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March 5, 2020
In Faith I Confess 24th Prayer

Read by Taleen Lakissian
St. Illuminator's Armenian Cathedral of New York, NY

THE PARISHES GO TO THE BALLOTS
Last Sunday, March 1, the Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, kicked in this month’s voting season, with Eastern Prelacy parishes holding General Membership Meetings and elections for the Board of Trustees, auxiliary committees and National Representative Assembly delegates.
 
Parishioners of St. Sarkis , of Dearborn, Michigan and Soorp Khatch , of Bethesda, Maryland, go the polls next Sunday, March 8 , followed by:
·          St. Illuminator’s Cathedral , in New York, on Sunday, March 15
·          Sts. Vartanantz , of Ridgefield, New Jersey, on Sunday, March 22
·          St. Sarkis , Douglaston, New York, on Sunday, March 29
·          St. Gregory the Illuminator , Granite City, Illinois, on Sunday, March 29
 
All parishes are expected to participate in the National Representative Assembly to be hosted by St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Philadelphia, on May 13-16.
 
The Armenian Church has a unique democratic structure that incorporates the laity into its various administrative structures, where they serve along with the clergy.
 
General membership meetings and elections were already held at the following parishes: St. Gregory (North Andover, Massachusetts); All Saints (Glenview, Illinois); St. Gregory the Illuminator (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Holy Trinity (Worcester, Massachusetts); St. Gregory (Indian Orchard, Massachusetts); Sts. Vartanantz (Providence, Rhode Island); Saint Hagop (Racine, Wisconsin); St. Stephen’s (Watertown, Massachusetts).
PRELATE RECEIVES PASTOR TERZIAN
On Monday, March 2, His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate, received a visit from Reverend Sebouh Terzian, the director of the Centers for Armenian Handicapped in Lebanon, the Armenian nursing home and care facility in the district of Bourj Hammoud. During the encounter, the two ecclesiastics discussed the current status of the institution and the situation of Lebanon in general.

A CELEBRATION OF ARMENIA AT THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL
From left to right: Jivan Gasparyan Jr., Djivan Gasparyan, Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian.
Last night Archbishop Anoushavan attended “Armenian Odyssey,” a multimedia spectacle by visual artist Kevork Mourad, cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, composer Vache Sharafyan and duduk virtuoso Jivan Gasparyan, at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Along with the Cathedral’s Ensemble-in-Residence, Post Classical Ensemble, the sold-out event was conducted by Spanish-American Ángel Gil-Ordóñez.

ARAM I SHARES THOUGHTS ON GREAT LENT
Catholicos Aram I has recently expressed his reflections and advice for the public as the Armenian Church marks the period of Great Lent. In an interview published on the website of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, His Holiness said, “Great Lent is an opportunity for the renewal of spiritual life.”
 
A spiritual life denotes spiritual values, hence “the individual, religion or nation whose life is devoid of values naturally becomes empty and faceless, with an aimless existence.”
 
Below are excerpts from the interview:

  • “The Bible is the source of our values and, as a Christian nation, the foundation of our system of values.” Those have been reflected in St. Gregory the Illuminator’s “spiritual revolution, Mashdots’ spiritual and intellectual renaissance, the conscious death of Sts. Vartanantz and the values and ideals they irradiate.”

  • “We cannot separate the spiritual from the other spheres of human life. The Son of God became man to cleanse the corrupted life of men and to restore the true man. Christ did not live away from men and society: on the contrary, in every stage of his mission, men with their circumstances and their worldly corruption became a permanent presence, for Christ to be able to introduce his heavenly values into them.”

  • “Being Christian means believing in Christ. Let us not forget the words of Christ: he who believes in me must follow me. Following Christ means belonging to the Church.”

  • “The goal of Christ’s mission is serving the poor and the ill, defending the defenseless and the persecuted, and fighting against injustice and corruption. The mission of the Church is spreading the values Christ brought to the world and the transformation of social life with those values. Hence, where there is hate, the Church is called to preach love; where there is injustice, to sow the seeds of justice.”

