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July 31, 2014

Bishop Anoushavan ordains Harold Nazarian to the Deaconate, assisted by Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian.

ORDINATION IN PROVIDENCE

Last Sunday, July 27, Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar of the Prelacy, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered the Sermon at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Providence, Rhode Island. During the Liturgy His Grace ordained Harold Nazarian to the Deaconate. Following the Divine Liturgy and Ordination a Fellowship Reception took place in Aramian Hall in honor of Deacon Harold.

Deacon Nazarian and Deacon Diran Khosrofian, both of whom have completed their studies in the U.S. and in Antelias, will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, October 4 at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Providence.

His Grace and Der Gomidas with deacons, choir members, and acolytes.

Srpazan and Der Hayr with members of the Providence Homenetmen Scouts, who received Holy Communion and Srpazan’s blessings for their upcoming trip to Armenia.

PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO BOSTON AREA

Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Massachusetts this weekend where on Sunday he will attend and preside over the blessing of Madagh at the annual picnic sponsored by Watertown’s St. Stephen Church that will take place at Camp Haiastan in Franklin.

DER VAZKEN AND YN. ANAHID BEKIARIAN
CELEBRATE 60th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

On Saturday, July 26, Archpriest Fr. Vazken and Yeretzgin Anahid Bekiarian marked their 60th wedding anniversary surrounded by their family and friends at St. Stephen Church in Watertown, Massachusetts. Attending the festivities were Bishop Anoushavan, Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian, and Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian.

An added celebration took place when Bishop Anoushavan, on behalf of Archbishop Oshagan, presented to Der Vazken the “Man of the Year” award that had been conferred upon him during the National Representative Assembly in Dearborn, Michigan, in May that Der Hayr had been unable to attend because of illness. Der Vazken was honored in appreciation of his many years of devoted and distinguished service to the Armenian Church.

Bishop Anoushavan presents Man of the Year award to Archpriest Fr. Vazken Bekiarian on behalf of Archbishop Oshagan, along with Der Gomidas (left) and Der Antranig.

Der Vazken and Yn. Anahid surrounded by family members and the clergy celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

TEACHERS’ SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY ANEC

The Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) will sponsor a teachers’ seminar to be held on August 23, at the Prelacy headquarters in New York, from 10 am-4 pm. All schools and teachers are invited to participate. The program will have the following lectures:

Sossi Essajanian: “Supporting the Next Generation: Early Childhood Development, Best Practices, and the Armenian Language Teacher”; Anahid Garmiryan: “To Be or Not to Be a Teacher: the Challenges of Bilingualism”

For more information, please email ANEC at anec@armenianprelacy.org or call (212) 689-7231/7810.

SIAMANTO ACADEMY WILL RESUME ITS ACTIVITIES

The Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), jointly sponsored by the Prelacy and the Armenian Relief Society, sponsored for many years the Siamanto Academy for young adults. After a recent hiatus, the Academy is ready to resume its activities. The Academy offers courses on Armenian history, culture, and contemporary issues. Classes will take place on a monthly basis, every second Saturday, beginning in September at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church (Ridgefield, New Jersey), from 2 pm-5 pm. For additional information, please contact ANEC at anec@armenianprelacy.org.

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, August 3, Second Sunday of Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, are Isaiah 3:16-4:1; 1 Corinthians 1:25-30; Matthew 18:10-14.

Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost. (Matthew 18:10-14)

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

SAINT ISAIAH THE PROPHET

Today, Thursday, July 31, the Armenian Church commemorates the prophet Isaiah, who is best known for the longest prophetic book in the Old Testament (66 chapters) that bears his name. In what has been described as one of the greatest finds, two nearly intact manuscripts of the entire book of Isaiah were discovered in 1947 in a remote cave above the north end of the Dead Sea.

Isaiah foretells the birth of the Messiah by a virgin and describes the suffering of the Messiah’s church. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah. Because of his clear foretelling about Christ the Savior, Isaiah is also recognized as an Old Testament evangelist. Although it is not recorded in the Bible, it is believed that Isaiah died a martyr’s death by order of the Hebrew king, Manasseh. Relics of the prophet are preserved at Mt. Athos in the Greek Orthodox Khilendaria Monastery in Greece.

