WE MOURN THE ATTACKS IN SRI LANKA
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We express our sorrow over the attacks against Christians in Sri Lanka during Easter services as worshippers gathered to celebrate Christianity’s most joyous day. The multi-city attacks killed more than 250 people and injured more than 500, according to the most recent reports. Let us pray for the souls of those who died and ask Almighty God to comfort the many families who lost loved ones. May the Resurrection’s message of love and hope resonate throughout the world.
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HOLY WEEK IN OUR PARISHES
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Our parishes were filled with parishioners for Holy Week and Easter services. Here are some photographs that have reached us this week.
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St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City:
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His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan celebrated the Easter Liturgy at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York. Seen here with Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor, and altar servers.
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Young parishioners gather around Archbishop Anoushavan in anticipation of the Easter Egg competition.
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St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan:
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Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian celebrated the Easter Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn.
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All Saints Armenian Church, Glenview, Illinois:
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Very Rev. Fr. Ghevont Pentezian delivers the Easter sermon at All Saints Church, Glenview.
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St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts:
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Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian distributes Communion to the congregation on Easter.
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Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland:
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Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian during Holy Week services at Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda.
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Sts Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island:
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Rev. Fr. Kapriel Nazarian during the Liturgy on Easter at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence.
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Saint Hagop Church, Racine, Wisconsin:
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Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian during Holy Week services at Saint Hagop Church, Racine.
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St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York
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Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan during the Easter Liturgy.
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Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey:
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Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian and altar servers on Easter during the procession after the Liturgy.
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St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts:
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Rev. Fr. Mikael Der Kosrofian celebrates the Easter Liturgy at St. Asdvadzadzin Church in Whitinsville.
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Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church, Troy, New York:
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Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian during the Washing of the Feet services at Holy Cross Church in Troy, New York.
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St. Gregory the Illuminator, Venezuela
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Rev. Fr. Vahrij Gharakhanian celebrated the Easter Liturgy at the Armenian Apostolic Church of Caracus, Venezuela.
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HOLY WEEK VISIT TO HOVNANIAN SCHOOL
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The Clergy with teachers and administrators and students of the upper grades in Hovnanian School in New Jersey.
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Last Wednesday morning, April 17, the Prelate Archbishop Anoushavan, accompanied by Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, and Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian visited the Hovnanian School in New Milford, New Jersey. Archbishop Anoushavan led the traditional Home Blessing ceremony, with the participation of the other clergymen.
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HOLY WEEK VISIT TO REHABILITATION CENTER
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Archbishop Anoushavan participates in the groundbreaking.
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The clergymen with the residents of the Emerson Home.
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On Wednesday afternoon, April 17, His Eminence visited the Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Emerson, New Jersey, where he blessed the soil and participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for new facilities that will be built in conjunction with the New York Armenian Home. He also conducted a home blessing for the residents of the home.
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Bible readings for
Sunday, April 28
,
New Sunday
, are: Luke 4:14-30; Acts 5:31-6:7; James 3:1-12; John 1:1-17; Evening Gospels: John 21: 15-25; Matthew 27:60-61; John 20:26-31.
God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them, “Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”
They were convinced by him, and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Phillip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
(Acts 5:31-6:7)
***
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’” From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
(John 1:10-17)
For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings
click here.
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A Note about the Readings:
Beginning Monday (April 29) and continuing until Pentecost (June 9) each day the four Gospels are read in the following order: 1) Morning—Luke; 2) Midday—John; 3) Evening—Matthew; 4) Evening dismissal—Mark. By Pentecost the four gospels are read up to the passion narratives.
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This Sunday, April 28, is New Sunday (
Nor Giragi
). Easter Sunday is followed by a period of fifty days (
Hinook
) from the Resurrection to Pentecost (
Hokekaloost
) dedicated to the glorification of the Resurrection. Each of the seven Sundays of
Hinook
has a special name. It is also called Second Easter (
Grgnazadig
), which literally means “Easter repeated,” because it is the eighth day of Easter and a day similar to Easter in readings and hymns.
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REGISTER NOW FOR DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM
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We are pleased to announce that plans are underway for the 33
rd
annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program, a unique Christian educational program for youth ages 13-18. Sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the weeklong program will be held at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, from June 30 to July 7, 2019. For information and registration, please click
here
.
