October 13. 2016

PLEASE HELP HAITI Once again a natural disaster has hit Haiti—a poor nation that has suffered many calamities. More than one thousand people died in the recent hurricane (Matthew) that devastated many towns and villages in Haiti and displaced thousands of others. The people need immediate help. Archbishop Oshagan has directed all Prelacy parishes to offer a special plate collection this Sunday, October 16, during the Divine Liturgy. Parishes should immediately send the collected donations to the Prelacy. The total amount will be donated on behalf of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America for immediate emergency aid to those most in need. You may also send your donation directly to the Prelacy, 138 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016. Checks should be payable to Armenian Apostolic Church of America; indicate “Haiti” in the memo area. Please be as generous as possible.

IN MEMORIAM GORDON V. DERIAN February 15, 1924—October 9, 2016 Archbishop Oshagan and the Executive Council mourn the passing of Gordon V. Derian, a long time member and supporter of the Armenian Church who passed away on Sunday, October 9. Mr. Derian was a member of St. Gregory Armenian Church in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, where he was a member of the choir and served as a member of the Board of Trustees. He served on the Prelacy’s Executive Council from 1964 to 1967. He was a decorated member of the US Air Force, serving during World War II as a glider pilot. Funeral services will take place tomorrow, October 14, at St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, 135 Goodwin Street, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. Burial will be private. Mr. Derian is survived by his wife, Nancy, four daughters, Karen, Claudia, Leslie, and Nancy; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.  Asdvatz hokeen lousavoreh.  May God illuminate his soul.

20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PONTIFICATE OF CATHOLICOS IS CELEBRATED IN THE NEW YORK METRO AREA

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, arrived in the New York Metropolitan area on Saturday, October 8, and within the short span of his visit captured the hearts and minds of the faithful Armenian American community. The Catholicos visited the Western Prelacy and Canadian Prelacy before journeying to New York for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of his enthronement by the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America. His Holiness celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, October 9, at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey in the presence of hundreds of parishioners in attendance and hundreds more throughout the world, who were able to view the entire service live through the Internet. Nearly all clergy serving in the Eastern Prelacy were in attendance as were a number of dignitaries, leaders, and benefactors. Serving on the altar were His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy; Archbishop Papken Tcharian, Prelate of Canada; V. Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishian, pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Worcester; and V. Rev. Fr. Ghevont Pentezian, pastor of All Saints Church, Glenview, Illinois. A combined choir from metro area parishes, under the direction of Kevork Hadjian, sang the moving liturgical music with warmth and beauty. The Catholicos delivered a passionate sermon based on the Gospel reading of the day—the offering of the poor widow. His Holiness emphasized the difference between greed and need and referred to the poor widow in the Gospel of Mark, who offered two small copper coins. His Holiness echoed the voice of the Lord saying that the poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury, because they contributed out of their abundance, but she did out of her poverty and gave all she had to live on.   Watch the Sermon of His Holiness by clicking below!

