahyan (secretary)
Bishop Nareg Alemezian (secretary)
Mr. Jim Kaloustian
Mr. Arsen Tanielian
Mr. Nicola Hovhannisian Mr. Dikran Jinbashian
On
August 18, the committee members were received by the Catholicos of All
Armenians. His Holiness gave his fatherly blessings to the committee members,
and wished them productive deliberations in their work. At this time Oshagan
Srpazan extended to His Holiness the brotherly greetings of His Holiness Aram
I.
The
meeting opened with the Lord’s prayer. After welcoming words by the
co-chairmen, reports were presented under the general theme, The Canonical Status of the Armenian Church.
Presentations were made by Bishop Nareg
Alemezian (“General Introduction and the Biblical Basis of Ecclesiology”);
Archbishop Yeznig Bedrosian (“The Theological and Ecclesiastical Definition of
the Armenian Church”;) and Bishop Mikayel Achabahyan (“The Current Practical
Expression of the Armenian Church.”) After the reports, the presenters answered
questions posed by the committee members. An exchange of ideas and a general assessment
took place.
At
the conclusion of the meeting, in view of the results of the amicable deliberations
and warm and constructive atmosphere, the members expressed the belief that the
implementation of the proposals adopted by the committee would greatly benefit
the unity of the Armenian Church.
Click here for the Armenian version of this communique.
Armenian American Pilgrims Pay Homage in Lebanon,
Syria and Der Zor
By Lucine Kasbarian
The Armenian Americans traveling through Lebanon and Syria
on a pilgrimage organized by the St. Gregory of Datev Institute and the Eastern
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, on the occasion of the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide have now concluded their journey and
returned to the United States. Led by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian,
Vicar of the Prelacy, and Deacon Shant Kazanjian, Director of the Prelacy’s
Armenian Religious Education Council, a group of 30 Armenian Americans, many of
them students and graduates of the Datev Institute, visited people and places
spiritually, historically and culturally significant to the Armenian people.
The Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, praised the
pilgrimage and blessed the pilgrims for undertaking this “sentimental journey” in
this 95th anniversary year. “It is an experience the pilgrims will
remember forever,” he said.
LEBANON
While in Lebanon, the pilgrims completed a tour of the
Armenian Catholicosate complex in Antelias. They prayed inside the Cathedral of
St. Gregory the Illuminator—an impressive building constructed according to the
Armenian architectural style under the guidance of architect Mardiros
Altounian. Pilgrims also paid respects at the Armenian Genocide Memorial Chapel,
which contains the remnant bones of those martyred during the Genocide. Inside
the “Cilicia” Museum, pilgrims had the privilege of seeing rare church
vestments, chalices, relics and documents rescued from churches in Western Armenia. Most of the religious treasures
displayed in the Museum were brought to Antelias under severe circumstances
around the time of the Genocide.
When asked why he embarked on this pilgrimage, Garo Tashian,
a Datev Institute student from Providence, Rhode Island, said, “I came to see
how my relatives endured the journey that brought them to Der Zor and which led
to my family’s settling in Syria. Some still live here, and I will get to see
them. I also wanted to see how different societies who believe in the same
religion may celebrate and practice their Christian faith differently.”
In Lebanon, the group visited the self-sustaining Armenian
town of Anjar, which was gifted in 1939 to Armenian refugees rescued
from the besieged Armenian province of Musa Dagh and which enabled Armenians to
start their lives anew in the aftermath of the Genocide. There, pilgrims were
greeted by Reverend Father Ashod Karakashian and Mayor Harout Lakissian, who
both spoke about the people of Anjar and their unwavering commitment to
Armenian life and traditions. The esteemed leaders gave the pilgrims a tour of
the Sourp Boghos Armenian Church, the Sarkis Zeitlian Community Center—named for
the slain ARF leader—local Armenian schools and the Musa Dagh Memorial
Monument.
Among other marvels in Lebanon, the group visited Baalbek –
the largest and best preserved Roman temple in the world today, the magnificent
ancient caves of the Jeita Grottoes, and the Cedars of Lebanon – a national
forest from which Lebanon’s flag derived its inspiration. To the group’s
amazement, Armenian components were found in exhibits displayed at the Kahlil
Gibran Museum located in the former Mar Sarkis Hermitage in Bsharri, Lebanon.