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FRANCE DECLARES APRIL 24 GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION DAY
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French President Emmanual Macron signed an order declaring April 24 as a day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. Every year on this day a ceremony will take place in Paris paying tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims. At the time of the announcement President Macron said, “France is, first and foremost, the country that knows how to look history in the face, and was among the first to denounce the killing of the Armenian people in 1915 as genocide.”
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COMMEMORATION IN TIMES SQUARE
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The annual commemoration in Times Square of the Armenian Genocide will take place this Sunday, April 28, 2 pm at 43
rd
Street and Broadway, New York City. The event is sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan with co-sponsors Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian National Committee of America, ADL-Ramgavars, and Armenian National Council.
Participants include all Armenian churches and major organizations. Free bus transportation to and from Times Square is available in metro area: New York contact Bruce Ashbahian 718-279-2000; Brooklyn contact Tigran Sahakyan 212-245-4145; New Jersey contact Leo Manuelian 917-418-3940.
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EXHIBIT OF SHADOW TOLE ART AT PRELACY
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Arpi Nardone’s Shadow Tole Art, based on a 17
th
century art technique, will be on exhibit at the Prelacy’s Vahakn and Hasmig Hovnanian Hall in New York City. Seen above is Nardone’s Shadow Tole Art of the Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus by Vartkes Surenyants.
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The opening reception of an exhibit of the Shadow Tole Art of Arpi Nardone will take place on Friday, May 3, from 7 to 9 pm. Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, the event is hosted by the Hamazkayin Educational & Cultural Society of New York, and will take place at the Prelacy’s offices at 138 East 39
th
Street in New York City.
Arpi Nardone and her art have achieved international recognition, especially her creations of Anton Pieck paintings of Dickens’ England, which were exclusively distributed by Alfred Dunhill of London. Her works have been exhibited at Cartier International, as well as private galleries in New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Scottsdale, and Beverly Hills.
The exhibit will be open to the public on Thursday, May 2, from 6 to 9 pm; Friday, May 3 from 5 to 9 pm; and Saturday from 2 to 8 pm.
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STEM MONTH & SCIENCE FAIR AT ST. STEPHEN’S SCHOOL
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Grade 5 students presenting Energy in Motion projects.
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Grade 4 students presenting projects about Energy Transfer.
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At St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School in Watertown, Massachusetts, the STEM Month extended from March through April, as part of the school’s STEM Initiative
.
The students engaged in an array of activities designed to spark creative and innovative thinking across the grades.
The mission of this initiative is to increase the focus and emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) throughout the school.
The Stem Month included: Computer Programming K-5, Robotics, Engineering Design Challenges, Math Activities, Presentations by Audubon Society instructors and by Animal Ambassadors (animal science education company bringing awareness about exotic animals), and a field trip to the Harvard Natural History Museum.
The month ended with a Science Fair, which included the following K-5 presentations:
Gr. 5: Roller Coasters (Potential and Kinetic Energy; Gr. 4: Catapults (Energy Transfer); Gr. 3: Wind Mills (Energy and Motion); Gr. 2: Boats (Engineering Design); Gr. 1: Birds Beak (Life Science/Adaptation); K: Life Cycle of Chickens.
Parents, grandparents, and friends of the school enjoyed viewing and learning about students’ projects. They also had a special visit from Lisa Ann Gulesserian, Lecturer at Harvard University with her students enrolled in her Armenian Language and Culture class. The Harvard students had prepared a small booklet of fun science facts in Armenian that they distributed to the student body. They had the opportunity to interview the students while practicing their Armenian conversation skills.
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Birth of Leo (April 26, 1860)
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Leo was the pseudonym of an Armenian intellectual who produced an amazing output of historical and literary scholarship at the turn of the twentieth century.
Arakel Babakhanian was born on April 26, 1860, in the village of Karintak, near the town of Khankend (nowadays Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh). In 1878 he graduated from the diocesan school of Shushi. This was the extent of his formal studies, which he would complement with self-teaching. After graduation, he worked in Shushi and Baku as a scribe for notary work, telegrapher, and manager of the “Aror” printing house.
He was still a student when he started collaborating with the influential daily
Mshak
of Tiflis in 1877. His views were shaped by the ideological tenets maintained by Raffi, the novelist, and Grigor Artzruni, the founding editor of
Mshak.
