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Armenian Christmas tinted with sorrow
January 07, 2005 22:43:47
PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: jakeg@armeniandiocese.org
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
January 7, 2005
___________________
ARMENIANS GATHER AT CATHEDRAL TO MARK JESUS' BIRTH, PRAY FOR TSUNAMI
VICTIMS
By Jake Goshert
As 600 people filled St. Vartan Cathedral on Thursday, January 6, 2005,
it was like any other Armenian Christmas. There were families with
young children in tow for their first Armenian Christmas. There were
festive Christmas decorations and equally festive new dresses. There
was joy and merriment.
But this year's celebrations were tinged with sorrow and reflection.
"Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetzav! Orhnyal eh haydnootiunun Krisdosee!
Christ is born and revealed! Blessed is the revelation of Christ!
These words express the miracle of Christmas: the nativity of our Lord,
Jesus Christ, Son of God, humanity's savior. They are words of joy,
which bring hope and optimism to our hearts every year. And indeed, we
rejoice in them this year, as well," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), who
celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the New York City cathedral. "But also
this year, we greet the miracle of Christmas with some sadness: the
heavy weight of having recently witnessed a terrible disaster, with its
staggering loss of life, and the certainty that a great humanitarian
crisis is with us, which will linger for some time.
"To be honest, I was planning to deliver quite a different sermon today.
But I felt compelled to change those plans," the Primate said, referring
to the recent tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands in Asia. "We
believe that God can speak to us through events great and small, whether
in our own lives, or in the life of the world around us. And especially
during this season of His son's birth, we must try to understand what
God is telling us."
REFLECTING ON THE NEWS
In his sermon, the Primate asked the faithful to think what type of
story St. Mary would have told a young Jesus, when he asked of His
childhood. Along with the joy of His birth, the Primate said Mary would
also tell Jesus of hard times: About their family's rejection from the
inn; their desperate flight from the assassins of King Herod; and their
hard days as refugees living in Egypt.
"Who can say what recollection Jesus had of the events surrounding His
infancy? But certainly, the stories His mother told would have left
their mark on Him. Perhaps we hear an echo of their influence in the
teachings of His ministry. 'For I was hungry,' said our Lord, 'and you
gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was naked, and
you clothed me. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me,'" Archbishop
Barsamian said.
"Today, we are all painfully aware that on the other side of the world,
there are people who are hungry, and thirsty, and naked, and who are
looking for someone to help them. They are strangers to us, mostly:
people we will never actually meet. And yet, we must welcome them into
our hearts as we would our own fellow countrymen," he told the
parishioners. "The stories of their affliction are touching, and
heartbreaking, and sometimes too terrible to endure. But those stories
need not be solely focused on bitterness and loss. We can never
eliminate the great tragedy of these past days. But we do have it in
our power to respond to this disaster with a story of our own: a story
of help and generosity. A story which, with God's help, might shine a
light of hope into the darkness surrounding the people of Southeast Asia
today."
Remembering that the world came to the aid of Armenia following the 1988
earthquake which devastated much of the country, the Primate urged all
Armenians to step forward and help the tsunami survivors in Asia. A
special collection was taken up at the cathedral during services, and
the Primate has asked all parishes in the Eastern Diocese to take
similar special collections during services throughout January to
support relief efforts.
Along with these collections, the Primate is asking parishes and
communities throughout the Diocese to find other ways to raise funds and
offer prayers to the tsunami victims. (For fund-raising ideas, teaching
topics, and to donate online, go to the Eastern Diocese's website:
www.armenianchurch.org/tsunami.)
The money raised by the Diocese in partnership with the Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR), will be directed to the National Council of
Church's international aid organization, Church World Service (CWS),
which is looking to raise $5 million for long-term rebuilding efforts.
"Today, I believe that our Lord is asking us to respond to those poor
people half a world away who live in hunger, nakedness, and fear," the
Primate said in the conclusion of his sermon. "For as our Lord Jesus
Christ once taught us: 'Truly, I say to you, when you do this to even
the least of my brethren, you have done it to Me.' May we all be worthy
of someday hearing these words from our Lord. And on this day of His
birth, may Christ's consolation and mercy be upon all the disaster
victims, and upon all God's children, now and forever. Amen."
CHRIST'S BIRTH AND BAPTISM
Along with marking Christ's birth, Armenian Christmas is also a
celebration of His baptism. To mark that occasion, the Primate
performed the "Blessing of Water" ceremony following the Divine Liturgy,
which this year was sung by the Gomidas Choir and the St. Vartan
Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Kris Kalfayan and Hasmik
Meikhanedjian, accompanied by Florence Avakian.
Serving as the godfather of the service was Mark Gabrellian, of Wyckoff,
NJ, who serves on the Armenian Church Endowment Fund (ACEF) Board of
Trustees.
Following the "Blessing of Water" ceremony, faithful were invited to
receive some of the blessed water. The Primate then performed the "Home
Blessing" ceremony in Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium, where a
reception was held, organized by Gregory and Ani Manuelian and featuring
the Akhtamar Dance Ensemble of New Jersey, under the direction of Sylva
Assadourian.
FULL CELEBRATION SCHEDULE
The Armenian Christmas Divine Liturgy and reception were just two parts
of the full Armenian Christmas celebration at New York City's St. Vartan
Cathedral, organized by Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of the cathedral.
On Armenian Christmas Eve, Wednesday, January 5, there was a Divine
Liturgy, celebrated by Fr. Chevian, and featuring Scripture readings by
students from the Diocese's Khrimian Lyceum. During that service the
music was provided by the St. Vartan Cathedral Youth Choir -- with the
participation of students from the Diocese's Khrimian Lyceum, and from
area Diocesan Armenian Saturday schools -- under the direction of the
Maro Partamian.
On Saturday, January 8, 2005, the Primate will welcome young people from
throughout the New York City area to St. Vartan Cathedral for the
Primate's Christmas Party, featuring performances by Andy the Clown, Apo
Sarkissian, and Stepan Tavitian, with a special appearance by Santa
Claus.
-- 1/7/05
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website,
www.armenianchurch.org.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): During Armenian Christmas celebrations at New York
City's St. Vartan Cathedral on Thursday, December 6, 2005, faithful
offered prayers to the victims of the recent tsunami in Asia.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Following the directive of Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian to all parishes in the Eastern Diocese, the St. Vartan
Cathedral held a special collection on Armenian Christmas to benefit the
tsunami victims.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): The Primate offers communion to a young parishioner
during Armenian Christmas celebrations, which brought 600 people to New
York City's St. Vartan Cathedral on Thursday, December 6, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Florence Avakian accompanies members from the
Gomidas Choir and the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir, under the direction of
Kris Kalfayan and Hasmik Meikhanedjian, during the Armenian Christmas
Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Cathedral.
PHOTO CAPTION (5): To commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ,
Archbishop Barsamian performs the "Blessing of Water" ceremony following
the Divine Liturgy on January 6, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTINO (6): Mark Gabrellian, right, served as the godfather for
the "Blessing of Water" ceremony at New York City's St. Vartan
Cathedral.
PHOTO CAPTION (7): Archbishop Barsamian and Mark Gabrellian, the
godfather of the "Blessing of Water" ceremony, look out at the 600
faithful gathered to celebrate Armenian Christmas at New York City's St.
Vartan Cathedral on Thursday, January 6, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (8): Following the Armenian Christmas Divine Liturgy at
New York City's St. Vartan Cathedral on January 6, 2005, some of the
faithful come up to receive some of the blessed water and to kiss the
cross held by Mark Gabrellian, godfather of the "Blessing of Water"
ceremony.
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