The film “The Promise,” produced by Survival Pictures and financed by the late Kirk Kerkorian, will be premiering in theater locations across North America on Friday, April 21. The film is set with the backdrop of the Armenian Genocide. It is the first time a wide release film will feature the story of the Armenian genocide in nearly 1,500 theaters in the United States and Canada. The opening weekend’s box office sales are critical in securing a long theatrical run for the film. We encourage everyone to mobilize their friends, family and community members to see the film in theaters on April 21, 22 and  23, because the distributors will decide on the scope of further investments, publicity, advertising, etc., based on the actual turnout of these first three days.  

“The Promise,” is directed by Academy Award winner Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), and features Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale.  

Please spread the word about the premiere weekend: April 21, 22, and 23.

NEAR EAST FOUNDATION FILM PREMIERE

“They Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief,” will have its official premiere on Saturday, April 8 at The Times Center, 242 41st Street, New York City. Produced by NEF Board Member Shant Mardirossian and award-winning producer, writer, and director George Billard, the film details the historic events that led to the Armenian Genocide and the consequent rescue that provided assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced men, women, and children. The documentary makes extensive use of never before seen footage of orphans who were in Near East Relief’s care. There will be an afternoon and evening showing, both followed by a panel discussion with notable documentary contributors. For more information and see the trailer, visit www.theyshallnotperish.com.   There will be two screenings at The Times Center:

• Matinee (2 pm ): $20 per person. Group rate of $15 per person available for ten or more.
• Evening/Reception (5 pm): $50 per person, includes cocktail reception catered by Great Performances. A panel discussion and Q&A with the filmmakers and historians Taner Akcam, Peter Balakian, and Susan Harper will follow both screenings.

MEMORIAL SERVICE ON APRIL 2

Archbishop Oshagan has asked Prelacy parishes to offer a requiem service on Sunday, April 2  in memory of the brave soldiers who lost their lives defending Artsakh’s freedom during and after the four-day war on April 2 to 6, 2016. Special plate offering will be collected to benefit the families of the fallen heroes.

PRELATE IN NEW JERSEY

Last Sunday, March 19, Archbishop Oshagan presided over the Divine Liturgy, the Arevakal Service, and Lenten luncheon at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. A Lenten luncheon, prepared and hosted by the Ladies Guild, was enjoyed by parishioners following the church services

BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN WILL BE IN NEW JERSEY SUNDAY

Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar General of the Prelacy, will preside over the Divine Liturgy and Arevakal Service at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey this Sunday, March 26. His Grace will also preside over a Requiem Service for Hasmig Hovnanian, founding member of the Prelacy Ladies Guild, long-time supporter of the Prelacy, and a founder of the Hovnanian School.

VICAR IN PHILADELPHIA

Bishop Anoushavan was at St. Gregory Church in Philadelphia last Friday evening, where he offered a presentation of the “My Prayer Book,” prepared by the late Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian, and  published by the Prelacy last year. His Grace presided over the Friday evening Lenten vespers service. The Lenten service was followed by a Lenten dinner prepared and donated by Homenetmen of Philadelphia. Bishop Anoushavan’s presentation followed dinner. At the end of the lecture Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian, pastor of St. Gregory, presented each attendee a copy of the prayer book.  

The 139-page pocket-size prayer book (Armenian and English) is available for purchase at the Prelacy bookstore. Contact the Bookstore by email (books@armenianprelacy.org) or telephone (212-689-7810).

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, March 26, Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, Sunday of the Judge, are: Isaiah 65:8-25; Philippians 3:1-4:9; Luke 17:20-18:14

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to the disciple, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man.  

They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot; they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them—it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then they asked them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”  (Luke 17:20-18:14)

For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here.

SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE

We are now more than halfway through Great Lent (yesterday was Michink, the median day of Lent). This Sunday, March 26, is the Sunday of the Judge (Datavori Kiraki). The Gospel reading for this day is the parable told by Jesus about a widow and a judge (see reading above). The judge in the parable is seen as hard-hearted and without principles, fear of God, or compassion for people. A widow in the same town has been ill-treated and she has come to the judge for justice. Although her cause is just, the judge does not pay attention to her case. However, she is persistent and she makes the same appeal again and again until at last the judge decides to see she receives justice. He does this not because he cares about justice, but because he wants to be rid of the widow. The message of this parable is that we must persist in our pursuit of righteousness and justice with the confidence that perseverance (especially in prayer) will be rewarded.

FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTIA

This Saturday, March 25, the Armenian Church remembers the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia. Although the backgrounds and identities of the forty young soldiers are not known, it is believed they came from Lesser Armenia and served in the Roman army. According to St. Basil of Caesarea, forty Christian soldiers refused to worship the Roman emperor while stationed in Sebastia in Armenia in 320. They remained faithful to their Christian faith. The soldiers were tried and condemned to death by stoning. Miraculously, when the sentence was being carried out, the stones would not reach the condemned soldiers, but would instead bounce back striking those throwing the stones. The soldiers were then thrown into a frozen lake and forced to stay there unless they renounced their faith. Warm baths were prepared for anyone who would recant. Of the forty, only one gave up.  When he did, another soldier, moved by the example of the suffering Christians, declared himself a Christian and took the apostate’s place. All forty died.  

Some of our great Church Fathers like Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Ephraim the Assyrian, and Sisian of Sebastia, wrote panegyrics about the forty martyrs, who are remembered each year during Lent on the Saturday following the median day of Lent. The Armenians have built and named churches in memory of the Forty Martyrs in various parts of the world.

On many occasions we have expressed our personal appreciation of the Armenian Church’s Sunrise (Arevakal) service that is offered during Lent. Traditionally the service takes place on Wednesday and Friday mornings during Lent; however, we now celebrate it on Sundays immediately after the closed-altar Divine Liturgy.

Two years ago the Prelacy issued a CD of the hymns of the Sunrise Service. These hymns are spiritually uplifting and rich in musical expression. Included on the CD are the hymns Harevelits, Juknavork, Looys Ararich Looso, and Janabarh, with their variations. The CD comes with a 12-page booklet that includes the words of the hymns in Armenian, transliteration, and translation. Well-known choral director, Haroutioun Odabashian, who has served as choirmaster of Yerevan’s Sourp Sarkis Church, and principle choirmaster of Armenia’s Araratian Diocese, directs the featured choir.

The Arevakal CD is available at the Prelacy Bookstore for the special price of $10.00 plus shipping and handling. To place an order, contact the Bookstore by email (books@armenianprelacy.org) or by phone (212-689-7810).

LENTEN LECTURE SERIES

This week’s Lenten lecture was given by Dr. Vartan Matiossian, director of the Armenian National Education Committee, whose topic was “Cultural Renewal—Yesterday and Today.”  To view this week’s lecture click here.

The evening begins with church service from 7 pm to 7:25 pm, followed by the lecture and discussion, and table fellowship at 8 pm. The Lenten program is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the Prelacy Ladies Guild, and the Ladies Guild of St. Illuminator Cathedral. For information: Prelacy office 212-689-7810 or arec@armenianprelacy.org; Cathedral office 212-689-5880 or office@stilluminators.org.

The schedule for the remaining Lenten lectures is as follows:

March 29, The Legacy of the 1915 Martyrs as Source of Renewal, Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian, pastor of Holy Cross Church, Troy, New York and Outreach Clergy.

April 5, Armenian Church Traditions and Renewal, by Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, pastor of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts.

MUSICAL ARMENIA 2017

Since 1982 the Eastern Prelacy has presented the annual Musical Armenia concert bringing to the forefront many talented artists of Armenian descent. This year’s concert is expected to be one of the best in Musical Armenia history that is recognized for its outstanding quality of artists. The Prelacy is able to present this annual concert series as a contribution to the artistic achievements of the community thanks in large part to a group of dedicated patrons who offer their financial support each year in order to keep the price of tickets affordable. 

The concert will take place on Friday, March 31, 8 pm, at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York City. The cost of admission is only 25 dollars.Click here to Register for the event on Facebook! and Click here to Buy Tickets now

Featured in the 2017 Musical Armenia concert are two outstanding artists: cellist Hasmik Vardanyan and violinist Haik Kazazyan. Accompanying them are two accomplished musicians: Hayk Arsenyan and Karen Hakobyan.

Haik Kazazyan has performed as a soloist with many European and Russian orchestras, including the Orchestra of the Marlinsky Theatre, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Russian National Orchestra, and the Moscow Philharmonic. He has won prizes at many international events, including the Tchaikovsky International Competition in 2015. Since 2002, he has been a soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic Society.

For Information contact: Carnegie Hall 212-247-7800 or Prelacy office 212-689-7810.
 

During his more than three decades of tenure, Catholicos Sahag II endured and witnessed the Armenian Genocide and the final catastrophe that deprived the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia of its seat of Sis.

He was born Kapriel Khabayan in the village of Yeghek, in the plain of Kharpert, on March 25, 1849. In 1867, at the age of eighteen, he entered the seminary of the Armenian monastery of St. James and was ordained deacon in 1869. He was sent to Constantinople to further his studies, and returned in 1871, becoming a teacher at the seminary. Patriarch Yesayi ordained him celibate priest on July 3, 1877 with the name Sahag. He later became editor in chief of Sion, the monthly publication of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and head of the printing house. For a time, he was a member of the Board of Directors and chairman of the General Assembly of the congregation.