Under the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, a full day of activity was organized by the steering committee to celebrate the Catholicos’ 20th anniversary in an appropriate and dignified manner. Immediately after the Liturgy, guests made their way to the Marriott in Teaneck, New Jersey, where an informal reception took place, followed by a celebratory program, and a banquet. The program that was expertly guided by the Master of Ceremonies, Shant Mardirossian, Chairman Emeritus of the Near East Foundation, was deeply appreciated by the attentive audience. Jack Mardoian, chairman of the Prelacy’s Executive Council, welcomed the dignitaries and guests and congratulated His Holiness on two decades of distinguished service. Ms. Tamar Kanarian, a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Stephen’s Church in Watertown, offered a meaningful voice of the youth as she explained the impact Aram Vehapar’s pontificate has had on her and her peers. Basing her comments on a verse from the Book of Proverbs, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it,” she recalled that her grandfather, Archpriest Fr. Torkom Hagopian, first nurtured her passion and interest in the Church. Speaking about His Holiness she said, “His presence is immense, his words motivating, his work an example for all of us.” Speaking fluently in both English and Armenian, Tamar received a warm reception and appreciation from the audience. The main speaker of the afternoon was His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General of the Eastern Prelacy. His Grace spoke about the many accomplishments of His Holiness during the last twenty years. He spoke about the wisdom and selfless service that His Holiness has given the Church and community, and said, “today we are here to express our gratitude for a life well lived, by word and deed.” Bishop Anoushavan described His Holiness as a man of perseverance and principle. He praised the advancements made by His Holiness, especially with the growth of the Seminary and the many new facilities built in Bikfaya, the summer residence of the Catholicosate where the Cilician Seminary is located. An orphans’ museum was dedicated last year at the residence of Maria Jacobson, the Danish missionary, who saved countless orphans of the genocide and cared for them in the Birds’ Nest orphanage in Jbeil, Lebanon.  Archbishop Oshagan then took the podium to introduce His Holiness as a leader that has excelled in every way and who has always showed by example that service is the mission of the church. The Prelate said, “The 20 years of His Holiness’ Pontificate were filled with sacrifice and service to our people, and he was a role model whose example we could follow.”  The Prelate described the Catholicos as a “brave and wise shepherd leading our Church and people to success.” The audience listened intently as His Holiness speaking in both English and Armenian captivated everyone with his wisdom in a concise and eloquent message. His Holiness emphasized that the church is not necessarily a fancy building; it is the people that comprise a Church. He asked everyone to remain faithful to the teachings of our Church Fathers and participate in the life of the church and community. Watch the Speech of His Holiness by clicking below!

Solange Merdinian, in her beautiful mezzo-soprano voice, sang the American and Armenian national anthems. Tenor Kevork Hadjian, who conducted the combined choir during the morning’s Liturgy, offered rousing renditions of three appropriate selections, Haryav Christos, Hishestsook i Kisheri, and Haiastan. The singing of Giligia brought the program portion to a close. The banquet began with everyone reciting the Lord’s Prayer in unison, followed by Vehapar’s table blessing. After dinner the MC brought the festivities to an end by thanking everyone for sharing this special tribute and invited His Holiness to offer the benediction.

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MORE DETAILED ARTICLE AND PHOTOS WILL BE UP ON THE PRELACY’S WEB PAGE EARLY NEXT WEEK.

CATHOLICOS MEETS WITH NJ CONGRESSMAN During his visit to the New York/New Jersey metro area, His Holiness Aram I met with Congressman Scott Garrett (5th CD-NJ) prior to the Pontifical Divine Liturgy at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. For nearly half hour they met and discussed various issues relevant to the Middle East and the crisis in Syria. Congressman Garrett has been a strong supporter of the Armenian community and issues important to Armenian Americans.

Congressman Garrett and His Holiness discuss concerns of mutual concern.

SIAMANTO SERIES AVAILABLE ONLINE The Siamanto Academy started successfully in September, and will have its next meeting on Saturday, October 15. Students interested may still enroll by contacting the ANEC office to request an application: anec@armenianprelacy.org. ANEC has just launched the “Siamanto Series,” which are strategically produced videos covering the topics presented during the Academy sessions. Although the presentations are in Armenian (as the classes of Siamanto are), the Power Point slides have been prepared in English.  Click Here or the Picture below to watch Lecture 1 of the Siamanto Series

VICAR ATTENDS RADIO ANNIVERSARY Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar of the Eastern Prelacy, attended the 35th anniversary celebration of the Armenian Independent Radio Hour of Boston, on Sunday, October 2. The radio program, established by the late Jirayr Gharibian, is being continued by his widow, Mrs. Yevkin Gharibian.

Bishop Anoushavan and Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian at the anniversary celebration.

