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  • Loving hands bake rich tradition

    Loving hands bake rich tradition

    *BY TAMMY STABLES BATTAGLIA*
    FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER

    /November 4, 2004/

    As her wrinkled hands gently press the triangle of traditional Armenian
    cheese turnover dough, Natalie Papazian talks about putting her heart --
    and the future of her church -- into its creation.

    Of course, cheese fills the inside of all 3,636 boregs, the flaky
    pastries made for the 42nd year of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic
    Church's annual fall festival this weekend in Dearborn.

    But the aging ladies of the church began handing down the tradition to
    younger members this year, teaching them the technique and love involved
    in cooking for their church.

    "This is from the bottom of our hearts, to do something to give back to
    the Lord," said Papazian, 70, of Redford Township. "I would do anything
    for our church."

    Papazian, about 30 older members and a handful of younger church members
    meet every Tuesday and Thursday to make food for the festival. The women
    have been cooking and baking since July, preparing baked goods,
    meatballs, meat pies and other traditional Armenian food and freezing
    them for the festival.

    From 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, St. Sarkis
    will serve about 2,000 dinners and sell hundreds of take-home bags.

    The festival will also have a gift shop, a children's craft room and
    live traditional Armenian music.

    Papazian's eyes fill with tears and she chokes up as she describes the
    joy she feels teaching the young women how to knead choreg, pronounced
    CHORE-egg -- a sweet, tender yeast roll served as a breakfast pastry or
    snack with olives and cheese.

    Seena Karapetian, 22, of West Bloomfield, whose grandfather was one of
    St. Sarkis' founding members, is proud to be learning about her
    heritage. The senior, who is studying elementary education at Wayne
    State University, has joined the elders periodically since summer. She
    said the women give her and her friends the gift of Armenian identity
    with every kufta -- seasoned beef and bulgar-stuffed meatballs -- they
    teach her how to create.

    "We always joke we should dip their hands in gold," Karapetian said. "We
    want to keep going the traditions of our church and our culture any way
    we can."

    The festival draws many non-Armenian guests by using the international
    language of food, said the Rev. Daron Stepanian, pastor of St. Sarkis
    since 2000. He said the outreach creates an appreciation of Armenian
    food in the same way everyone enjoys Italian pizza and the traditional
    fare of China.

    "To show the Armenian ethnic dishes are something to present to others:
    It's a pride," he said.

    The food sale is also the single biggest annual fund-raiser for the
    church. By the time the last piece of lahmajoon, commonly referred to as
    Armenian pizza, is gone Sunday, the church will have netted between
    $40,000 and $50,000.

    This year, the church also made an investment in the future, Stepanian
    said.

    "In this day, little by little, as the elders are going away, it gets
    harder for everyone to do the baking," Stepanian said. "They're trying
    to bake what their mothers, their grandmothers have been baking. Now
    that bridge we are trying to build."

    IF YOU GO . . .

    *What: *St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church's 42nd annual fall festival.

    *When: * Festival hours are 3-10 p.m. Saturday and 12:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday.

    *Where: *St. Sarkis is at 19300 Ford Road, between Southfield and
    Evergreen, in Dearborn.

    *For more information: *Call the church at 313-336-6828.

    *Copyright © 2004 Detroit Free Press Inc.*
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