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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
December 31, 2013
___________________
Ancient Relic Arrives at St. James Church
On Saturday, December 14, St. James Church of Evanston, IL, celebrated its
name day with a special service of veneration before the relic of its patron
saint. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), celebrated the Divine Liturgy and presided over
the day's events.
Following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the Primate consecrated
three new icons in the church sanctuary. The icons depict St. James the
Bishop of Nisibis, St. Gregory the Illuminator, and St. Stephen the
Protodeacon. A requiem service was held for the deceased founders and
pastors of the church, and for Archbishop Karekin Hovsepian and Archbishop
Tiran Nersoyan, two primates of the Eastern Diocese who were involved in the
church's construction.
The services concluded with the veneration of the relic of St. James the
Bishop of Nisibis. The centuries-old relic-comprised of bone fragments of
St. James and encased in a beautiful, metal reliquary, shaped in the form of
a human hand with fingers poised in benediction-had travelled more than
5,000 miles from the St. Kevork Armenian Church in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
It was brought to Evanston by the Very Rev. Fr. Apgar Hovakimyan, Locum
Tenens of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Bulgaria. The relic found a
new home in Bulgaria in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, when
it was sent to Plovdiv for safekeeping.
"Relics serve a very special purpose in the spiritual life of the Armenian
Church," said the Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, pastor of St James Church.
"They are not just old remnants of the past-their presence with us is a
tangible inspiration for believers today to remember the real-life struggles
and great faith that sustained Christians over the centuries."
Archbishop Barsamian blessed the congregation with the relic, and
parishioners came up one by one to bow down and touch the sacred object.
"We are blessed to have his holy relic among us today," Archbishop Barsamian
said. "James, or Hagop, was a nephew of St. Gregory the Illuminator, and the
bishop of Nisibis on the border of Syria, who attended the great Council of
Nicaea in 325 A.D. As such, St. James was one of the holy figures
responsible for the Havadamk-the Nicene Creed we recite every Sunday. His
desire to live the Gospel of Christ led him on an incredible quest, to climb
Mt. Ararat in order to find a relic of Noah's Ark."
"We don't have to climb mountains in order to live the Gospel," the Primate
continued. "But the direction in which God leads us can be just as
unexpected. What He asks us to do, most of all, is to draw near to Him. To
fill our lives with His love. To allow Him to smile upon us-as our infant
Lord Jesus smiled upon those who drew near him, as he lay in a manger on
that first Christmas day."
Also taking part in the day's services were the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian,
pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, Ill.; Rev. Fr.
Paren Galstyan, pastor of St. George Church of Waukegan, Ill. and Holy
Resurrection Church of South Milwaukee, Wis.; and Bishop Avel of the
Chicago-Detroit Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
"It was a momentous day for our community," said Fr. Khoja-Eynatyan. "To be
in the presence of our patron saint helped us to reflect on the mission of
our church and to consider ways we might continue to carry forward that
mission in the twenty-first century."
A luncheon was held in the church hall. The program included a musical
presentation and a video featuring greetings from former St. James
parishioners who have relocated to other parts of the country.
On Friday, December 13, Archbishop Barsamian and Jennifer Morris, director
of the Diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, met with
Midwest-area clergy at St. James Church. They spoke about Diocesan summer
camps, pilgrimages, and other programs.
That evening Archbishop Barsamian and former Diocesan Council chair Oscar
Tatosian met with parish council members of local Armenian churches and
representatives of the AGBU and the Knights and Daughters of Vartan to
discuss possible avenues of collaboration on future projects.
On Sunday, December 15, the Very Rev. Fr. Apgar Hovakimyan, Locum Tenens of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Bulgaria, celebrated the Divine
Liturgy at St. James Church.
###
Photos attached.
Photo 1: Archbishop Barsamian holds up the relic of St. James the Bishop of
Nisibis.
Photo 2: Archbishop Barsamian consecrates an icon depicting Armenia's
conversion to Christianity.
Photo 3: The Very Rev. Fr. Apgar Hovakimyan carries the relic of St. James
the Bishop of Nisibis.
Photo 4: The relic of St. James the Bishop of Nisibis is comprised of bone
fragments of St. James and encased in a beautiful, metal reliquary.
