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Eastern Prelacy Crossroads E-Newsletter - 02/14/2007

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  • Eastern Prelacy Crossroads E-Newsletter - 02/14/2007

    PRESS RELEASE
    Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
    138 East 39th Street
    New York, NY 10016
    Tel: 212-689-7810
    Fax: 212-689-7168
    e-mail: [email protected]
    Website: http://www.armenianprelacy.org
    Contact: Iris Papazian

    February 14, 2007

    EARLY CROSSROADS
    Because of the Vartanantz holiday tomorrow, Crossroads is being sent to
    you one day early.

    TOMORROW IS VARTANANTZ
    Vartanantz-the war waged between pagan Persia and Christian Armenia in
    451-is commemorated on the Thursday preceding Great Lent. The king of Persia
    ordered all Christians under his rule to abandon Christianity and embrace
    Mazdeism. The Armenian clergy and ruling princes refused to abandon their
    faith. Vartan Mamigonian was the leader of the Armenians in the battle of
    Avarayr, and although tremendously outnumbered, the Armenians put up a
    valiant defense against the Persians. Vartan and many of his soldiers were
    killed, but with this battle the Persians realized the full extent of the
    commitment of the Armenians to their Christian faith. In what today would be
    called a "guerilla war," the struggle continued for more than thirty years
    and in 484 Vahan Mamigonian, nephew of Vartan, successfully negotiated the
    Treaty of Nvarsag-the first document in history (pre-dating the Magna Charta
    by 731 years) granting the Armenians religious freedom and home rule.

    PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO RHODE ISLAND
    Archbishop Oshagan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday,
    February18, at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Providence, Rhode Island. His
    Eminence will ordain altar servers Robert Nazarian (ooarageer) and Sarkis
    Menissian (acolyte). Immediately after the Divine Liturgy the Prelate will
    preside over the Sts. Vartanantz Day banquet in Aramian Auditorium.

    VICAR WILL GO TO ATLANTA
    Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar General of the Prelacy, will travel to Atlanta,
    Georgia, where on Sunday he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the
    outreach community of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Greater Atlanta.

    40th DAY REQUIEM SERVICE FOR HRANT DINK
    Archbishop Oshagan has directed all parishes within the Eastern Prelacy
    to offer a requiem service on Sunday, March 4, on the occasion of the 40th
    day of the death of the Hrant Dink. The noted journalist was assassinated in
    Istanbul last month.
    In New York City, a united requiem service will take place at St. Vartan
    Cathedral, 34th Street and Second Avenue, with the participation of the
    Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); the Prelacy of the
    Armenian Apostolic Church of America; the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of
    America; and the Armenian Missionary Association. The requiem service will
    begin at 1:30 pm, following regular Sunday services in the individual
    churches.

    COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE
    This Saturday, February 17, the Armenian Church remembers the 150
    Fathers of the Council of Constantinople, the Second Ecumenical Council
    convened by Emperor Theodosius in 381. It basically confirmed the work of
    the First Council at Nicaea, and added five articles to the Nicene Creed
    regarding the Holy Spirit, the Church, Baptism, and Resurrection. The
    Council of Constantinople is one of the three ecumenical councils recognized
    by the Armenian Church.

    POUN PAREGENTAN
    This Sunday, February 18, is Poun Paregentan (Mardi Gras). Poun
    Paregentan is the last Sunday prior to the six-week period of Great Lent
    (Medz Bahk). It ushers the Faithful into the Lenten period of fasting,
    penance and reconciliation. During Lent the Church takes on a solemn
    appearance. The altar curtain is closed starting on the eve of Paregentan,
    symbolic of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Holy
    Communion is not offered during Lent and the Faithful are encouraged to use
    this period before Easter to strengthen their faith.

    GREAT LENT BEGINS ON MONDAY
    Great Lent (Medz Bahk or Karasnortk) begins on Monday, February 19.
    Great Lent is the longest of the fasts in the liturgical calendar. It begins
    on Monday following Poon Paregentan and continues for forty days until the
    Friday before the commemoration of the raising of Lazarus, which this year
    is March 31. A new period of fasting begins during Holy Week.

    PRELACY LENTEN SERIES BEGINS NEXT WEDNESDAY
    The first of the six Prelacy Lenten Lectures will take place next
    Wednesday, February 21. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program will feature six
    lectures on the seven vices and seven virtues. The first lecture on Pride
    and Humility will be delivered by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian,
    Vicar General of the Prelacy.
    The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the
    St. Illuminator's Ladies Guild, and the Armenian Religious Education Council
    (AREC). All of the programs will take place at St. Illuminator's Cathedral,
    221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general schedule:
    Lenten Service at 7:30 pm; Lecture at 8 pm, followed by questions and
    answers, a light Lenten meal, and Fellowship.

