PRELATE WILL VISIT WHITINSVILLE

Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Whitinsville, Massachusetts, where on Sunday, October 30 he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at St. Asdvadzadzin Church. His Eminence will ordain sub-deacon Raffi Samkiranian to the rank of deacon during the service. Following the service His Eminence will preside over the parish’s 59th anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

VICAR WILL TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON

Bishop Anoushavan will preside over the Divine Liturgy at Soorp Khatch Church in Bethesda, Maryland, this Sunday, October 30. His Grace will deliver the sermon.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN IN MICHIGAN

St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan, celebrated its 54th anniversary last Sunday with the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, who celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon. Following the service, the anniversary celebration began with a wine tasting under the theme, “Let’s Toast Together,” along with a great variety of mezze selections. Tamar Changelian was the MC and Yervant Bedikian, chairman of the Board, welcomed everyone and offered a celebratory toast.

Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian, pastor, addressed the gathering stressing the importance of the community noting that “the harmony we have is the secret of the success of our church and community.” A musical performance by the  a cappella trio known as Zulal presented a beautiful collection of Armenian folk songs. The celebration came to an end with remarks offered by Archbishop Oshagan, who congratulated the St. Sarkis Church on its anniversary and prayed for the success and prosperity of the parish. His Eminence praised the singing style of the Zulal trio, who he said, “Take folk songs and present them in a modern way.”

Archbishop Oshagan with Rev. Fr. Hrant and deacons, acolytes, and choir members.

A scene from the wine tasting and mezze.

Zulal trio entertaining the gathering.

A scene from the program portion of the celebration.

BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN ORDAINS SIX ALTAR SERVERS IN TROY

Last Sunday Bishop Anoushavan ordained six new acolytes during his visit to the Holy Cross Church of Troy, New York. The following report was written by Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian, Visiting Pastor to the Holy Cross parish:

“It gave the community of Holy Cross Church great pleasure to witness the ordination of six of their sons and daughters, namely Rosila Eleyjian, Lilly Karageozian, Saro Karageozian, Garo Minasian, Avo Eleyjian, and Yervant Bardakjian. These dedicated boys and girls were ordained as acolytes on Sunday, October 23. His Grace Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar General of the Prelacy, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the ordination service that was followed by a luncheon in honor of the Vicar and the new acolytes. This event was of double importance for the Holy Cross community because they joyfully witnessed the children of this parish fulfill their dreams of joining the altar servers, and had the opportunity to witness the ancient faith of the Armenian Apostolic Church continue its two thousand year path into the future in the persons of six of our church servers and future community leaders. We also celebrated the 58th anniversary of the establishment of the Holy Cross Church of Troy, and we welcomed the Vicar General to our church. There is nothing more natural and necessary for children than to receive the love of their parents. So the community, as spiritual children, was overjoyed at the opportunity to receive the love and support of one of their spiritual fathers, and to reciprocate with love and support.”

A letter of blessing and congratulations by Archbishop Oshagan was read to the congregation. In his message the Prelate said, “Our forefathers transmitted their unshakeable faith to their children and grandchildren, who now enjoy their spiritual and intellectual legacy at Holy Cross Church, remaining faithful to our Lord and to the faith of our Holy Fathers and to the precious treasures of our national culture. On this joyful occasion I congratulate all of you and extend gratitude to your pastor, the Board of Trustees, all auxiliary organizations, and loyal and faithful parishioners. May the Almighty spread his protection over the Holy Cross community, endow its leaders with wisdom and grace, and always keep our house of faith bright and invincible.”

Bishop Anoushavan and Very Rev. Fr. Zareh with the six new altar servers after their ordination.

The community members gather around the clergymen.

A scene during the ordination service.

On Sunday, October 23, Archpriest Fr. Aram celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Soorp Khatch Church in Bethesda, Maryland. Der Aram and Yn. Margaret are seen here with Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of Soorp Khatch, together with deacons and choir members.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RETURNS FROM ARMENIA

Dr. Vazken Ghougassian, Executive Director of the Eastern Prelacy, returned from his two week annual visit to Armenia where he conferred with the staff of the Prelacy’s office, The Saint Nerses the Great Charitable Organization that was established in 1993 by the then Prelate, Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian of blessed memory. During his stay in Armenia Dr. Ghougassian had a series of meetings with the staff to evaluate the work of the past year and to anticipate the coming year’s activities. 