From: Baghdasarian
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
December 31, 2013
___________________
Ancient Relic Arrives at St. James Church
On Saturday, December 14, St. James Church of Evanston, IL, celebrated its
name day with a special service of veneration before the relic of its patron
saint. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), celebrated the Divine Liturgy and presided over
the day's events.
Following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the Primate consecrated
three new icons in the church sanctuary. The icons depict St. James the
Bishop of Nisibis, St. Gregory the Illuminator, and St. Stephen the
Protodeacon. A requiem service was held for the deceased founders and
pastors of the church, and for Archbishop Karekin Hovsepian and Archbishop
Tiran Nersoyan, two primates of the Eastern Diocese who were involved in the
church's construction.
The services concluded with the veneration of the relic of St. James the
Bishop of Nisibis. The centuries-old relic-comprised of bone fragments of
St. James and encased in a beautiful, metal reliquary, shaped in the form of
a human hand with fingers poised in benediction-had travelled more than
5,000 miles from the St. Kevork Armenian Church in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
It was brought to Evanston by the Very Rev. Fr. Apgar Hovakimyan, Locum
Tenens of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Bulgaria. The relic found a
new home in Bulgaria in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, when
it was sent to Plovdiv for safekeeping.
"Relics serve a very special purpose in the spiritual life of the Armenian
Church," said the Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, pastor of St James Church.
"They are not just old remnants of the past-their presence with us is a
tangible inspiration for believers today to remember the real-life struggles
and great faith that sustained Christians over the centuries."
Archbishop Barsamian blessed the congregation with the relic, and
parishioners came up one by one to bow down and touch the sacred object.
"We are blessed to have his holy relic among us today," Archbishop Barsamian
said. "James, or Hagop, was a nephew of St. Gregory the Illuminator, and the
bishop of Nisibis on the border of Syria, who attended the great Council of
Nicaea in 325 A.D. As such, St. James was one of the holy figures
responsible for the Havadamk-the Nicene Creed we recite every Sunday. His
desire to live the Gospel of Christ led him on an incredible quest, to climb
Mt. Ararat in order to find a relic of Noah's Ark."
"We don't have to climb mountains in order to live the Gospel," the Primate
continued. "But the direction in which God leads us can be just as
unexpected. What He asks us to do, most of all, is to draw near to Him. To
fill our lives with His love. To allow Him to smile upon us-as our infant
Lord Jesus smiled upon those who drew near him, as he lay in a manger on
that first Christmas day."
Also taking part in the day's services were the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian,
pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, Ill.; Rev. Fr.
Paren Galstyan, pastor of St. George Church of Waukegan, Ill. and Holy
Resurrection Church of South Milwaukee, Wis.; and Bishop Avel of the
Chicago-Detroit Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
"It was a momentous day for our community," said Fr. Khoja-Eynatyan. "To be
in the presence of our patron saint helped us to reflect on the mission of
our church and to consider ways we might continue to carry forward that
mission in the twenty-first century."
A luncheon was held in the church hall. The program included a musical
presentation and a video featuring greetings from former St. James
parishioners who have relocated to other parts of the country.
On Friday, December 13, Archbishop Barsamian and Jennifer Morris, director
of the Diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, met with
Midwest-area clergy at St. James Church. They spoke about Diocesan summer
camps, pilgrimages, and other programs.
That evening Archbishop Barsamian and former Diocesan Council chair Oscar
Tatosian met with parish council members of local Armenian churches and
representatives of the AGBU and the Knights and Daughters of Vartan to
discuss possible avenues of collaboration on future projects.
On Sunday, December 15, the Very Rev. Fr. Apgar Hovakimyan, Locum Tenens of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Bulgaria, celebrated the Divine
Liturgy at St. James Church.
###
Photos attached.
Photo 1: Archbishop Barsamian holds up the relic of St. James the Bishop of
Nisibis.
Photo 2: Archbishop Barsamian consecrates an icon depicting Armenia's
conversion to Christianity.
Photo 3: The Very Rev. Fr. Apgar Hovakimyan carries the relic of St. James
the Bishop of Nisibis.
Photo 4: The relic of St. James the Bishop of Nisibis is comprised of bone
fragments of St. James and encased in a beautiful, metal reliquary.
From: Baghdasarian