One was an anguished letter from Gibran to friend Mary Haskell, describing how
the same Turkish Genocide that befell the Armenians was now recurring to the
Christian Lebanese. The other was an ancient Armenian altar tapestry of
Christ’s image that Gibran had purchased in New York and which he felt revealed
the specific expressions and characteristics Gibran looked for in “his Jesus,”
the Jesus he sought for inspiration all his life. Experts will soon evaluate
this rare tapestry for further identification and restoration.
SYRIA
In Syria, the pilgrims journeyed to important Christian
sites such as the Ma’alula and Saydnaya Monasteries, which are embedded in
stone, and where local residents still speak Aramaic, the mother tongue of
Jesus Christ. As centers of Christian pilgrimage, Ma’alula and Saydnaya are second
only to Jerusalem
as popular sites for healing and a renewal of faith.
While in Aleppo, the group participated in a brilliant
Sunday Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at
the hauntingly beautiful Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral. This 15th
century church, located in the Old Christian district and which houses more
than 30 ancient and modern icons, was named in honor of a group of Roman
soldiers who faced martyrdom for their Christian beliefs near the city of Sepastia in Armenia. Pilgrims received the
blessings of Aleppo Prelate His Grace Bishop Shahan Sarkissian who in welcoming
the pilgrims, emphasized that Der Zor belongs to every Armenian around the
world. He introduced his community to the group, reiterating what the pilgrims
themselves had come to witness first hand: that Syria
and Lebanon
are at the center of Western Armenian culture, religion and traditions and
where our language and practices are alive in the streets, shops, schools and
community centers.
The pilgrims toured the awe-inspiring, faithfully preserved Citadel
of Aleppo, which King Dikran I of Armenia conquered in ancient times. The group
was taken to various Armenian community centers and observed local Armenians in
their element. Pilgrims had the good fortune to have local Armenians such as
Talin Giragosian, Avo Tashjian and Kevork Hagopjian accompany them to the Khan
al-Jumruk—one of the oldest and best indoor bazaars in the Middle East—to haggle
for spices, sweets, textiles, jewelry and souvenirs.
DER ZOR
The journey’s main purpose, to pay homage to
Armenian martyrs and survivors on the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
was completed with a trek into the Der Zor Desert—the killing fields for
Armenians driven from their homeland during the Genocide. Guided by Aleppo’s
Rev. Fr. Datev Mikaelian on board the group’s bus, pilgrims passed through towns
that once housed Armenian refugees, many of whom either assimilated into Syrian
society or eventually departed for other lands. Once in the barren desert, the
pilgrims symbolically walked in the footsteps of their ancestors and said
prayers for martyrs, survivors, family and nation. The
pilgrims also ceremoniously tossed flowers into the Euphrates River, where many
persecuted Armenians had met their end. As if performing on cue, local Bedouin
boys seeking amusement in the hot weather waited for pilgrims to arrive, after
which the youngsters dove from the rails of a bridge into the Euphrates below.
Their acts recalled for many pilgrims the deeds of those Armenian women who
valiantly flung themselves into those very waters to avoid violation and
abduction during the Genocide. The group participated in a Hokehankisd
(Requiem Service) at the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church of Der Zor and
visited the Genocide Museum located in the Church complex. The museum featured a
monument containing bones gathered from the Der Zor desert belonging to Genocide
victims, and also housed historic exhibits, period photos, rare artifacts
gathered from Genocide survivors, and even documentary footage of the Genocide
in progress that had been filmed by missionaries.
Despite suffering a stroke which left her paralyzed from the
waist down, Araxie Bakalian of New York City joined this pilgrimage with her
two sisters, Azadouhi Vartanian and Ovsanna Tatarian. “I came to honor our
ancestors who went through hell during the Genocide,” she said. Motivated by
her faith and sheer willpower – both which helped her to miraculously walk with
crutches throughout the pilgrimage—Araxie said, “My condition is nothing
compared to what the martyrs and survivors went through. If I can walk even a
little and drink a bit of water during this journey, my condition is still
better than that of our martyrs and survivors who saw Der Zor.” Araxie hopes
the Prelacy will organize a Der Zor pilgrimage every year and invite Armenian
youth to attend so that they can witness where and how their ancestors
struggled for survival and died for their beliefs.