BIBLE READINGS Bible readings for Sunday, October 16, Sixth Sunday of the Exaltation are, Isaiah 20:2-21:6; Galatians 4:3-18; Luke 4:14-23. Then Jesus filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” (Luke 4:14-23) **** So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted. Friends, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong. You know that it was because of a physical infirmity that I first announced the gospel to you; though my condition put you to the test, you did not scorn or despise me, but welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What has become of the goodwill you felt? For I testify that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of them. It is good to be made much of for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you. (Galatians 4:3-18) For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings visit our website. Click here to visit now!

READING THE BIBLE WITH THE ARMENIAN CHURCH On Sunday, October 16, the Armenian Apostolic Church will start reading from the Gospel of St. Luke until the end of the year, reading continuously short passages on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These readings come to us from the Armenian Church lectionary (Jashots), a book containing the prescribed Bible readings for each day.    In addition to the Gospel of St. Luke, during this period we will also read more or less continuously—on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays—the Letters of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and a portion of the Letter to the Hebrews. You will see all this laid out in the daily Bible readings of the Armenian Church, posted on our website (www.armenianprelacy.org).   There are so many different Bible reading plans out there to choose from. Here is ours, one that is in sync with the Armenian Church calendar, during this period reading three times a week (with some minor variations), each time a short passage that takes just a few minutes, is a good and doable way to enter into the habit of reading the Bible on a regular basis.   “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

THE HOLY EVANGELISTS This Saturday, October 15, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors of the four Gospels. The word Evangelist comes from the Greek Euaggelistes which means “one who brings good news.”  Evangelists are given the special ability by the Holy Spirit to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly and effectively. In the early days of the church evangelism was the work of the apostles. By the third century, the authors of the four canonical Gospels became known as the Holy Evangelists, and as the church grew “evangelist” began to denote a specific office that could include “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers” (see Ephesians 4:11-12). All four died martyrs.   Matthew is the patron of the Church’s mission. The Gospel attributed to him closes with Jesus’ command to His disciples and followers to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Mark had significant influence on the advancement of Christianity. Although the Gospel according to Mark is a narrative of the life of Jesus, theologians consider it to be a handbook of discipleship. The dominant message is that being a Christian is not only believing in Jesus Christ, it is also living according to the example set by Jesus. According to tradition, Mark was the first bishop of Alexandria. One of the most magnificent cathedrals in the world is named after him in Venice, where his relics are kept. Luke is the author of the third Gospel and the Book of Acts. He is considered to be the patron of physicians and artists. The Gospel according to Luke describes Jesus as “the healer of a broken world.” Luke is also noted for his concern for the poor, the marginalized, women, and social outcasts. His Gospel does not end with the Resurrection, but continues to Pentecost and the eternal presence of Christ in the world. Traditionally he is believed to be one of the Seventy and the unnamed disciple in Emmaus. John, often called the “beloved disciple,” is the author of the fourth Gospel. He was the only one of the twelve disciples who did not forsake Christ and stood at the foot of the Cross. Jesus entrusted his mother to John’s care on the day of the Crucifixion. The best known verse in his Gospel is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” According to tradition, John left Jerusalem after attending the first ecumenical council and went to Asia Minor and settled in Ephesus. He was exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation, although more recently scholars have concluded that John the Apostle and John of Patmos were two different people.

ANNIVERSARY IN GRANITE CITY

The Ladies Guild of St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois, recently marked their 63rd anniversary with a celebration and “an act of service,”—winter blankets made by the members of the Ladies Guild that will be shipped to Armenia.

Ladies Guild members with the winter blankets they made that will be shipped to Armenia.

