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“GIVING LIGHT TO THOSE
WHO SIT IN DARKNESS…”
Today the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Birth of St. John the Forerunner (John the Baptist). The elderly couple Zechariah and Elizabeth welcomed with great joy the birth of their son who they named John just as the angel Gabriel had instructed. Neighbors and relatives, who had gathered to celebrate the birth of this special child, pondered about his future asking, “What then will this child become?”
Having gained his voice after months of silence, Zechariah said: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79)
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| 2016: YEAR OF SERVICE MESSAGE
WILL BE READ IN PARISHES ON JANUARY 24
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has declared 2016 as the “Year of Service.” In his Pontifical Message, which will be read in most of our parishes on Sunday, January 24, the Catholicos writes about the vital role of service and describes service at the “Essence of the Christian Faith.” He goes on to show the depiction of service in the Bible and in the writings of the Church Fathers, as well as the role of service as an obligation and duty of all Christians. His Holiness writes, “By declaring the current year The Year of Service, we want to remind our people that it is necessary to participate with great dedication in our nation’s noble work, with the brave knowledge that God will bless our service, and history will remember and honor not what we had, but that which we gave, not our beautiful words, but our good deeds.”
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| IN MEMORIAM
Michael Hagopian
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Archbishop Oshagan and the Religious and Executive Councils received the news of the passing of Michael Hagopian, age 64, on Sunday, January 10, with sorrow. For many years Mr. Hagopian served the Eastern Prelacy in a number of positions including Vice Chairman of the Executive Council, delegate to the World General Assembly, delegate to the National Representative Assembly, and chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, Michigan.
The Wake will take place at St. Sarkis Church, 19300 Ford Road, Dearborn, Michigan, on Sunday, January 17, from 6 to 9 pm, with the Dan Gark prayer service at 7:30 pm.
On Monday, January 18, visitation will take place from 10 to 11 am, followed by the funeral service at 11 am, with His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General, presiding. A memorial luncheon will follow.
On Wednesday, January 20, visitation will take place from 10 to 11 am at the Mausoleum of Sunset Hills Cemetery in Illinois, followed by interment, conducted by Rev. Fr. Torkom Chorbajian, pastor of St. Gregory Church of Granite City, Illinois.
Mr. Hagopian is survived by his wife, Karen; children Taline, Sosi, and Ani; five grandchildren; his father Andrew, and brothers Stephen and Jeffrey.
In-lieu-of-flowers donations may be sent to St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, Dearborn, Michigan; St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church, Granite City, Illinois; or the Armenian Youth Federation, Watertown, Massachusetts.
We ask the Almighty to comfort his loving family during this time of great loss. Asdvatz Hokeen Lousavoreh.
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| BIBLE READINGS:
Bible readings for Sunday, January 17, First Sunday after Nativity (Eve of the Fast of the Catechumens): Isaiah 61:10-62:9; 2 Timothy 2:15-26; John 6:15-21.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.”
In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:15-26)
For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here.
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| A NOTE ABOUT THE READINGS
There are no Bible readings according to the Armenian Liturgical calendar four days next week, Monday to Thursday, January 18 to January 21.
These four days without designated readings coincide with the Fast of the Catechumens, which begins Monday and ends on Friday. There is only one Bible reading for Friday, January 22, the entire Book of Jonah. This period is traditionally a time for reflection and repentance, and a time for the clergy and laity to witness their faith to the un-baptized who are preparing for baptism. The Fast of the Catechumens, which is unique to the Armenian Church, leads to the Church’s remembrance of the prophet Jonah, whose “entombment” in the belly of the whale represents the three-day burial of Jesus, and Jonah’s release represents the resurrection of our Lord.
PAREGENTAN OF THE FAST OF THE CATECHUMENS
This Sunday, January 17, is the Paregentan (Mardi Gras) of the Fast of the Catechumens. A catechumen is someone who is receiving instruction in the fundamentals of the faith while preparing for baptism. This occurs three weeks before Poun Paregentan (Eve of Great Lent) and ten weeks before Easter. The Fast of the Catechumens is five days of strict fast (dzom). Traditionally, the Catechumens were instructed for several hours daily and required to stand through every church service, separate from the baptized congregation. This continued until Easter when the catechumens were baptized and anointed and received their first communion.