Hovnatan Hovnatanian, St. Thaddeus.

SAINTS THADDEUS AND SANTOOKHT

This Saturday, August 2, the Armenian Church commemorates Saint Thaddeus, one of two apostles who preached in Armenia, and Saint Santookht, daughter of King Sandadrook, and the first saint of the Armenian Church.

Princess Santookht was converted to Christianity by Thaddeus. Her father tried to have her renounce her conversion and finally gave her a choice of the crown or the sword. She chose the sword and became the first witness for Christianity in Armenia and the first saint of the Armenian Church. Shortly after her martyrdom, Thaddeus was also martyred.

SAINT CYPRIAN THE BISHOP

On Monday, August 4, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Cyprian (Gibrianos), who was bishop of Carthage, an important early Christian writer, and a major theologian of the early African church. Many of his works in Latin have survived. One of his best known works is, On the Unity of the Church. Many of his epistles, treatises, and pastoral letters are extant.

He urged Christians to recite the Lord’s Prayer every day, meditating on each phrase. He wrote a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer showing how it is the model for prayer.

Born in the year 200, he was the son of wealthy parents and became a teacher of rhetoric and literature. He converted to Christianity in his middle years and was ordained a priest and elected to serve as bishop of Carthage. He was subject to persecution after his conversion and in the year 258 was beheaded along with forty-five martyrs.

“When we pray, we should ensure that we understand the words we use. We should be humble, aware of our own weaknesses, and be eager to receive God’s grace. Our bodily posture and our tone of voice should reflect the fact that through prayer we enter God’s presence. To speak too loudly to God would be impudent; thus a quiet and modest manner is appropriate. The Lord has instructed us that we should usually pray in private, even in our own bedrooms. This reminds us that God is everywhere, that he hears and sees everything, and that he penetrates the deepest secrets of our hearts.”

(From “On the Lord’s Prayer,” by Cyprian of Carthage)

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

Enver Pasha

Hakob Melkumian

Killing of Enver Pasha
(August 4, 1922)

The Russian revolution of November 1917 that set the grounds for the Soviet Union was followed by a civil war. Bolshevik troops were sent into Central Asia to establish Soviet power in 1919-1920. A local movement headed by Muslim elements, known as the Basmachi revolt (the Turkic word basmachi originally meant “bandit”), took advantage of the blunders of the Soviet government in Tashkent (the current capital of Uzbekistan) to challenge its authority and set a movement of national liberation.

Enver Pasha, former Ministry of War of the Ottoman Empire and one of the main perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide, had become a fugitive of justice after his condemnation to death in absentia by the Ottoman court-martial in July 1919. He had first left Constantinople for Berlin in late 1918 and in 1919 had gone to Moscow, where he engaged in pro-Turkish activities among the Bolsheviks. After participating in the Congress of Eastern Peoples of Baku (September 1920), he tried to reenter Anatolia in 1921, but was rejected by Mustafa Kemal.

Enver decided to return to Moscow and won over the trust of Soviet authorities. Lenin sent him to Bukhara, in Soviet Turkestan, to help suppress the Basmachi Revolt. He arrived on November 8, 1921. Instead of carrying his mission, he made secret contacts with some rebel leaders and defected along with a small number of followers. He aimed at uniting the numerous rebel groups under his own command and taking the offensive against the Bolsheviks. He managed to turn the disorganized rebel forces into a small well-drilled army and establish himself as its supreme commander. However, David Fromkin has written, “he was a vain, strutting man who loved uniforms, medals and titles. For use in stamping official documents, he ordered a golden seal that described him as 'Commander-in-Chief of all the Armies of Islam, Son-in-Law of the Caliph and Representative of the Prophet.' Soon he was calling himself Emir of Turkestan, a practice not conducive to good relations with the Emir whose cause he served. At some point in the first half of 1922, the Emir of Bukhara broke off relations with him, depriving him of troops and much-needed financial support. The Emir of Afghanistan also failed to march to his aid."

Operation Nemesis had succeeded in the liquidation of several of Enver’s colleagues in European capitals. An Armenian group assassinated Ahmed Djemal Pasha on July 25, 1922, in Tiflis under the very sight of the Cheka, the Soviet secret police. Ten days later, Enver would find his own Armenian nemesis in Central Asia.

