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ARMENIAN PATRIARCH VISITS CHICAGO FAITHFUL
By Margaret Ramirez And Karoun Demirjian
Mcclatchy-Tribune
Pueblo Chieftain, CO
Nov 27 2007
CHICAGO - Robed in gold and black vestments with a jeweled cross on
his forehead, His Holiness Karekin II, patriarch of the worldwide
Armenian Apostolic Church, anointed the entrance of a modest, brick
church in Chicago on Wednesday and urged his people to remain on the
path toward faith.
Outside St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, old and new generations
of Armenians sang hymns of their native country nation as Karekin
climbed onto a step ladder and blessed the new, bronze doors. As the
crowd watched, he dipped his thumb in holy oil and traced a cross
above the entry. Inside the building, Karekin told more than 200
worshipers that the anointing of the doors was a symbolic gesture to
remind Armenians to continue living their Christian faith.
"My exhortation to you all . . . is to walk always in the ways that
are leading you to the church," Karekin said. "With God, we have
stayed together . . . Faith in God has helped us survive."
As Catholicos of all Armenians, Karekin is the spiritual leader of the
world's 7 million Armenian Orthodox Christians, including 1 million
in the United States and about 10,000 in the Chicago area.
This pontifical trip is Karekin's second visit to the U.S. and his
first to Chicago.
"I'm overwhelmed by this visit by His Holiness," said Raelene
Ohanesian, 33, who wept after the patriarch blessed her. "He represents
our heritage, our conversion to Christianity. We have such a long
history of struggle and it's our faith that has gotten us through."
Before the blessing at St. Gregory, Karekin met with Chicago's Roman
Catholic archbishop, Cardinal Francis George. On Wednesday night,
the Armenian patriarch also attended a public prayer service with
ecumenical leaders at a Greek Orthodox Church.
Karekin's trip has taken him to New York, Boston, and Washington,
D.C. to spread a message of "Bringing Faith Home." He has stressed
efforts to remember faith and culture, which are tightly intertwined
in the Armenian community, and bring back Armenians who have left
the church.
Karekin's visit comes on the heels of an explosive debate in Washington
regarding a painful piece of Armenian history. Earlier this month, a
congressional committee approved a nonbinding resolution that condemns
as genocide the killing of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey nearly
a century ago as genocide. The resolution, though largely symbolic,
unleashed an international furor that offended the Turkish government,
a key supporter of the American presence in Iraq. President George
W. Bush opposed the resolution, saying it could damage efforts to
end the war in Iraq.
At an interview in his hotel suite at the Four Seasons, Karekin said
the recognition of the killings as genocide is necessary to prevent
further atrocities. He expressed disappointment that the resolution
had faced opposition in Congress due to Turkey's logistical importance
in the war.
"The best way to prevent similar kinds of atrocities is through
recognition and condemnation," Karekin said. "Values such as these
should never be sacrificed for political interests."
"Our people are a Christian people. . . . In spite of all the crimes
committed against Armenia, our people have never been filled with
hate toward the Turkish people."
Though Karekin did not speak of the genocide resolution at
St. Gregory's Church, it was on the minds of many. Karekin offered
a special blessing to 100-year-old Helen Polaian, a survivor of
the genocide.
"It happened," said Diane Abezetian, "regardless of the resolution
or what anyone says. We know it happened."
Although the community is united politically, the religious identity
is strained by division within the Armenian church. The church became
divided administratively about 50 years ago as the former Soviet
Union curbed religious freedom. Some Armenian churches broke off
and switched allegiance to the Lebanon-based See of Cilicia. Others
remained loyal to the Armenia-based church.
Today, Armenia is an independent republic, but the split in the church
remains. One branch is headed by Karekin and based in the Armenian
city of Etchmiadzin. The other is led by His Holiness Aram I and
based in Lebanon. As supreme patriarch, Karekin is pre-eminent.
The division means that there are two Armenian archbishops in the
United States. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, who reports to Aram,
and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, who is under Karekin.
When asked if there was any hope for reconciliation, Karekin said
church leaders have formed committees to discuss healing the rift.
