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SPIRITUAL JOURNEY COMES TO CHICAGO
By Margaret Ramirez and Karoun Demirjian | Tribune staff reporters
Chicago Tribune, IL
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ar menians_weboct25,1,698192.story
Oct 25 2007
Armenian patriarch urges a return to faith
Robed in gold and black vestments with a jeweled cross over his
forehead, His Holiness Karekin II, patriarch of the worldwide Armenian
Apostolic Church, anointed a Chicago Armenian church Wednesday and
urged his people to remain on the path toward faith.
Outside St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church on the Northwest
Side, old and new generations of Armenians sang hymns of their
nation as Karekin climbed onto a stepladder 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, Karekin told more than
200 worshipers 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 in Glenview.
Karekin's trip has taken him to New York, Boston, and Washington to
spread a message of "Bringing Faith Home." He has stressed efforts
to remember faith and culture and to 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. The resolution, though largely symbolic, unleashed
an international furor that offended the Turkish government, a key
supporter of the American presence in Iraq.
President 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,
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 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.
Those tensions were clear even in Chicago's small but vibrant Armenian
community. Armenian churches in Chicago that are not under Karekin
felt snubbed by the visit, saying they had not been invited to attend.
"We were hoping that the diocese church would officially invite us
to this important event, but what can we say?" said Archpriest Zareh
Sahakian of Armenian All Saints Apostolic Church in Glenview. "Since
we have not received any official invitation, how can we ask people
to attend from the altar? . . . Everyone is free to go. But I'm not
excited because I'm not invited."
But those tensions could not overshadow the joy felt Wednesday by
those in the presence of Karekin.
"It felt personal, like he was speaking directly to me," Nancy
Berberian said. "He says you have a choice in life and you should
always choose the walk of faith."
By Margaret Ramirez and Karoun Demirjian | Tribune staff reporters
Chicago Tribune, IL
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ar menians_weboct25,1,698192.story
Oct 25 2007
Armenian patriarch urges a return to faith
Robed in gold and black vestments with a jeweled cross over his
forehead, His Holiness Karekin II, patriarch of the worldwide Armenian
Apostolic Church, anointed a Chicago Armenian church Wednesday and
urged his people to remain on the path toward faith.
Outside St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church on the Northwest
Side, old and new generations of Armenians sang hymns of their
nation as Karekin climbed onto a stepladder 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, Karekin told more than
200 worshipers 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 in Glenview.
Karekin's trip has taken him to New York, Boston, and Washington to
spread a message of "Bringing Faith Home." He has stressed efforts
to remember faith and culture and to 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. The resolution, though largely symbolic, unleashed
an international furor that offended the Turkish government, a key
supporter of the American presence in Iraq.
President 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,
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 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.
Those tensions were clear even in Chicago's small but vibrant Armenian
community. Armenian churches in Chicago that are not under Karekin
felt snubbed by the visit, saying they had not been invited to attend.
"We were hoping that the diocese church would officially invite us
to this important event, but what can we say?" said Archpriest Zareh
Sahakian of Armenian All Saints Apostolic Church in Glenview. "Since
we have not received any official invitation, how can we ask people
to attend from the altar? . . . Everyone is free to go. But I'm not
excited because I'm not invited."
But those tensions could not overshadow the joy felt Wednesday by
those in the presence of Karekin.
"It felt personal, like he was speaking directly to me," Nancy
Berberian said. "He says you have a choice in life and you should
always choose the walk of faith."