  • “The renewal of spiritual values is a must for our nation especially in modern times, when the currents that kill the spiritual in men have become more powerful; and the renewal of spiritual values must become a permanent condition in the life of our church and people.”

  • “Great Lent is an opportunity and an invitation for introspection and atonement. We are all sinners, we are all prone to sin. Yet with the strength of Christ we must repent to cleanse ourselves of our sins… Being conscious of this, the children of our nation must participate in the life of our church in the period of Great Lent.”
GET YOUR TICKETS FOR MUSICAL ARMENIA AT CARNEGIE HALL
You may now reserve your tickets for the 2020 Musical Armenia Concert, which will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2020, at 2:00 pm at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.
 
This is your chance to become acquainted with distinguished and emerging Armenian artists who are making their name on the global stage. Now into its 37th edition, Musical Armenia this year showcases three outstanding artists: pianist Tatev Amiryan, vocalist Anna Hayrapetyan, and cellist Laura Navasardian.
 
Musical Armenia, established by Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian and the Prelacy Ladies Guild, is dedicated to promoting young Armenian artists and to the performance of music by Armenian composers. Many of our performers have established solid professional careers.
 
Tickets for the concert cost $25. For further information or to purchase tickets, please contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or via e-mail at sophie@armenianprelacy.org .
BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for Sunday, March 8 , Third Sunday of Great Lent, Sunday of the Prodigal Son , are: Isaiah 54:11-55:13; 2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1; Luke 15:1-32.
Luke 15:1-32
 
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
 
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
 
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
 
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to make merry.
 
“Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf! And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
 
 
***
 
2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1
 
As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
 
We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
 
Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
 
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.”
For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here.
ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
This Saturday, March 7, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386), a doctor of the church. St. Cyril had a pleasant and conciliatory disposition, but he lived at a time when bishops were embroiled in bitter controversies and were quick to condemn any attempts at compromise, even calling such attempts as treason. Sixteen years of his thirty-five years as a bishop were spent in exile. When a famine hit Jerusalem, he sold some of the possessions of the church to raise money for the poor starving people. He was condemned for selling church property and banished. His best known work that has survived, “The Catechetical Lectures,” is believed to be one of the earliest systematic accounts of Christian theology. The lectures consist of an introductory lecture, followed by eighteen lectures on the Christian faith, given during Lent to those preparing to be baptized on Easter, and five lectures on the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist delivered after Easter. The lectures have been translated into many languages, including English and Armenian, and are noted for their presentation of the Christian faith in a positive light and maintaining a balance between correct belief and holy action.
 
Thousands of pilgrims would come to Jerusalem for Holy Week. Cyril instituted the liturgical forms for that week as they were observed in Jerusalem. A detailed account of Holy Week observances in Jerusalem in the fourth century is available thanks to a woman named Egeria (Etheria), believed to be a Spanish nun, who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and kept a journal describing the liturgical practices at the various holy sites.

SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON
Our journey through Great Lent continues. This Sunday, March 8, is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. The parable of the prodigal son shows God’s fatherly love and eagerness to forgive those who repent (See the Gospel reading above).
 
Light from light, generation and down, you came to seek out the wondering sheep of our nature which you carried together with the cross on your shoulder; purify us also from our sins.
 
Holiest of the holy, purifier of those who exist, you swept your house, purified the world from sins and having found your image in it you renewed it, renew us also from our ancient sins.
 
With the prodigal son we cry out to you, tender-hearted Father, we have sinned against heaven and before you, the purifier from sins; come out with love to meet us, embrace us with a kiss and purify us from our sins.
 
Holy Mother of God, fountain of life which flowed from the heavenly Eden, which watered the thirsting earth with the Spirit’s wisdom, pray that we may be given a fountain of tears for the cleansing of our sins.
 
(From the Liturgical Canons of the Armenian Church for the Third Sunday of Lent, Sunday of the Prodigal Son)

SOCIAL EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS DURING LENT
Because Lent is a time of prayer, meditation, and introspection in preparation of the resurrection of our Lord, social events and celebrations (including weddings) are not scheduled during Lent. Our faithful and all church affiliated organizations are urged to respect this tradition when planning events.