    AREC MINI COURSE CONCLUDES
    This past Monday, the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC)
    completed its 8-part Bible Study mini course on the Letter to the Hebrews.
    There were 12 participants from the New York-New Jersey area. Held here at
    the Armenian Prelacy on the first and third Mondays of the month from 7:15
    to 8:45 pm, the course was conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of
    AREC.
    The next course will be offered after Easter and it will focus on the
    notion of prayer-the Bible as the basis for Christian prayer, fixed and
    spontaneous prayers, personal and liturgical prayers, prayer and
    discipleship, the vocabulary of prayer, the Lord's Prayer as a paradigm for
    prayer. The course will be taught by Dn. Shant. Watch for details.


    MUSICAL ARMENIA
    The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place Sunday, March 25, at
    Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25.
    Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan and the Ararat Trio, comprised of
    Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian, violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello.
    The Musical Armenia concerts have been presented since 1982. Its goal is to
    showcase the talents of young Armenian artists. If you would like to become
    a sponsor of this year's Musical Armenia concert please contact the Prelacy
    at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail to [email protected].

    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.

    TRUSTEES OF PASHALIAN FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
    The Pashalian Family Education Fund, administered by the Eastern
    Prelacy, is dedicated to promoting and supporting the study of Armenian
    language, history, culture and religion. Each year, the Fund distributes its
    earned proceeds in the form of grants to Armenian schools and educational
    programs in the United States and Canada. The trustees of the Fund are now
    accepting requests for consideration of grants awarded for 2007. For
    information about the application procedure contact the Eastern Prelacy at
    [email protected] (attention: Iris Papazian).
    The Pashalian Fund was established in 1992 in memory of John Pashalian,
    who died in an accident in 1973.

    IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
    The famous French philologist, Antoine Meillet, an authority on Armenian
    linguistics, has written that the system of the Armenian alphabet is a
    masterpiece, each of the phonemes (basic sounds) of the language having its
    own letter. He also stated that the system is so well founded that it has
    provided the Armenian nation with an alphabet which has been maintained to
    this day without undergoing any alteration or needing any improvement.
    The Pontifical Message issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the
    Great House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian
    Language is now on the Prelacy's web page.

    40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF
    ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN
    The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop
    Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows:
    May 5-In the New England area in Providence, Rhode Island.
    May 12-In the Mid-Atlantic area in Teaneck, New Jersey.
    May 18-In the Mid-West in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National
    Representative Assembly.
    Watch for details.

    DAILY BIBLE READINGS
    Bible readings for today, February 14 (Presentation of the Lord to the
    Temple), are: Isaiah 24:21-25:8; Acts 7:47-50; Galatians 4:1-7; Luke
    2:41-52.
    Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the
    Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to
    custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus
    stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him
    to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among
    their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they
    returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the
    temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them
    questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his
    answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to
    him, Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been
    looking for you anxiously. And he said to them, How is it that you sought
    me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house? And they did not
    understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and
    came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these
    things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in
    favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52)

    PRESIDENTS' DAY
    This Monday, February 19, is Presidents' Day, a federal holiday in the
    United States, which originally intended to replace the February 22nd
    federal holiday known as
    Washington's birthday. In 1968, legislation was enacted that changed
    several federal holidays, including Washington's birthday. The holiday was
    shifted to the third Monday of February, providing a three-day weekend.
    Gradually, it became popularly known as "Presidents' Day" and celebrated the
    birthdays of Washington and Lincoln, and to a lesser degree all other
    presidents. Unfortunately, it is best known today as a day for sales at
    shopping malls.

    CALENDAR OF EVENTS

    February 12, 13, 14-Joint clergy gathering on the occasion of the
    Ghevontiantz commemoration. Clergy of the Eastern, Western and Canadian
    Prelacies will meet in California. Monday evening, Divine Liturgy and Sermon
    at Forty Martyrs Church in Orange County; Tuesday evening, celebration of
    the eve of Diarantaratch at St. Mary Church in Glendale. Major themes of
    clergy gathering are the zeal of clergymen toward their mission, and joint
    projects for Christian education texts and Sunday school curricula.

    February 17-Poon Paregentan, Eve of Great Lent, International Cuisine Night,
    St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York.

    February 21 to March 28-2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St.
    Illuminator's Cathedral, New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great
    Lent. Lenten service at 7:30 pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and
    fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme: Seven Vices and Seven Virtues.

    February 25-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois.

    March 4-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
    Massachusetts.

    March 4-Membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
    Massachusetts.

    March 4-Membership meeting, St. Illuminator Cathedral, New York City.

    March 4-Membership meeting, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.

    March 18-Membership meeting, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.

    March 25-Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm.
    Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge
    Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan,
    piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello).

    April 1-Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen's Church,
    Watertown, Massachusetts.

    April 14-Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert
    will be served, St. Stephen's Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For
    information, 617-924-7562.

    May 5-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the
    New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island.

    May 6-30th anniversary of St. Illuminator's Armenian Day School, Terrace on
    the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm.

    May 7-Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers' Day Luncheon, St. Regis Hotel, New York
    City.

    May 12-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid
    Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New
    Jersey.

    May 12-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert
    featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian.

    May 16-19-National Representative Assembly (NRA) hosted by St. Sarkis
    Church, Dearborn, Michigan. Clergy conference begins May 16; NRA begins May
    17.

    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.

    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.

    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 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.

    Visit our website at www.armenianprelacy.org
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