KESSAB
On their way back to Lebanon, the group made a stop in the
Mediterranean town of Kessab, Syria – an ancient Armenian enclave which is part
of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, and that today, borders with Turkey. Kessab
is famous for laurel soaps, flavorful apples, its own Armenian dialect, and for
being a popular summer resort for Armenians and Syrians alike. In the Armenian village of Kaladouran within Kessab, the group prayed
in the new St. Mary Armenian Church, which was rebuilt last year on a crumbling
predecessor, as well as the 900 year-old Sourp Stepanos chapel, fully restored by
Armenians from the Land & Culture Organization.
Back in Lebanon, the pilgrims visited the Armenian
Theological Seminary in Bikfaya. There, they met with His Holiness Catholicos
Aram I, with each pilgrim receiving from him an Armenian cross. The group
toured the Seminary, paid their respects at the Armenian Genocide Memorial
Monument, and participated in a massive, community-wide outdoor Badarak on the occasion of Asdvadzadzin (Assumption) celebrations,
the blessing of the grapes, and the distribution of herisseh.
With the assistance of local Armenian guides, such as
Yeretzgin Christine Sarkisian and Janine Markarian, pilgrims were taken to the Armenian enclave of
Bourj Hammoud, another district that had been gifted to the Armenians in the
aftermath of the Genocide. There, pilgrims had the unique opportunity to
circulate through a suburb of Beirut
in which Armenian could be heard spoken in the streets, where Armenian
fraternal and political organizations are housed, and where the majority of
shops, restaurants and groceries are Armenian-owned and operated.
The group participated in one final Badarak at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias,
with Seminary choristers filling the Cathedral with stunning melody. A farewell
dinner was organized at a seaside restaurant in Beirut with the help of local
Armenians Nareg and Sevan Meguerian, and where pilgrims raised toasts to thank
their organizers and hosts for their kindness and fellowship.
Traveling to ancient sites, many of which transported
pilgrims to another time, witnessing where defenseless Armenians were
slaughtered en masse, standing where spiritual miracles occurred and where the
faithful pray, all gave pilgrims the opportunity to remember the past, renew
their faith, share their hopes for spiritual renewal, and become inspired by
Armenian communities that persist in their cultural practices. For this writer,
participating in this pilgrimage on the occasion of the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was the best way possible to honor and
witness a tremendous living culture which has survived against all odds, to
remember the ordeals the Armenians endured, and to renew our commitment to our
ancient faith and to justice for the Armenian nation.
Photos:
With Rev. Fr. Ashod Karakashian at the Musa Dagh
Monument in Anjar
At the Mar Takla Monastery
in Syria.
With Srpazan Shahan Sarkissian at
the Prelacy of Aleppo
At the Citadel of Aleppo
A group prayer at Der Zor
At the Armenian Genocide
Memorial Church Complex in Der Zor
An exhibit of bones belonging to
Armenian martyrs of Der Zor
With Aram Vehapar in
Bikfaya
Bishop Anoushavan and Rev. Fr. Datev Mikaelian
of Aleppo with the pilgrims at the ruins of St. Simeon the Stylite Church,
Syria
Bishop
Anoushavan and Bishop Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of the Armenian Church in
Syria during the blessing of grapes ceremony at the Cathedral of the Forty
Martyrs in Aleppo, Syria
His
Holiness Catholicos Aram I and His Grace Bishop Anoushavan flanked by the
Datevatsies
Datevatsies
at a restaurant in Damascus
Pilgrims
at the Kahlil Gibran museum
Cedars
of Lebanon
Pilgrims
at Baalbek
Datevatsies
with Harout Lakissian.
The
Convent of our Lady of Saidnaya, Syria, founded in 547 AD, where the pilgrims
visited on Saturday, August 7
Datevatsies
Garo Tashian, Alex Bagdasarian, and Ari Nalbandian at the Citadel of Aleppo
Bishop
Anoushavan presenting a gift to Bishop Shahan, Prelate of the Armenian Church
in Syria
Newly
consecrated Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church in Kessab, Syria
Andrew
Kzirian of Philadelphia at the entrance of Soorp Stepanos Chapel in Kessab
A
scenic view of the Mediterranean Sea in Kessab
A
group of pilgrims in Bourj Hammoud
Pilgrims
at Sidon, Lebanon, where both Jesus our Lord and the great apostle of the
gentiles, St. Paul, visited
Preparing
Herisseh for the Feast of the Assumption of Soorp Asdvadzadzin in Bikfaya,
Lebanon
The
Armenian Genocide Monument in Bikfaya, Lebanon
Bishop
Shahe Panossian, Dean of the Armenian Seminary in Bikfaya, Lebanon, giving a
tour of the seminary
A
scene from Soorp Badarak in Bikfaya, Bishop Anoushavan, celebrant
Pilgrims
in front of the Veharan, Antelias
Above photos by Dikran Tenguerian & Dn. Shant Kazanjian
IN MEMORIAM:
ARCHPRIEST FATHER VAHRICH SHIRINIAN
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and the Religious and Executive Councils announce with sorrow the passing of Archpriest Fr. Vahrich Shirinian, on Saturday, August 14, 2010, in New Jersey. Der Vahrich served as pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church in New Jersey from 1966 until his retirement in 1991.