FR. VAHAN: “UNDERSTANDING THE PERSON WITH SPECIAL NEEDS”
The second installment of the Lenten Program, co-sponsored by the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) and the Ladies Guild of St. Illuminator’s, took place last night, March 4, at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City, with a lecture by Rev. Fr. Dr. Vahan Kouyoumdjian on “The Beauty Within—Understanding the Person with Special Needs.”
 
The Lenten Program included an abridged  Husgoom  service, followed by the lecture, and concluded with a table fellowship, presided by Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishian, Vicar.

Last night’s lecture was live-streamed. If you missed it, click here to watch it .

THIS WEEK’S REFLECTION
In this week's Prelacy Reflection Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of Douglaston, NY reflects upon the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

REGISTER FOR THE 34TH ANNUAL DATEV SUMMER INSTITUTE
MINI LECTURE SERIES:
“EXPLORING THE MEANING OF BAPTISM”
Session 3: Acts 2 | Dn. Shant Kazanjian
The Prelacy’s Orphan Sponsorship program was established in 1993 and continues to be the central mission of the Prelacy’s projects in Armenia and Artsakh. As part of the program, letters are received regularly from sponsored children addressed to their sponsors. We are pleased to share some of these letters through Crossroads .
 
This week’s letter is from Garik* who is sponsored by Vahe and Hasmik Dombalagian.  
Dear Sponsor,
 
This is Garik. I am 9 years old. I live in Gyumri and go to 4 th grade of the elementary school #30. I finished my 3 rd grade with honors and I continue the same way this year.
 
This year we had an addition to our family: little dog Monie. She is the puppy of our dog Mickey. I love to play with Monie.
 
Thank you for sponsoring me.
 
May God bless you.
 
Love,
 
Garik
 
* In order to protect the privacy of the children we use only their first names.

PLEASE CONSIDER SPONSORSHIP:
Currently there are children on the waiting list for the Prelacy’s Sponsorship Program. If you would like to sponsor a child please click here for quick and easy online sponsorship. You may also contact the Prelacy by email ( sophie@armenianprelacy.org ) or telephone (212-689-7810), ask for Sophie. 
SPONSOR A COLLEGE STUDENT IN ARMENIA
The St. Nerses the Great Charitable and Social Organization (Medsn Nerses) is now supporting its beneficiaries who pursue college education: now the young who reach the age limit of 18 will receive aid that may be vital for their careers.
 
The College Sponsorship Program is being implemented in 2020. An annual stipend of $250 helps defray some of the costs for the young men and women who have enrolled in an institution of higher education.
 
If you would like to sponsor a young student in the College Sponsorship Program or a young child in the Orphans Sponsorship Program, you may contact the Prelacy by email (sophie@armenianprelacy.org) or telephone (212-689-7810).
FROM OUR SCHOOLS
MOURAD SCHOOLCHILDREN EVOKE VARTANANTZ
The youngest at Mourad Armenian School of Providence, Rhode Island, celebrated the epic spiritual victory of our nation in the battle of Avarayr in 451 A.D. under the leadership of Vartan Mamigonian. The school function, in which the students sang and recited poems, won over the hearts and the applauses of the loving public. 

FROM OUR PARISHES
DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S CENTER TALKS AT ST. SARKIS
Last Sunday, March 1, a capacity crowd filled Pagoumian Hall at St. Sarkis to hear a presentation entitled “Domestic Violence in Armenia and Beyond -- How Can We Help?” The speaker was Maro Matosian, Executive Director of the Women's Support Center (WSC), which is dedicated to empowering women, educating communities and engaging stakeholders to eradicate domestic violence in Armenia. Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, and Fr. Nareg Terterian, the St. Sarkis Pastor, were in attendance. Anahid Ugurlayan introduced Ms. Matosian and thanked her for her work to raise awareness about domestic violence in Armenia and the diaspora.
 
Ms. Matosian said that gender stereotypes and gender-based violence are pervasive in Armenia. She explained that educating the community about these stereotypes and fostering healthy relationships is ongoing and quite challenging. Engaging stakeholders is a critical part of Ms. Matosian’s work, which she also described in her presentation.
 