During his visit, the retirement of the Director of the St. Nerses the Great Organization, Mr. Sergei Harutunyan, was announced as was the promotion of the current Deputy Director to Director, Mr.  Tigran Galstyan. Both men have held their respective positions since 1993 when the Fund was established.  

On Friday, October 21, the staff, family, and friends gathered for a retirement dinner in honor of Mr. Harutunyan. On behalf of Archbishop Oshagan and the Executive Council, the Executive Director commended the dedicated service given by Mr. Harutunyan for the past 23 years, and presented him with a Certificate of Blessing and Appreciation and an engraved display cross on behalf of the Prelacy. At the same time, Mr. Galsyan was presented with the letter from the Prelate promoting him to the position of Director of the Saint Nerses the Great Charitable Organization. 

Hetum I was the founder of the Hetumian dynasty (1226-1342), the second in the history of the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia. He excelled as a seasoned diplomat who achieved crucial results both in internal and foreign policy.

Hetum was born in 1215, the son of Prince Constantine of Baberon, who had a leading position among the Armenian princes of Cilicia and became regent in 1219, shortly after the death of King Levon I, due to the minority of his daughter Zabel (1216-1252), who was three-years-old. In order to end the rivalry between Cilicia and the principality of Antioch (Syria), Constantine arranged for the marriage of Zabel to Philip, a son of Bohemond IV of Antioch, in 1222. However, Philip’s disdain for Armenian ritual and his favoritism for Latin noblemen alienated the Armenian nobility. After a revolt headed by Constantine in late 1224, Philip was imprisoned and deprived of the throne with the agreement of the council of Armenian princes. He died in prison.

Constantine moved forward and, despite the opposition of ten-year-old Zabel, he married her to his son Hetum, who was proclaimed king on June 14, 1226. In this way, the two most powerful families of Cilicia, the Rubinians (the royal dynasty) and the princes of Lambron, established an alliance.

Hetum I ascended to the throne in a difficult international conjuncture. He confronted Antioch on one hand, where he established a protectorate of sorts after the death of Bohemond IV. On the other hand, he had to face the power of the Sultanate of Rum, ruled by a Seljuq Turkish dynasty, but was able to come to terms with it. Over the years, Hetum I was able to overcome the internal dissensions and offer a united front to external pressure. At the same time, he centralized the monarchy and strengthened the army, while economic life and culture flourished.

In the 1240s a new and dangerous player appeared in the international scene, the Mongols. After occupying Persia and Armenia, the Mongols entered the Middle East and reached the borders of Cilicia by 1243. Instead of confrontation, Hetum chose to sign a treaty of peace and mutual cooperation with the Mongols. He first sent his brother, the Constable Smpad, in a diplomatic mission to Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire, in 1248. Afterwards, the king himself made the hard and long journey to Central Asia and visited Karakorum in 1254, signing a new treaty of alliance with emperor Mangu Khan. This treaty established, among other conditions, friendship between Christians and Mongols, who were still pagan at the time; tax exemption for the Armenian Church; the liberation of Jerusalem; the destruction of the caliphate of Baghdad; assistance to Cilicia by all Mongol commanders; devolution to Cilicia of Armenian territories occupied by the Muslims.

This diplomatic success, at a time when the Mongols were confronted by all forces from China to Eastern Europe, strengthened the position of Cilicia. Thanks to the Armeno-Mongol alliance, between 1256-1259 Hetum I was able to stop the attacks of the emirate of Aleppo and the invasions of the Sultanates of Rum and Egypt. He also liberated several cities, like Marash and Aintab, and annexed the southern portion of Cappadocia, as well as part of northern Syria to his kingdom.

The Sultanate of Egypt took advantage of the divisions among the Mongols and invaded Cilicia in 1266, taking Hetum’s son and heir apparent Levon as prisoner. The invasion devastated some parts of the country. In June 1268 Hetum signed peace with Egypt by the cession of several border fortresses and was able to free his son. A year later, he resigned and Levon II was crowned king. Hetum retired to the monastery of Akner, where he became a monk with the name of Magar, and passed away on October 28, 1270.

Previous entries in “This Week in Armenian History” are on the Prelacy’s web site (www.armenianprelacy.org).

PETER BALAKIAN AT COOPER UNION TONIGHT

Peter Balakian is one of thirteen Pulitzer Prize-winning poets who will share the stage tonight to read from their own prize-winning collections as well as select poems by past winners, at The Great Hall of The Cooper Union, New York City, as part of the Pulitzer Centennial Poetry Celebration. General admission: $15; Students/seniors: $10.