The Homecoming Wake service will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 19, 2010, at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, 461 Bergen Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey.
The Extreme Unction will be officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Yeprem Tabakian, former Prelate of the Western Prelacy, during the Divine Liturgy which will start at 10 a.m., on Friday, August 20, 2010, at Sts. Vartanantz Church. Interment will follow at George Washington Cemetery, Paramus, New Jersey.
In-lieu-of-flowers donations may be made to Sts. Vartanantz Church or the Eastern Prelacy.
We extend heartfelt sympathy on behalf of the Prelate, the Religious and Executive Councils, and Clergy, to Der Hayr’s Yeretzgin Shake, children, grandchildren and relatives.
Archpriest Father Vahrich Shirinian
November 2, 1923—August 14, 2010
Archpriest
Father Vahrich Shirinian (baptismal name Haroutune) was born in Beirut,
Lebanon, on November 2, 1923, where he received his primary and
secondary education. He graduated from the Theological Seminary of the
Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon, and was ordained to the
married priesthood by Bishop Terenig Poladian in the Cathedral of St.
Gregory the Illuminator in Antelias on June 28, 1953.
He married Shake Bedrosian on August
8, 1952, and they raised a loving family of four sons. Der Hayr and
Yeretzgin came to the United States in September 1955 and he began his
service in California at St. Paul Armenian Church (Fresno) 1956-57; St.
Gregory Armenian Church (San Francisco), 1957-1963; and Holy Martyrs
Armenian Church (Encino), 1963-1966.
In 1966 he and his family relocated to
the east coast to assume pastoral leadership of Sts. Vartanantz
Armenian Apostolic Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey, a service he
continued until his retirement in 1991. During the 25 years of his
service at Sts. Vartanantz the parish grew and today is one of the
largest parishes within the Eastern Prelacy.
Der Vahrich was granted the honor of wearing the Pectoral Cross in 1963 by His Holiness Catholicos Khoren I, and in the mid-1980s was elevated to the rank of Archpriest by His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II.
He was an ardent supporter of education and helped advance both the Sunday School and the Nareg Armenian School at Sts. Vartanantz. He was also a staunch supporter of the Armenian day school movement, first in California, and later in New Jersey where he supported the founding of the Armenian School of New Jersey (now Hovnanian School), and warmly welcomed the school’s inaugural year in 1976 within the Sts. Vartanantz facilities.
After his retirement in 1991 he remained an active presence in New Jersey and served the Prelacy as an outreach priest for many years. Der Vahrich traveled north, south, and west to various parishes within the Eastern Prelacy as needed to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and offer the sacraments.
With advancing age, Der Hayr and Yeretzgin took up residence for a short time at the Ararat Home in Mission Hills, California, but soon returned to New Jersey to be closer to their family and friends. During this time Der Hayr and Yeretzgin attended Badarak nearly every Sunday at Sts. Vartanantz. With the advent of health issues, they took up residence at the New Jersey Armenian Home in Emerson.
Der Vahrich died on Saturday, August 14, 2010. He is survived by Yeretzgin Shake and his sons and daughters-in-law: Sarkis and Marie-Jeanne; Shant and Cathy; Ara and Liza; Haig and Debbie; and nine grandchildren.
The Homecoming Wake service will take place at 7:30 p.m., August 19, 2010, at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, 461 Bergen Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey. The Extreme Unction will be officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Yeprem Tabakian, former prelate of the Western Prelacy, during the Divine Liturgy which will start at 10 a.m., on Friday, August 20, 2010, at Sts. Vartanantz Church. Interment will follow at George Washington Cemetery, Paramus, New Jersey.
In-lieu-of-flowers donations may be made to Sts. Vartanantz Church or the Eastern Prelacy.
Asdvadz hokeen lousavoreh. May God illuminate his soul.