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CELEBRATING THE FEAST OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

On Sunday, June 6, Armenian Churches worldwide will celebrate the Feast of the Catholic Church of Holy Etchmiadzin (canonically known as Don Sourp Etchmiadzini Gatoghiguh Yegeghetzin).

The cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was built in A.D. 303, after St. Gregory the Illuminator had a vision in which Christ struck the ground with a golden hammer and instructed Gregory to erect a church on the site.

The feast day commemorates the founding of the Universal Church (the idea that there was one church, founded by Jesus Christ and spread by the Apostles) and St. Gregory’s vision. It follows the Feast of St. Gregory the Enlightener (his deliverance from the pit), which will be observed on Saturday, June 5. Click here to read more.

PRIMATE TO CONSECRATE NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP IN ORLANDO

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), will consecrate the newly-built St. Haroutiun Church of Orlando, FL, this weekend. Assisting the Primate will be the Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral and coordinator of the consecration services; the Rev. Fr. Hovnan Demerjian, pastor of St. Hagop Church of St. Petersburg, FL; the Rev. Fr. Vartan Joulfayan, pastor of St. Mary Church of Hollywood, FL; and the Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin, pastor of St. Mary Church of Livingston, NJ. The choir members, altar servers, and parishioners of the local Armenian churches also will participate.

Hratch Toufayan of St. Mary Church of Livingston, NJ, will serve as the main godfather of the new house of worship. Harry and Suzanne Toufayan are longtime supporters of the Eastern Diocese and the global Armenian Church. Harry Toufayan was named “Armenian Church Member of the Year” at the 2010 Diocesan Assembly in Chicago, IL. Also present will be Ambassador Tatoul Markarian, ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States.

The Turnpatzek (or door-opening) Service will be held on Saturday, June 5, at 6 p.m. It will be followed by a reception. The consecration service will be held on Sunday, June 6, beginning at 10 a.m. A banquet will follow at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel located at the Walt Disney Resort complex.

Maestro Khoren Mekanejian, coordinator of Music Ministry at the Diocese, will hold a rehearsal for choir members, organists, and deacons on Saturday, June 5. He has been working to prepare the local choir for this weekend’s services.

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Scripture of the Week

Prv 9:1-6
Zec 3:7-4:9
Heb 9:1-10
Jn 10:22-30

 

Prayer of the Week

Seer of all, I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. Erase the record of my transgressions, and write my name in the book of life. Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me. Request a Prayer >

Upcoming Saints and Feasts

6/5 St. Gregory the Enlightener (deliverance from the pit)

6/6 Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin

SUPREME SPIRITUAL COUNCIL MEETS AT HOLY ETCHMIADZIN, DISCUSSES UPCOMING PONTIFICAL VISIT TO GEORGIA

The Supreme Spiritual Council met at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on Tuesday, June 1. His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided.

Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, General Secretary of Inter-Church Relations at Holy Etchmiadzin, presented a report on the preliminary work outlining the official visit of His Holiness Karekin II to Georgia, which is scheduled for October. The visit was scheduled at the invitation of His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Georgia.

BROTHERHOOD OF THE MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN GATHERS FOR THREE-DAY MEETING

On Tuesday, June 2, some 95 members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – including clergy from the Eastern Diocese – gathered for a three-day meeting to discuss pastoral issues, share updates from various dioceses of the Armenian Church, review challenges facing the Armenian Church, and to learn more about programs currently underway at the various departments of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

In the coming days, participants will also go on pilgrimages and attend the celebrations of the Feast of St. Gregory the Enlightener and the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin. The meetings are held at Holy Etchmiadzin; the last gathering of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin occurred in 2006.

Young people attending the ACYOA General Assembly in the Boston area last week had the opportunity to hone their leadership skills and to learn about ways they can become more actively involved in organizations at their local parishes.

Meetings were held on May 27 and 28 at St. James Church of Watertown, MA. The General Assembly was followed by Sports Weekend activities on May 29-31, hosted by the St. James Church ACYOA chapter in downtown Boston. The weekend coincided with the annual Hye M’rtsoom event, which the St. James Church hosts for ACYOA Juniors every year.

More than 100 delegates and observers from 29 parishes, including members of the clergy, took part in the ACYOA General Assembly – setting an attendance record for the past decade.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, presided over the General Assembly and outlined ways young people can take up leadership roles in their parishes. The keynote address was delivered by Randy Sapah-Gulian, chair of the board of directors of the Fund for Armenian Relief, who gave participants an overview of the organization’s programs and invited young people to consider how they might play a role in Armenia’s growth. Click here to read more.

ARSHILE GORKY RETROSPECTIVE TRAVELS TO MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN LOS ANGELES

“Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective” will be on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, CA, from June 6 to September 20. The exhibition, which first opened in Philadelphia last fall and later traveled to the Tate Modern in London, includes several pieces from the Eastern Diocese’s collection of Arshile Gorky’s work.

Sandra Shahinian Leitner, a member of the Diocesan Council, and Karekin Arzoomanian, who has provided legal guidance to the Diocese on the Gorky collection, will attend the exhibition’s opening events in Los Angeles this weekend. Sandra Shahinian Leitner will represent Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, at the events, which include an opening reception and dinner on Friday, June 4, and a special preview on Saturday, June, 5. Click here to learn more about the exhibition.

FAR HELPS ARMENIA’S CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT INTERNET SAFETY

Last month, the Fund for Armenian Relief’s Children Support Foundation Center (CSFC) completed its Safe Mobile Connection program, which raises awareness about the dangers of the Internet and cell-phone use, and encourages positive Internet behaviors. Some 4,000 children have been taught to use caution on the Internet thanks to the new initiative.

The program, which was launched at the end of 2009, concluded on May 24 with a ceremony at the Marriott-Armenia in Yerevan. Click here to read more.

The annual Oriental Orthodox Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy will take place this year on Saturday, June 12, at 10 a.m., at St. Mark’s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in Teaneck, NJ. This year’s liturgy will be celebrated according to the traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, has issued a directive asking clergy and parish leadership in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to announce this spiritually uplifting event in local parishes, and urging clergy and parishioners to attend and participate in the annual concelebration.

REGISTRATION UNDERWAY FOR ST. NERSESS SUMMER CONFERENCES

Registration is underway for the St. Nersess Summer Conference program. The St. Nersess Summer Conferences offer Armenian youth an opportunity to learn about their Armenian faith, culture, and history in a unique environment. Each conference will offer daily worship, Bible study, Armenian language instruction, and lectures and discussions led by clergy and lay leaders.

In addition, the program features athletic competitions, excursions, and social activities. This well-rounded religious, cultural, and social experience creates the perfect opportunity for young people to make lasting friendships and to continue the tradition that has made St. Nersess Seminary's Summer Conferences so successful for nearly 50 years. Click here to learn more and to register.

FAR’S YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TRIP TO ARMENIA IN JULY

The Fund for Armenian Relief’s Young Professionals Trip to Armenia will take place from July 7 to July 21, 2010.

Participants will visit Holy Etchmiadzin, where they will be received by His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. They will also visit the Noravank monastery, the Dzidzernagapert Genocide Memorial and the Armenian Genocide Museum in Yerevan, Nagorno-Karabagh, and other sites.

The trip features meetings with religious and government leaders, including the Minister of Diaspora Hranoush Hakobyan, and opportunities to learn more about Armenia’s music scene and its rich contemporary culture. Click here to learn more.