Over the years, he would contribute to a number of publications from the Caucasus to Europe. Initially, he wrote commentary and prose (short story and novel). His most notable literary work was
The Daughter of the Melik
(1898). He even wrote a historical play,
Vartanank,
published in 1916.
In 1895 he moved to Tiflis, becoming secretary and contributing editor of
Mshak
until 1906
.
Afterwards, he gradually shifted to scholarship and produced hundreds of articles and dozens of books. First he entered the field of literary criticism, with essays about many contemporary writers, and condensed his views in his monograph
The Literary of Russian Armenians from the Beginnings to Our Days
(1904). On the other hand, he offered fresh interpretations of many historical issues. He produced a spat of book of history:
Armenian Printing
(2 vols., 1901-1902),
Catholicos Hovsep Arghoutian
(1902),
Grigor Artzruni
(3 vols., 1902-1905),
Saint Mesrop
(1904),
The Armenian Question
(1906). After a year of teaching at the Gevorgian Seminary of Holy Etchmiatzin (1906-1907), Leo returned to Tiflis and dedicated himself to scholarship. He produced new books:
The Feast of the Armenian Book
(1912),
The Kingdom of Van
(1915),
The Documents of the Armenian Question
(1915), and the posthumously published
Ani
(1946). His most ambitious work, which remained unfinished, was the three-volume
History of the Armenians,
of which he only saw the first volume published in 1916 (the other two volumes were posthumously published in 1946 and 1947). This work of almost 2,000 pages introduced Armenian history from prehistory until the end of the eighteenth century (excluding the 12
th
-15
th
centuries). While his views were both fresh and sometimes not exempt of controversy, Leo’s works were characterized by an encyclopedic use of Armenian and foreign sources, archaeological, epigraphic, linguistic, and philological materials, travelogues and memoirs, secondary sources, et cetera.
In 1924 Leo moved to Yerevan by invitation of the government of Soviet Armenia and became a lecturer of Armenian history at Yerevan State University until his death. His classes became the first university textbooks of Armenian history, toge
ther with those of professional historian Hakob Manandian. He was given the title of professor in 1925 and became a full member of the Institute of Science and Art of Soviet Armenia (renamed Institute of Sciences in 1930).
While in his pre-Soviet writings Leo gave primacy to the role of the individual and spiritual and geographical factors, in the 1920s he tried to accommodate himself to the new ruling ideology and reversed many of his positions. The genocide appeared to have crushed his views. His work
From the Past
(1925) offered a picture of the Armenian liberation movement that was completely at odds with his positive approach of his formative years. He repeated his negative evaluation in the two-volume
The Ideology of the Turkish Armenian Revolution
(1934). In his work
The Khoja Capital
(1934) he regarded the commercial capital as the moving force of Armenian modern history.
Leo passed away in Yerevan on November 14, 1932, and was buried in the Yerevan Pantheon. A street and a school in the Armenian capital have been named after him. Leo’s bust has been placed at the central building of Yerevan State University.
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Don’t Get Confused
There are words that look alike, but they are not the same. You cannot use them as synonyms, even though many people do that.
We have two close words in Armenian:
նախկին
(
nakhgeen
) and
նախորդ
(
nakhort
). Both are derived from the prolific root
նախ
(“pre-, before”), and both have different meanings.
One means “former” and the other, “previous” or “prior.” If you refer to President Levon Ter Petrossian in Armenia or President Jimmy Carter in the United States, they are former presidents, namely,
նախկին նախագահներ
(
nakhgeen nakhakhahner
). But if you refer to the same presidents as the immediate predecessors of Robert Kocharian in Armenia and Ronald Reagan in the United States, then they are previous presidents, that is,
նախորդ նախագահներ
(
nakhort nakhakahner
). In conclusion, they are both
nakhgeen
and
nakhort,
but from different viewpoints.
Of course, it would be obviously wrong to say, for instance, that President Levon Ter Petrosian is the
nakhort nakhakah
(“previous president”) with relation to current President Armen Sarkissian, since there were two presidents in the middle. He is only a
nakhgeen nakhakah
(“former president”).