Yakov Melkumov (Hakob Melkumian), born in Shushi (Gharabagh) in 1885, was a decorated career officer who had participated in World War I and after the revolution had entered the Red Army. After fighting in Bielorrusia (Belarus) in 1918, he became a cavalry brigade commander in Turkestan in late 1919, and from 1920-1923 he was involved in the suppression of the Basmachi revolt.

On August 4, 1922 Melkumian’s brigade launched a surprise attack while Enver had allowed his troops to celebrate the Kurban Bayrami holiday, retaining a 30-men guard at his headquarters near the village of Ab-i-Derya, near Dushanbe. Some Turkish sources claimed that Enver and his men charged the approaching troops, and the Turkish leader was killed by machine-gun fire. Melkumian published his memoirs in 1960, where he stated that Enver had managed to escape on horseback and hid for four days in the village of Chaghan. A Red Army officer infiltrated the village in disguise and located his hideout, after which the troops stormed Chaghan, and Melkumian himself killed Enver in the ensuing combat.

After seven decades in Ab-i-Derya, Enver’s remains were taken to Turkey in 1996 and buried at the Monument of Liberty cemetery in Istanbul. Melkumian was decorated with the second order of the Red Army for killing Enver and defeating his forces. The Armenian officer continued his military career until 1937 in Central Asia. He was arrested in June 1937, during the heyday of the Stalinist purges, and charged with participated in the “military-fascist conspiracy.” He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 5 years of deprivation of civil rights. After the death of Stalin, he was freed in 1954 and rehabilitated. He died in Moscow in 1962.

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

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

The Prelacy Bookstore has an extensive collection of books (in Armenian and English) about the Genocide including histories, historical novels, memoirs, eye witness testimonies, essays, and poetry. From now through next April we will feature one or two books each week from the Bookstore’s collection.

Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan Rug
By Hagop Martin Deranian

In 1925, Dr. John H. Finley, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Near East Relief, presented a rug made by Armenian orphans to President Calvin Coolidge. The large rug (12’ x 18’) is estimated to contain four and one-half million knots. An inscription on the reverse side of the rug reads: “Made by Armenian girls in the Ghazir, Syria, [now Lebanon] orphanage of the Near East Relief and presented as a Golden Rule token of appreciation to President Coolidge.” The odyssey of that rug made by orphans in the orphanage in Ghazir is told in this slim, but informative, book. Dr. Deranian tells the rug’s story from start up to the present day. Currently the rug is in storage in the White House and rarely sees the light of day, although there have been vague promises of allowing its display.

74 pages, softcover, $10.00, plus shipping & handling

Կոմիտաս. հոգեբանական վերլուծում մը
Մելինէ Գարագաշեան
Անթիլիաս, տպ. Կաթողիկոսութեան Հայոց Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ, 2011

Հատորը կը ներկայացնէ Կոմիտաս վարդապետի կենսագրութիւնը՝ փաստական հարուստ տուեալներով, եւ կը վերլուծէ անոր նկարագիրը, անդրադառնալով նաեւ այն հոգեկան փլուզումին, որ 1915էն ետք զայն դատապարտած է ստեղծագործական ամլութեան։

Գին՝ 15 տոլար (լաթակազմ)

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

I Can Be With You, but Not in Armenian

When the Apostle Paul was in Corinth, says the Bible, one night the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said: “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you (...)” (Acts 18:9-10). Because God implied that he was spiritually together with his apostle, the Western Armenian translation of “I am with you” has been rendered as follows: «Ես քեզի հետ եմ (...)» (Yes kezi hed em).

We all know that if you are physically together with your friend, you would probably say, “I’m with you,” e.g. “I go with you.” In this case, you can obviously say “Yes kezi hed em.”

We also know that if you are in agreement with your friend about something, you would probably say, “I’m with you,” e.g., “I agree with you.” To be with someone, at least in the Armenian language, always implies a relation of togetherness, either physical or spiritual. If you want to tell your friend in California that you agree with his views over the phone from New York, and you say “Yes kezi hed em,” your friend will probably look around to see where you are.