A fully engaged audience participated in a lively Q & A session afterwards. In closing remarks, Der Nareg thanked Ms. Matosian for her work and urged the audience to support her work.
 
For more information on the WSC and how you can support their work, please contact Maro Matosian at maro@womensupportcenter.org.

From left to right: Archbishop Anoushavan, Maro Matosian, Anahid Ugurlayan, and Fr. Nareg.

“ARMENIANS UNDER THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND THE AMERICAN MISSION’S INFLUENCE ON THEIR INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL RENAISSANCE”

Gorun Shrikian

This meticulously researched book by the late Archpriest Gorun Shrikian, former pastor of St. Sarkis Church (Dearborn, MI), gives the reader a clear picture of the nineteenth century Ottoman Empire, the status of its Armenian population, and the contributions of the American missionaries to Armenians and non-Armenians in Turkey. According to the author, the American missionaries rendered invaluable services to the Armenian people, especially in the areas of education, philanthropy, culture, politics and religion.  
Copies of this book may be purchased from the Prelacy Bookstore ( books@armenianprelacy.org   or 212-689-7810)
 Death of Khachik Dashtents (March 9, 1974)
A survivor himself, Khachik Dashtents was one of the writers who resurrected the theme of the genocide in Soviet Armenia after the Stalin years. He was also an accomplished translator of William Shakespeare and other classics of the English language.

Born Khachik Donoyan in the village of Dashtadem, in the region of Sassoun, on May 25, 1910, he lost his parents during the genocide. From 1916 to 1926, he lived in the orphanages of the Armenian Committee of Moscow and the Near East Relief (NER) in Kars, Stepanavan, Tiflis, and Leninakan (now Gyumri).

He received his education in the NER-managed orphanage of the Polygon, in Leninakan. After graduation, he worked as teacher and headmaster in the villages of Horom and Sogyutli (now Sarnaghpyur), in the region of Leninakan, from 1927-1929. Like many Armenian writers, he started his literary career writing poetry. His first poem appeared in the newspaper Banvor of Leninakan in 1928. He adopted the pseudonym Dashtents after his birthplace.

He entered Yerevan State University and graduated from the Faculty of History and Philology in 1932, when he published his first book of poetry, Book of Songs . He worked for two years at the editorial offices of the newspaper Avangard, and in 1934 he published his second book, Spring Songs. In the same year he became a member of the Writers Union of Armenia. His third collection of poetry, Flame (1936), generated too much polemics at a time where literary discussions had degenerated into political persecution and the Stalinist purges were about to start. He abandoned Yerevan and left for Moscow, where he entered the English section of the Institute of Foreign Languages.

Upon graduation in 1940, Dashtents returned to Armenia and settled in Yerevan, where he worked in the literary field until the end of his life. He realized his poetic qualities through translation, even though he continued writing and publishing poetry of his own. He translated Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, The Taming of the Shrew, The Twelfth Night, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard III, Julius Caesar, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet, Henry Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha, Robert Browning’s The Pied Piper of Hamelin, William Saroyan’s My Heart Is in the Mountains, and others.

He also taught English language, literature, and literary translation at Yerevan State University (1940-1941), the Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages Valery Bryusov (1941-1948), and the Polytechnical Institute Karl Marx (1960-1966, now the State Engineering University of Armenia). He wrote English textbooks for schools of Armenia and Armenian textbooks for schools of the Diaspora. From 1965-1974 he was a senior researcher at the Shakespeare Center of the Institute of Art of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia. In 1965 he defended a doctoral dissertation on Lord Byron and his Armenian connections, about which he had published the monograph Byron and the Armenians in 1959.

In the meantime, Dashtents’ novel Khodedan (1950), at a time when the tragedy of the genocide and the survival of the people of Sassoun had been condemned to silence, turned his name a familiar one both in Armenia and the Diaspora. In fact, the novel had seven editions in the 1950s, three of them in Yerevan (1950, 1956, 1960) and the remaining four in Beirut (1951, 1958) and Cairo (1958, 1959), a rare feat in Armenian publishing annals. His novelistic project would come to an end with The Call of the Villagers, published posthumously in 1979, where he depicted the struggle of the Armenian fedayees against Turkish tyranny.