The Anniversary Cake

THIS WEEK IN ARMENIAN HISTORY Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

The Treaty of Kars (October 13, 1921)

As a result of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the regions of Kars, Ardahan, Artvin, and Batum, at the time in the Ottoman Empire, went to Russia.  The next conflict between Russia and the Ottoman Empire was during World War I. The Caucasian expedition of Enver Pasha in late 1914-1915 was soundly defeated in the battle of Sarikamish. Enver covered his defeat by accusing the Armenians of treason. As a result, the Armenian soldiers in the Ottoman Empire were disarmed and killed en masse, and the subsequent massacres and deportation of Armenians would soon turn into genocide. The Russian forces occupied an important section of Western Armenia (Van, Erzerum, Bitlis and Mush, Trebizond, and Erzinga) in 1915-1916. After the October Revolution, the Russian forces abandoned the front. The Armenian battalions formed in a hurry were insufficient to stop the Ottoman advance and the territories of Western Armenia were lost between February and April 1918. The Treaty of Brest Litovsk (March 3, 1918) between Soviet Russia and the Ottoman Empire recognized the transfer of Kars, Ardahan, and Batum to the latter. After the armistice of Mudros (October 30, 1918), the Republic of Armenia established its sovereignty over most of the region of Kars, and the Treaty of Sevres recognized the region of Kars and most of Western Armenia as part of Armenia (August 1920). However, as a result of the Armeno-Turkish war of September-November 1920, the region of Kars and Alexandropol (nowadays Gumri) was occupied by the Turkish forces, which threatened once again the existence of Armenia. The invasion of the XI Red Army on November 29 forced the government of the Republic of Armenia to transfer the authority to the Communists on December 2, which turned the country into a Soviet republic.  Meanwhile, the representatives of the Republic signed the Treaty of Alexandropol with the Turks on the night of December 2 to 3. This treaty recognized the occupation of the region of Kars by Turkey. However, its legal validity was dubious, because it had been signed on behalf of a government that was already out of office. The next step was the signature of the Treaty of Moscow between Kemalist Turkey and Soviet Russia on March 16, 1921. Turkey received the region of Kars, and the southern portion of the region of Batum. Probably as a compensation for the north of the region of Batum, the Bolsheviks transferred the Armenian province of Surmalu to the Turks.  At the time, the February rebellion had expelled the Communist government from Armenia, while Georgia was still an independent republic. After Armenia and Georgia were finally occupied by the Red Army, the signature of the Treaty of Kars was meant to confirm the terms of the Treaty of Moscow by the representatives of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. The treaty was signed on October 13, 1921, and ratified in Yerevan on September 11, 1922. Signatories included four Turkish representatives, Russian ambassador Yakov Ganetsky, and two representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Minister of Foreign Affairs Askanaz Mravian and Minister of Interior Poghos Makintsian signed it on behalf of Armenia. The treaty confirmed the division of the region of Batum, with the north ceded by Turkey to Georgia and the south, with the city of Artvin, annexed by Turkey, which was also guaranteed free transit through the port of Batum. It also created a new boundary between Turkey and Armenia, defined by the Akhurian and Arax rivers. Turkey annexed most of the region of Kars, including Surmalu, with Mount Ararat and the cities of Igdir and Koghb, the cities of Kars, Ardahan, and Olti, and the ruins of Ani. The region of Nakhichevan became an autonomous territory under the protection of Azerbaijan, which was turned into the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Nakhichevan in 1924, as an exclave subordinate to Soviet Azerbaijan and sharing a fifteen kilometer boundary with Turkey.  The Soviet Union attempted to annul the Treaty of Kars and regain the lost territories of Kars, Ardahan, and Artvin after World War II on behalf of Armenia and Georgia. However, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill objected to those territorial claims, and in 1947 the Soviet Union gave up its claims from Turkey. The validity of the Treaty of Kars has been questioned on the basis that the sides that signed it did not have authority. The Turkish Grand National Assembly, which was represented by the Turkish signatories, had no authority to sign international treaties, which still rested with the legal ruler of the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan, as established by its Constitution. The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed in 1923. On the other hand, the Soviet republics were under strict control of Moscow and the Soviet Union was established in December 1922. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Treaty of Kars was accepted by Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. However, the government of Armenia has made no such ratification. Previous entries in “This Week in Armenian History” are on the Prelacy’s web site (www.armenianprelacy.org).