Very Rev. Sahag Khabayan was sent as legate to the Caucasus in 1881. He worked there as a preacher and collected money. On January 10, 1885, he was elected sacristan of Holy Etchmiadzin and on November 24, Makar I, Catholicos of All Armenians, consecrated him bishop.

The See of Cilicia remained vacant after the death of Catholicos Mgrdich I Kefsezian (1871-1894) in November 1894. The interregnum lasted eight years. Catholicos of All Armenians Mgrdich I (1892-1907), best known as Khrimian Hayrig, favored the candidacy of Bishop Sahag Khabayan. On October 12, 1902, 62 delegates from the fifteen dioceses under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate elected Catholicos Sahag II by unanimity. The ceremony of consecration was held on April 23, 1903, in the monastery of Sis. He would be the last Catholicos consecrated in Cilician lands.

The relations between Etchmiadzin and Sis grew closer during Sahag II’s years, who established the preferential mention of the name of the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Holy Mass with an encyclical. He worked actively to renovate and improve the monastery, which had fallen into disrepair and inactivity. He reopened the seminary of Sis in 1906.

Years of turmoil and destruction loomed ahead. He first witnessed the massacre of Adana in 1909, and, in the first months of the Armenian Genocide, he was exiled to Aleppo, where he witnessed and reported extensively on the misery of the deportees, and then to Jerusalem. Another exile followed in 1917, this time to Damascus. After the end of World War I, he returned to Cilicia, now put under French mandate, with the survivors in 1919.

A second set of catastrophes unleashed in 1920 with the attacks of the Kemalist forces and the passive stance of the French. After the massacre of Marash in February, Sis was evacuated in June, and Hadjin fell to another massacre after an eight-month heroic resistance in October. Catholicos Sahag went to Paris to defend the cause of Cilicia, but in vain. In 1921 the last Armenian remnants left Cilicia and the Catholicos was the leader of his flock. For the next eight years, the historical See of Cilicia would have a wandering life, from Aleppo to Damascus to Beirut to Cyprus. The pastoral letter written by Sahag II in Damascus on February 28, 1922, was highly eloquent in its opening statement: “Greetings to the Armenians of Cilicia, now emigrated and spread throughout the world, greetings to the suffering from the suffering Shepherd, from Catholicos Sahag II of the once Great and now Ruined House of Cilicia.” The document emphasized:

“Make your voice heard, dear children, where are you? I want to follow the trail of your crucifixion, if not to materially and morally help you, at least to share your grief and lighten your yoke and burden. I wish the yoke and burden belonged to Christ. The yoke put by the world and implacable men is asphyxiating, and their burden is heaviest and bitterest.

“(. . .) This lionhearted people, although famished, naked, and homeless in foreign lands, do not beg. They wait for any moral or material help from their families, who remained free of any calamity, terror, and suffering in free countries, although they cried over the unknown tombs of their dearest ones. You cried and gave abundantly to relieve, make live, and defend the overlooked rights of those left alive.”

In 1929 Sahag II appealed for help to the Near East Relief that managed an orphanage in Antelias, then a suburban area of Beirut. The charitable organization leased the property to the Catholicosate for the symbolic price of a dollar per year. Cilicia was reborn in Antelias. In 1930, due to the advanced age of the Catholicos, Archbishop Papken Guleserian, aged 62, was designated Coadjutor Catholicos as Papken I. He was supposed to succeed Sahag II, then aged 81, but this did not happen. Both Church leaders worked together to strengthen the Catholicosate until the premature death of Coadjutor Catholicos Papken I in 1936.

The Armenian community of Lebanon celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the enthronement of Sahag II on June 18, 1933. President Charles Debbas decorated the Catholicos with the order of the Republic of Lebanon in the first degree.

Sahag II closed a life of continuous service to the Church and his people on October 8, 1939, in Antelias, at the age of 90.

NEAR EAST FOUNDATION FILM PREMIERE

“They Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief,” will have its official premiere on Saturday, April 8 at The Times Center, 242 41st Street, New York City. Produced by NEF Board Member Shant Mardirossian and award-winning producer, writer, and director George Billard, the film details the historic events that led to the Armenian Genocide and the consequent rescue that provided assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced men, women, and children. The documentary makes extensive use of never before seen footage of orphans who were in Near East Relief’s care. There will be an afternoon and evening showing, both followed by a panel discussion with notable documentary contributors. For more information and see the trailer, visit www.theyshallnotperish.com. 

Բարի ախորժակ (paree akhorjag).  

This is the phrase that may appear on your table, be it on napkins or, perhaps, table covers.

By now, you probably know that it means “Bon appétit.”