The puzzle is solved when you think in Armenian and say: «Ես համաձայն եմ քեզի հետ» (Yes hamatzayn em kezi hed), e.g. “I’m in agreement with you” or “I agree with you.” By adding the crucial word hamatzayn (literally “agreeable”), you will have replaced Armenian “thought” in English by Armenian thought in Armenian. And your friend in California will not be looking around for you.

Previous entries in “The Armenian Language Corner” can be read on the Prelacy’s web site (www.armenianprelacy.org).

SYRIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER
The crises in Syria, including the recent upheaval in Kessab, require 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: Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief

Thank you for your help

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 3—St. Stephen’s Church of Greater Boston, Annual Picnic at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts. Lunch beginning at 12 noon, includes delicious shish kebab and refreshments. Blessing of Madagh at 3 pm. Live Armenian music.

August 3—Annual Shish-Kebob Picnic and Grape Blessing, St. Paul Church, 645 South Lewis Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois, 12 noon to 4 pm. Armenian dinners and pastries available; dine in or takeout available. For information and/or pre-order requests, 847-244-4573.

August 4—St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Annual Golf Tournament.

August 10—Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church, Providence, Rhode Island, Annual Picnic at Camp Haiastan, 12 noon to 6 pm. Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan. Games and the Bouncing Bubble for children. Delicious shish, lost and chicken kebab dinners. Choreg and Armenian pastries. Live music by Michael Gregian and Ensemble. Madagh and Blessing of the Grapes at 3:300 m with participation of New England clergy. For information: 401-831-6399.

August 10—Annual Church Picnic and Blessing of the Grapes, Holy Trinity Church, 635 Grove Street, Worcester, Massachusetts. Join us for a fun filled day and enjoy our delicious food, music by DJ Shaheen, backgammon tournament, children’s activities. Begins at noon. Admission is free. For information holytrinityaac@gmail.com or 508-852-2414.

August 15-17—Armenian Fest / Blessing of Grapes, All Saints Church, 1701 N. Greenwood Road, Glenview, Illinois. Armenian food, desserts, beer and wine, dancing, activities for kids, raffle. Life music Friday, Saturday, & Sunday. Mr. Ash’s magic show Saturday. Friday 6 pm to 10 pm happy hour; Saturday 5 pm-11pm; Sunday 1pm to 7 pm. Blessing of the Grapes on Sunday at 4:30 pm. Free admission.

August 17—Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God and Blessing of the Grapes, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City. Followed by luncheon and cultural program featuring singer Rouben Voskanyan. Organized by Cathedral’s Ladies Guild.

August 17—St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Annual Picnic and Blessing of the Grapes.

August 17—St. Sarkis Church (Dearborn) Grape Blessing Family Fun Picnic at Kensington Park, Kensington, Michigan. Good food, music, biking, soccer, dancing, magician, swimming, playscape, kids games, door prizes, face painting, tavloo tournament and more.

August 17—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual Picnic and Blessing of the Grapes, 1-5 pm at Saddle River County Park, Wild Duck Pond area. Music, delicious Armenian food and desserts, arts and crafts, and playground for children, cards, and tavloo, and more.

August 23—Teachers’ seminar sponsored by the Armenian Education Committee (ANEC), at the Prelacy offices in New York, 10 am to 4 pm. All schools and teachers are invited to participate. Lecturers: Sossi Essajanian, “Supporting the Next Generation: Early Childhood Development, Best Practices, and the Armenian Language Teacher” and Anahid Garmiryan, “To Be or Not to be a Teacher: The Challenges of Bilingualism.” For information: anec@armenianprelacy.org or 212-689-7810.

August 30—Concert, “Baroque & Before,” featuring Lucine Musaelian and Joyce Chen, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, at 5 pm.

September 7—Picnic Festival, St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, 158 Main Street, North Andover, Massachusetts, featuring musicians Leon Janikian, Jason Naroian, Johnny Berberian, and John Arzigian; presentation by Siroun Dance Ensemble of Central Massachusetts. 12:30 to 5:30 pm, church grounds. Shish, losh, and chicken kebab dinners, veggie plates, Armenian pastries, family games and activities.

September 7—St. Stephen’s Church of New Britain and Hartford, Connecticut, Annual Church Picnic after Sunday services will take place at The Quartette Club, 225 Wooster Street, New Britain. Armenian music, dancing, and food.