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET: SYRIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER The crisis in Syria requires our financial assistance. Please keep this community in your prayers, your hearts, and your pocketbooks. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT. THE NEED IS REAL. THE NEED IS GREAT. DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON LINE. TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE AND SELECT SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU. OR IF YOU PREFER YOU MAY MAIL YOUR DONATION TO: Armenian Prelacy 138 E. 39th Street New York, NY 10016 Checks payable to: Armenian Apostolic Church of America (Memo: Syrian Armenian Relief) Thank you for your help.

THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE CORNER Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

You Drink the Same Wine in English and in Armenian After Noah’s Ark rested “upon the mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4) and the covenant was established between God and Noah, we are told, “Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent” (Genesis 9:20-21). Since the Bible says nothing about Noah moving out of the territory around the mountains of Ararat, we may assume that he planted the vineyard and produced the first Armenian wine there. Thus, wine is at least as old as Noah. If such is the case, then the Armenian word for wine, kini (գինի) is equally old. Moreover, we have to add that Armenian kini and English wine are cousins. The word wine has comparable words in many Germanic languages. Thus, its origin has been traced back to a common Proto-Germanic root, which at its turn acquired it from Latin vinum (“wine”). The latter, the same as Greek oinos, was derived from a Proto-Indo-European (PIE) word, *woin-o. Now, it is a matter of debate whether this root comes from another PIE root, *wei (“rotate, twirl”), or was derived from a Mediterranean unknown language. Semitic languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, and Ethiopic also have words very similar to PIE *woin-o, which perhaps was also their ultimate source. What about the Armenian word? Let’s start with the following tweak: kini is, of course, the Western Armenian pronunciation of գինի, while the actual pronunciation in the fifth century A.D. and before was gini.  Linguists have found out that the PIE sound ¬*w  yielded g (գ) in Armenian. For instance, PIE *wel (“to see”) gave the Armenian word geł / Western Armenian kegh (գեղ “beauty”), which is no longer used alone in Modern Armenian. Instead, we have keghetsgootioon (գեղեցկութիւն “beauty”) and keghetseeg (գեղեցիկ “beautiful”), among many other words with kegh. In the same way, PIE *woin-o became Armenian gini. You should not be surprised: the Latin word vinum entered the Welsh language and became… gwin.  Remember: when it comes to languages and their relationship, 2 + 2 is not always 4. Previous entries in “This Week in Armenian History” are on the Prelacy’s web site  ( www.armenianprelacy.org ).