"You cannot have two bishops. I am hopeful we will one day have a
solution," he said.
http://www.chieftain.com/life/1196147087/5
By Margaret Ramirez And Karoun Demirjian
Mcclatchy-Tribune
Pueblo Chieftain, CO
Nov 27 2007
CHICAGO - Robed in gold and black vestments with a jeweled cross on
his forehead, His Holiness Karekin II, patriarch of the worldwide
Armenian Apostolic Church, anointed the entrance of a modest, brick
church in Chicago on Wednesday and urged his people to remain on the
path toward faith.
Outside St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, old and new generations
of Armenians sang hymns of their native country nation as Karekin
climbed onto a step ladder and blessed the new, bronze doors. As the
crowd watched, he dipped his thumb in holy oil and traced a cross
above the entry. Inside the building, Karekin told more than 200
worshipers that the anointing of the doors was a symbolic gesture to
remind Armenians to continue living their Christian faith.
"My exhortation to you all . . . is to walk always in the ways that
are leading you to the church," Karekin said. "With God, we have
stayed together . . . Faith in God has helped us survive."
As Catholicos of all Armenians, Karekin is the spiritual leader of the
world's 7 million Armenian Orthodox Christians, including 1 million
in the United States and about 10,000 in the Chicago area.
This pontifical trip is Karekin's second visit to the U.S. and his
first to Chicago.
"I'm overwhelmed by this visit by His Holiness," said Raelene
Ohanesian, 33, who wept after the patriarch blessed her. "He represents
our heritage, our conversion to Christianity. We have such a long
history of struggle and it's our faith that has gotten us through."
Before the blessing at St. Gregory, Karekin met with Chicago's Roman
Catholic archbishop, Cardinal Francis George. On Wednesday night,
the Armenian patriarch also attended a public prayer service with
ecumenical leaders at a Greek Orthodox Church.
Karekin's trip has taken him to New York, Boston, and Washington,
D.C. to spread a message of "Bringing Faith Home." He has stressed
efforts to remember faith and culture, which are tightly intertwined
in the Armenian community, and bring back Armenians who have left
the church.
Karekin's visit comes on the heels of an explosive debate in Washington
regarding a painful piece of Armenian history. Earlier this month, a
congressional committee approved a nonbinding resolution that condemns
as genocide the killing of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey nearly
a century ago as genocide. The resolution, though largely symbolic,
unleashed an international furor that offended the Turkish government,
a key supporter of the American presence in Iraq. President George
W. Bush opposed the resolution, saying it could damage efforts to
end the war in Iraq.
At an interview in his hotel suite at the Four Seasons, Karekin said
the recognition of the killings as genocide is necessary to prevent
further atrocities. He expressed disappointment that the resolution
had faced opposition in Congress due to Turkey's logistical importance
in the war.
"The best way to prevent similar kinds of atrocities is through
recognition and condemnation," Karekin said. "Values such as these
should never be sacrificed for political interests."
"Our people are a Christian people. . . . In spite of all the crimes
committed against Armenia, our people have never been filled with
hate toward the Turkish people."
Though Karekin did not speak of the genocide resolution at
St. Gregory's Church, it was on the minds of many. Karekin offered
a special blessing to 100-year-old Helen Polaian, a survivor of
the genocide.
"It happened," said Diane Abezetian, "regardless of the resolution
or what anyone says. We know it happened."
Although the community is united politically, the religious identity
is strained by division within the Armenian church. The church became
divided administratively about 50 years ago as the former Soviet
Union curbed religious freedom. Some Armenian churches broke off
and switched allegiance to the Lebanon-based See of Cilicia. Others
remained loyal to the Armenia-based church.
Today, Armenia is an independent republic, but the split in the church
remains. One branch is headed by Karekin and based in the Armenian
city of Etchmiadzin. The other is led by His Holiness Aram I and
based in Lebanon. As supreme patriarch, Karekin is pre-eminent.
The division means that there are two Armenian archbishops in the
United States. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, who reports to Aram,
and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, who is under Karekin.
When asked if there was any hope for reconciliation, Karekin said
church leaders have formed committees to discuss healing the rift.
"You cannot have two bishops. I am hopeful we will one day have a
solution," he said.
http://www.chieftain.com/life/1196147087/5