September 7—Holy Cross Church, Troy, New York, Annual Armenian Picnic, 12pm to 4 pm. Shish Kebob dinner, Lahmajoun for sale, Armenian pastries, live music. For info: skarageozian@gmail.com.

September 7—Lecture “Mkhitar Heratsi,” by Dr. Gregory Kazanjian, at 1 pm, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City. Organized by Cathedral and Hamazkayin of New York.

September 12—St. Hagop Church, Racine, Wisconsin, 2nd Annual “Taste of the Mediterranean” Wine Tasting Fundraiser, 4 to 6 pm at Uncork in downtown Racine. Event will again feature 6 wines for tasting, a “mezze” table, silent auction items, and 50/50 raffle. Cost of the event is $20 per person or $35 per couple. Last year’s even was a sell-out, so get your tickets early. For tickets and/or information contact Mary M. Olson by email (mmsolson@sgbcglobal.net).

September 14—St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th Street, Douglaston, New York, Annual Picnic on the church grounds following church services. Admission is free. Enjoy excellent kebabs and salads. Terrific entertainment for everyone and special activities for children in the “KidZone.” Music, food, and friends…a wonderful afternoon. For information 718-224-2275.

September 18—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, 12th Annual Golf Classic, River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. Rain or Shine. 11 am registration and Grilled Lunch Buffet; 1 pm Tee Off. Format: Shotgun Scramble (All player levels welcome). Golf Outing Reservation: $195; limited to first 128 paid golf reservations. Reservation includes: Grilled lunch buffet, dinner banquet, golf, cart, and range balls. Contests and Prizes. Sponsorships available. For information: 201-943-2950.

September 21—Ladies Guild of St. Stephen’s Church of New Britain and Hartford, Connecticut, will host a Tea party at noon in the church hall, 167 Tremont Street, New Britain, Connecticut. Brought back by popular demand. Guest speaker from the Bigelow Tea Company. Goodie bags for all. Raffle prize is being provided by Armeny Custom Jewelry Design.

September 21—St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, “Designer Bag Bingo” luncheon in Founders’ Hall at 2 pm. Fifteen lucky winners of designer bags, including top labels, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Laboutin, Judith Leiber, Chanel, and others. Join us for a fun game of Bingo, Chinese auction, and enjoy the lavish Chanel inspired theme and décor, along with champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. Ticket sales limited. For reservations and information: Cissy DerHagopian 856-313-6848; Donna Walter 484-354-0388.

October 3—St. Sarkis Armenian Church, Douglaston, New York, Saturday School Dinner Dance Gala.

October 4—Ordination to the Priesthood of Deacon Diran Khosrofian and Deacon Harold Nazarian, at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan.

October 19—St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan will ordain sub-deacon Ara Stepanian during the Divine Liturgy and preside over the parish’s 57th Annual Banquet.

October 12-15—Prelacy Clergy Gathering for Reflection and Renewal at St. Mary of Providence Retreat Center, Elverson, Pennsylvania.

November 7 & 8—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 58th Armenian Bazaar, 10 am to 9:30 pm at Armenian Cultural & Educational Center, 47 Nichols Avenue, Watertown, Massachusetts. Meals served from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm (take out is available). Enjoy delicious meals, Armenian pastries, gourmet items, arts and crafts, books, raffles, attic treasures. For information: 617-924-7562.

November 21, 22, 23—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual Bazaar, Food Festival, and Hantes. Mezze and Kebab dinners (chicken, shish, luleh); dessert table and trays of home-made delicacies; Boutique Booths; Chinese Auction; Supervised Game Room for children; Pre-packaged Monte, Sou Buereg, Kufteh, and Lehmejun; Take-out available; Live Music for dancing and listening. Traditional Kavourma dinner on Sunday served immediately after church service. For information: 201-943-2950.

December 7—Ladies Guild of St. Stephen’s Church of New Britain and Hartford, Connecticut, will host a Wine Tasting Party at noon in the church hall, 167 Tremont Street, New Britain. A wine talk and tasting will be provided by Taylor Brooke Winery, Woodstock, Connecticut, owned by Linda Varjabedian Auger.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox, add email@armenianprelacy.org to your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to: info@armenianprelacy.org

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