The word akhorjag is always linked to eating. For instance, if a nice power walk made you hungry, then you can say «Ախորժակս բացուեցաւ» (Akhorjagus patsvetsav). The literal translation would be “My appetite was opened,” but we do not say that. (The perils of literal translation are always present.) We usually say “it gave me an appetite.”

You can use the word in a figurative way. For instance, if you have a friend with a powerful need to eat at all times, you can say that he or she has a “wolf’s appetite” (գայլի ախորժակ/kayli akhorjag). Or, for instance, if there is a president or an autocrat in any country with a huge appetite for power, then you can always say: «Ան իշխանութեան ախորժակ ունի» (An ishkhanootian akhorjag ooni).

Outside eating, you simply cannot use akhorjag, unlike English. You cannot render the figurative expression “to whet your appetite” as ձեր ախորժակը բանալ (tser akhorjage panal). The word does not fit in there. There is another word we use: տրամադրութիւն (dramatrootioon). For instance, if a romantic comedy whetted your appetite for this genre of movies, you can say: «Սիրային շարժանկար դիտելու տրամադրութիւնս բացուեցաւ» (Sirayeen sharjanugar tideloo dramatrootioonus patsvetsav “My appetite for watching love movies has opened”).

The word dramatrootioon literally means “mood.” Thus, you would say “I’m in the mood to go fishing,” namely, «Ձկնորսութեան երթալու տրամադրութիւն ունիմ» / Tsugnorsootian yertaloo dramatrootioon oonim. If you are not in the mood to study for your lesson, then the best choice is: «Այսօր տրամադրութիւն չունիմ դաս սորվելու» (Aysor dramatrootioon choonim tas sorveloo). “I am not in the mood to study.”

We hope that the latter does not happen very often…

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

This week’s Reflection is offered by Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York. Click the image below to watch now!

Prelacy Lenten Program at St. Illuminator Cathedral, New York City at 7 pm.
March 29, The Legacy of the 1915 Martyrs as Source of Renewal, Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian, pastor of Holy Cross Church, Troy, New York and Outreach Clergy.
April 5, Armenian Church Traditions and Renewal, by Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, pastor of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts.

March 25—Hrant Dink Contemporary Oratorio, St. Vartan Cathedral, 630 Second Avenue, New York City, at 6:30 pm. Dinner will follow in the Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium. Organized by the Constantinople Armenian Relief Society on the occasion of its 90th anniversary, and with participation of ten community organizations. Chorus and orchestra under the direction of Kris D. Kalfayan, Musical Director. Tickets: $40 for concert; $60 for dinner. For reservations /  information: 718-459-2757. 

March 26—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual Membership meeting.

March 31—Eastern Prelacy’s annual Musical Armenia concert at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, New York City at 8 pm. Featuring: Hasmik Vardanyan, cello; Karen Hakobyan, piano; Haik Kazazyan, violin; Hayk Arsenyan, piano. For tickets ($25) and information call Carnegie Hall Box Office (212-247-7800) or Prelacy Office (212-689-7810).

March 31-April 2—Armenian Relief Society Eastern USA is hosting an Art Exhibit at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, of works of Arthur Pinajian to benefit the ARS Education Fund. Opening ceremony and reception on Saturday, April 1, 7 to 10 pm. Additional viewing Friday March 31, 4 to 10 pm; Saturday April 1, Noon to 4 pm; Sunday April 2, 1 to 4 pm. Selling Exhibition. Free admission. For information: Sonia 917-679-6992.

April 8—Premiere of  documentary, “They Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief,” at The Times Center, New York City. Watch for more details.

April 9—Annual Palm Sunday Dinner, ARS Merrimack Valley "Arax" Chapter, St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church Jaffarian Hall, 158 Main St., North Andover, Massachusetts 01845; dinner & program; Guest speaker: Mr. Robert Megerdichian, presenting the Metal Artworks of Abraham Megerdichian; Adults $15, Children 12 & under $8; to reserve tickets contact Sharke' Der Apkarian (978) 808-0598.

April 23—Remembering the Armenian Genocide, Gathering at Times Square, 2 pm (43rd and Broadway, New York City). Sponsored by Knights and Daughters of Vartan; co-sponsored and with the participation of all major Armenian organizations. Free bus transportation to and from Times Square. For information: www.KOFV.ORG/MAIN/APRIL232017.

May 18-20—National Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy hosted by All Saints Church, Glenview, Illinois.

May 21—St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, 47th anniversary celebration and year-end hantes of church schools. Archbishop Oshagan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and preside over the dedication of the Tom M. Vartabedian Library and anniversary/hantes.

December 5-8—World General Assembly of the Great House of Cilicia, at the Catholicosate in Antelias, Lebanon.