Khachik Dashtents received the honorific title of Emeritus Worker of Culture of Armenia (1967) and a certificate of merit of the Presidency of the Supreme Soviet of Armenia (1970). In 1974 he was elected a member of the Shakespearean Society of Weimar (Germany) for his services to the study of William Shakespeare and his translations of the Bard.

He passed away on March 9, 1974, in Yerevan.
Previous entries in “This Week in Armenian History” are on the Prelacy’s web site ( www.armenianprelacy.org ). 
THE IMPERIAL WORD

Rome did not create the first empire, but nevertheless the Roman Empire was perhaps one of the most influential ones in history. The Latin word imperium entered most Western languages, as well as the last name of the would-be emperor, Julius Caesar, once his adoptive son Octavianus became first Roman emperor as Augustus Caesar.

The word caesar appears in the English language with the meaning of “powerful ruler.” However, you will find it in other languages as the word for “emperor.” The most popular examples are the German word Kaiser and the Russian word czar .

However, while both German and Russian words derived from the Latin, the case is not the same for Armenian. The word կայսր ( kaysur in Classical/Eastern Armenian), despite looking so close to the German one, did not come from Latin—Latin loanwords in Armenian are scant, since Roman linguistic influence was minimal in Armenia—but from Greek. The Bible was translated into Armenia from the Septuaginta, the Greek version, and logically the Armenian translators rendered the Greek word kaisar as kaysur, which Western Armenian today pronounces gaysur.
 
For almost sixteen centuries, the loanword կայսր/gaysur has survived with the meaning of “emperor,” and it has generated various derivations, like կայսրութիւն ( gaysrootioon “empire”) and կայսրուհի ( gaysroohi “empress”). Because the Classical Armenian genitive form of կայսր/gaysur is կայսեր ( gayser ), which entered Modern Armenian in the same way, then the adjective “imperial” is not կայսրական ( gaysragan ), but կայսերական ( gayseragan ).

The same happens with the word “imperialism,” which is կայսերապաշտութիւն ( gayserabashdootioon ). This is a word that, however, is only used in Western Armenian. Eastern Armenians are fond of borrowing foreign words, usually via Russian, in the belief that by writing them in Armenian letters, they magically become Armenian. This is how we find plenty of foreign words in spoken and written Eastern Armenian. Despite the fact that they use gaysrootioon with the meaning of “empire,” it appears that they cannot stand the Armenian word for “imperialism” and, hence, they have preferred using իմպերիալիզմ ( imperializm ), which ultimately is the French word imperialisme, but with Russian flavor. 

FROM OUR ARCHIVES...
Karekin Sarkissian (at the time Very Reverend Father Karekin) with Pope John XXIII at the Second Vatican Council in 1962. With Vatican II, Pope John hoped to renew life within the church, promote Christian unity, and to come together with the contemporary world in order to work toward an understanding of modern conditions and problems. In August 1962, at the central committee meeting of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Paris, the two Armenian Catholicates (Etchmiadzin and Cilicia) were received as regular members of the WCC. Since then, the Armenian Church has been contributing her share to the activities of the WCC in a direct and active way including being part of its top leadership with the extraordinary services of two outstanding Armenian clergymen—His Holiness Catholicos Karekin of Cilicia and later Etchmiadzin, and His Holiness Aram I, who led the WCC through two unprecedented and challenging terms as chairman of the central committee.

NEW SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR CROSSROADS
Please remember that the deadline for submitting items for Crossroads is on Tuesday evenings.
 
All parish news, photographs, and calendar items should be emailed to crossroads@armenianprelacy.org . Please send also your inquiries and comments (English and/or Armenian) to the same email address.

MARY KOUYOUMDJIAN’S SCORE FOR EGOYAN FILM AT THE MET
Armenian-American composer Mary Kouyoumdjian has composed the score for a collection of unreleased scenes and personal short films by Canadian-Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan that will be shown at the Metropolitan Museum on March 27, as part of the MetLiveArts commission. Kouyoumdjian’s string quartets Bombs of Beirut and Silent Cranes explore her family's history with the Lebanese Civil War and Armenian Genocide through survivor testimonies and documentary.
 