HOVNANIAN SCHOOL WILL CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY The Hovnanian School in New Milford, New Jersey, will mark its 40th Anniversary with a Gala on Saturday, October 22 at the Rockleigh Country Club in Rockleigh, New Jersey. The evening will honor the original founding members and acknowledge the five-years of dedicated service by the Board’s current chairman, Dr. Gregory Simonian. The guest of honor is Mr. Aso Tavitian, a native of Sofia, Bulgaria. The former CEO of Syncsort and founder of the Tavitian Foundation has a lifelong history of philanthropy in education and fine and performing arts. To learn more about this exciting event click here.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SIAMANTO ACADEMY —Meets every second Saturday of the month at the Hovnanian School, 817 River Road, New Milford, New Jersey. For information: anec@armenianprelacy.org or 212-689-7810. NEW TERM BEGINS SEPTEMBER 10. October 14 —Concert by classical pianist Karine Poghosyan, sponsored by St. Hagop Church Cultural Committee, 7 pm, at the Siena Center, 5635 Erie Street, Racine, Wisconsin, in an All-Khatchaturian concert. Freewill donation will be accepted. Public is invited. For information: Shirley Saryan at SASaryan@aol.com or 414-282-1919. October 15 —St. Gregory Church, 135 Goodwin Street, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, 11 am to 6 pm. Delicious homemade Armenian food and pastries; shish kebab and chicken kebab dinners; also available lahmajun and vegetarian plate. Raffles. Take-out available. Free admission and free parking. For information: 413-543-4763. October 15—Annual Golf Outing, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Granite City, Illinois. October 22—Celebration of 40th anniversary of the Hovnanian School at Rockleigh Country Club, 26 Paris Avenue, Rockleigh, New Jersey. Entertainment by Elie Berberian and Ensemble, featuring Steve Vosbikian and Raffi Massoyan. Honoree: Mr.  Aso O. Tavitian. October 22—Armenian Friends of America presents Hye Kef 5, a 5-hour dance, 7 pm to midnight with buffet; Andover Windham, 123 Old River Road, featuring musicians Onnik and Ara Dinkjian, Johnny Berberian, Mal Barsamian, Jason Naroian and Paul Mooradian, with proceeds benefiting area Armenian churches. Advance tickets before September 1, $55, call either John Arzigian (603) 560-3826; Sharke Der Apkarian, (978) 808-0598; Lucy Sirmaian, (978) 683-9121, or Peter Gulezian, (978) 375-1616. October 23 —Opening reception of joint photograph exhibit titled, “East Meets West,” compiled by Tom Vartabedian and Sona (Dulgarian) Gevorkian, featuring eclectic pictures of Armenia and Artsakh, 2-5 pm, at Armenian Museum of America (AMA), 65 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts, co-sponsored by Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives. Exhibit will be displayed through November. October 29—Church fair hosted by St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, 158 Main Street, North Andover, Massachusetts, 11 am to 7 pm. White elephant table, Armenian gifts, country store, take out and dine in meals and pastries, soujouk orders for holidays, and Wheel of Fortune. October 30—Ladies Guild of St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois, Chili Cook-off and Trunk or Treat, open to all the community children. November 2—Avak luncheon, noon, sponsored by St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, 158 Min Street, North Andover, Massachusetts. Speaker, 3-time Boston Globe Pulitzer Prize winning writer Stephen Kurkjian, discussing his book, “Master Thieves,” about the Steward Gardner Museum art heist. November 4 & 5—St. Stephen's Church (Watertown, MA) 60th Annual Church Bazaar will take place Friday-Saturday, November 4-5 at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (47 Nichols Ave, Watertown). Come by with family and friends for delicious chicken, beef, and losh kebab, kufteh and kheyma dinners, mouth watering pastries, and specialty gourmet items.  We'll showcase our hand made arts and crafts, the treasure-finding White Elephant table, and ever popular silent and live auction items. This is an annual event not to miss. Come reconnect with parishioners, friends and support the future of our Church. Visit our website for information on menus, pastry and gourmet items, gift shoppe, and live and silent auction items! www.soorpstepanos.org November 4, 5, 6 —Annual Bazaar and Food Festival of Sts. Vartanantz Church, 461 Bergen Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday; children’s activities; vendors; homemade Manti, Kufte, Sou Buereg, Choreg, and more. Traditional Khavourma dinner on Sunday. Extensive Messe and dessert menu for your Thanksgiving table available for take-out. November 12 and 13 —Armenian Fest 2016, Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church, Providence, Rhode Island, presents Armenian Food Festival at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, Broad Street, Cranston, Rhode Island. Chicken, losh, and shish kebab and kufta dinners. Armenian delicacies, dancing to live music, arts and crafts, flea market, gift baskets, children’s corner, country store, jewelry, hourly raffles. Armenian Dance Group will perform on Saturday and Sunday at 5 pm. Armenian food and pastry available all day. Saturday, noon to 9 pm; Sunday, noon to 8 pm. For information: www.armenianfestri.com or church office, (401) 831-6399. November 19—Annual Armenian Dance at St. Gregory Church Community Center, Granite City, Illinois, organized by AYF “Antranig” Chapter.

The Armenian Prelacy  Tel: 212-689-7810 ♦ Fax: 212-689-7168 ♦ Email: email@armenianprelacy.org