If we go to the past to the future, we find a similar nuance in the case of the word
յաջորդ
(
hachort
). This is a word both used as a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it means “successor,” as in “Armen Sarkissian was Serzh Sargsyan’s successor (
hachort
) in the position of president.” As an adjective, it means “next” (
յաջորդ տարին/hachort dareen
“The next year”).
We have to make a distinction with the word
յառաջիկայ
(
harachiga
). This is a term used to designate something that will be forthcoming, as when you mark the future activities of an institution in a calendar as “upcoming events” (
յառաջիկայ ձեռնարկներ/harachiga tsernargner
).
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(
Calendar items may be edited to conform to space and style
)
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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.
April 27
—Connecticut commemoration of the 104
th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Connecticut Hall of the House at the State Capitol, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut, 11 am. Featured speaker Salpi Ghazarian, Director of the University of Southern California’s Institute of Armenian Studies.
April 28
—Armenian Genocide commemoration in Times Square, 43
rd
Street and Broadway, New York City, sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan. Free bus transportation to and from Times Square from New York and New Jersey. For details
www.kofv.org/main/april282019
.
April 28
—Armenian Martyrs Memorial Committee of Rhode Island will commemorate the 104
th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, starting at 12:45 pm at the Martyrs Monument in North Burial Grounds in Providence. The clergy and altar servers of the three Armenian churches will participate. Keynote speaker: Stephen Kurkjian, emeritus editor and reporter for Boston Globe. For information email to
joycey41@cox.net
.
April 28
—Jointly celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, 10:30 am at St. George Armenian Church, Hartford, Connecticut with the participation of the clergy and faithful of the parishes of St. George, Hartford, Connecticut; Holy Resurrection, New Britain, Connecticut; St. Mark, Springfield, Massachusetts, and St. Stephen’s, New Britain, Connecticut.
May 3
—Opening reception of exhibit of Arpi Nardone’s Shadow Tole Art, 7 to 9 pm, at the Armenian Prelacy, 138 East 39
th
Street, New York City, hosted by Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural Society of New York. The exhibit will be open to the public Thursday, May 2, 6 to 9pm; Friday, May 3, 5 to 9pm; Saturday, May 4, 2 to 8pm.
May 4—
“Prayer—Personal and Communal,” a seminar conducted by Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, director of the Prelacy’s Christian Education, at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church, 135 Goodwin Street, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, from 10:30 am to 2 pm (Lunch at noon). For information and registration contact the church by email at
stgregorymass@yahoo.com
or phone at 413-543-4763.
May 5
—60
th
anniversary of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, NJ. “60 Years from Generation to Generation,” honoring Garabedian, Mirakian, Najarian, and Sarajian families. Banquet in grand hall. Information: 201-943-2950. (
SOLD OUT).
May 5—
Mothers
Day luncheon honoring Sonia Bezdikian, by Armenian Relief Society, NY Mayr Chapter, at Manor, Douglaston, NY, at 3 pm. Information/reservations: Mina Hovsepian (917)741-2966.
May 11
—Mother’s Day Dinner Dance, 6:30 pm at the Crowne Plaza, Warwick, Rhode Island, honoring Mother of the Year Maro Dionisopoulos. Reservations and Information: arsaraxprov@gmail.com.
May 16-18
—National Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, hosted by St. Asdvatzadzin Church of Whitinsville, MA.
June 30-July 7
—33
rd
St. Gregory of Datev Summer Institute (ages 13-19) at St. Mary of Providence Center, Elverson, PA. Sponsored by Eastern Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). Information:
arec@armenianprelacy.org
or 212-689-7810.
October 9-12
—On the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Translators a joint clergy conference of the Eastern, Western, and Canadian Prelacies will convene in Montebello, CA.
October 12
—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, NJ continues celebration of 60
th
anniversary with Elie Berberian and his band. Information: 201-943-2950.
October 19
—Armenian Friends of America Annual Hye Kef 5 Dance, featuring The Vosbikians, at Double Tree by Hilton, Andover, MA. For information: Sharke’ Der Apkarian at 978-808-0598; John Arzigian at 603-560-3826.
November 17
—SAVE THE DATE for 150
th
anniversary of birth of Gomidas Vartabed, organized by the Eastern Prelacy. Details will follow.
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The Armenian Prelacy
Tel: 212-689-7810 ♦ Fax: 212-689-7168 ♦ Email: email@armenianprelacy.org
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