The New York Times recently reported that in the 2020-21 season the New York Philharmonic will perform works by Ms. Kouyoumdjian, who participated in the Prelacy’s Musical Armenian program in 2018.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 ( Calendar items may be edited to conform to space and style )
March 5  — “Bilingualism: Challenges and Benefits of Learning and Living in Multiple Worlds,” a panel discussion presented by the NAASR/Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Issues, at 7:30 pm at Harvard University, Science Center, Auditorium A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. Event free and open to the public.
 
March 14   —The next Siamanto Academy class at the Prelacy offices on Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. For more information, contact Mary Gulumian, director of the Armenian National Education Committee by email (anec@armenianprelacy.org) or phone (212-689-7231).
 
March 14   —Armenian Prelacy Pillars' events at St. Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church of Whitinsville, MA and Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church of Worcester, MA.
 
March 15   —37 th annual Musical Armenia concert, 2:00 pm at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, West 57 th Street at Seventh Avenue, New York City.
 
March 22 –Perspectives Ensemble, directed by Sato Moughalian, presents “Dark Eyes/New Eyes: A Celebration of Armenian Music,” featuring the trio Zulal. The program includes Lenten sharagans , village songs, composed pieces by Alan Hovhannes and Aram Khatchaturian, as well as works by Gomidas Vartabed. At 7:00 pm at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, St. James Chapel. Doors open at 6:30. Admission is free.
 
March 27 They Will Take My Island”: New scores by composer Mary Kouyoumdjian for unreleased scenes and highly personal short films by Atom Egoyan, commissioned by MetLiveArts. At 7:00 pm at The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium, The Met Fifth Avenue.
 
March 28   —“Faith Building Women 2020 Symposium,” a daylong conference to heighten awareness of women in the Bible, organized by the Adult Christian Education department of St. Peter Armenian Church. The Symposium will take place at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Keynote speakers are Dr. Roberta Ervine and Arpi Nakashian.
 
March 29   —ARS Shakeh Chapter of New Jersey presents Kev Orkian. 4:00 pm Abajian Hall, St. Leon's Church, Fair Lawn, NJ.
 
April 4 —Consecration of the cross of the newly built dome of the Church of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of North Andover, MA.
 
April 4   —Prelacy Parish Partnership event at St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church of Watertown, MA.
 
May 13-16   —National Representative Assembly (NRA) of the Eastern Prelacy hosted by St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Philadelphia. The Clergy Conference will begin on Wednesday, May 13; the full Assembly will convene on Thursday, May 14 and conclude on Saturday, May 16.
 
May 17  —Save the date. Following Divine Liturgy, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral will host a talk by academic and author Rubina Peroomian.
 
May 31   —Save the date. St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, Douglaston, New York, 30th Anniversary Banquet.
 
June 28—July 5   —St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program: the 34th annual Datev Summer Program for youth ages 13-18 will take place at the St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). For information, please click  here  or contact the AREC office—212-689-7810 or  arec@armenianprelacy.org   .
 
October 4 —Save the date. St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church of New Britain, CT, 95th Anniversary Banquet.
 
October 17 —Hye Kef 5 Annual Dance, presented by the Armenian Friends of America, Inc.. Featuring: Steve Vosbikian Jr., Mal Barsamian, John Berberian, Ara Dinkjian and Jason Naroian. At the DoubleTree Hotel in Andover, MA. For details, visit ArmenianFriendsofAmerica.org or call Sharke at 978-808-0598
 
November 15   —Save the date. The Eastern Prelacy's Annual Thanksgiving Banquet.
 
November 28   —Save the date. Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church 80th   Anniversary Celebration. Under the Auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian. Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island. More details to follow.
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The Armenian Prelacy 
Tel: 212-689-7810 ♦ Fax: 212-689-7168 ♦ Email: email@armenianprelacy.org

Visit the Catholicosate webpage at  http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/en/