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| MUSICAL ARMENIA
The 33rd Musical Armenia concert will take place on Friday, March 11, 8 pm at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This year’s concert will present Sofya Melikian on the piano; and NUR, featuring Rosy Anoush Svazlian and Andrea Manzoni, soprano and piano. The event is sponsored by the Eastern Prelacy and the Prelacy Ladies Guild.
REMEMBERING LOUIS HAGOPIAN
An obituary notice in the New York Times on Tuesday informed us of the passing of Louis Thomas Hagopian at age 90. Mr. Hagopian had extraordinary talent in marketing and communications that led to a successful career in advertising with one of the oldest and best-known agencies in the United States, NW Ayer. He led Ayer for more than 25 years, the last ten years of which he served as chairman and CEO. The son of parents who settled in the United States in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, Lou remained cognizant of his roots while pursuing the American dream of success. A chance meeting with Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, developed into a long-standing friendship, and Lou helped the Prelacy with its communications for special projects and events with pro bono work through NW Ayer in the 80s and 90s. Mesrob Srpazan hosted a special reception in recognition of the service Lou extended to the Prelacy that was attended by many of his colleagues in the advertising world. We remember Lou with love and admiration. May he rest in peace.
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| THIS WEEK IN ARMENIAN HISTORY
Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)
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| Birth of Antoine-Jean Saint-Martin (January 17, 1791)
Antoine-Jean Saint-Martin was a pioneer of Armenian Studies in Europe at the beginning of the nineteenth century.
He was born in Paris on January 17, 1791 in the family of a prosperous merchant. He attended the Collège des Quatre-Nations, with the intention of entering commerce. However, his intellectual interests led him to a different field. At the age of twenty, he already mastered Armenian and Arabic. He would also learn by himself Persian, Syriac, and Turkish, as well as the basics of several other languages, such as Zend (the language of the Persian sacred books) and Georgian.
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 | A sketched portrait of Saint-Martin by Edmond Drouin |
| In 1818-1819 Saint-Martin published his masterwork, the two-volume Mémoires historiques et géographiques sur l'Arménie. This collection of studies and translations, which was quite influential in Armenian scholarship throughout the nineteenth century, had been completed in 1811, according to the author. It was reviewed very favorably, and on September 2, 1820, he was elected a member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres, a branch of the prestigious Institut de France.
He later entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a consultant. In 1822 he was among the founders of the famous Société Asiatique, and directed the publication of its journal, the Journal Asiatique. In 1824 he was appointed director of the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal. Among other works, in 1825 he published the Armenian text and the French translation of the fables of Vartan Aykegtsi, a work of the thirteenth century, and in 1827, the translation of the chronicle of Mardiros Erznkatsi, a bishop who traveled to Spain in the fifteenth century.
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| Based on the text of Movses Khorenatsi in his History of Armenia about the cuneiform inscriptions left by the mythical queen Semiramis in Van, he induced the French government to send German young scholar Friedrich Eduard Schulz to the Lake Van region in 1827. A year later, he published Schulz's first report on the remains of the hitherto unknown civilization of Urartu.
Saint-Martin passed away on July 17, 1832, at the age of 41, victim of the second pandemic of cholera in Paris. His translation of the History of Armenia by Catholicos Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi was posthumously published in 1841.
Previous entries in “This Week in Armenian History” are on the Prelacy’s web site (www.armenianprelacy.org
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BLESSING OF THE WATER IN PROVIDENCE
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 | Rev. Fr. Kapriel Nazarian celebrated the Christmas Liturgy and the Blessing of the Water service at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island. Michael Simonian served as the Godfather of the Holy Cross. | |
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| ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CONTINUES SUPPORT TO SISTER COMMUNITY
The New Year and Christmas was special for more than 100 children in the Lchkadzor community in Tavoush, in northeastern Armenia close to the Azerbaijan and Georgia borders. Through the generous support provided by St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York, the children enjoyed a New Year and Christmas party on December 28, where gifts were distributed by Dzmer Bab (Father Winter or Santa Claus).
The Cathedral continues to support its sister community in Armenia. This year-end distribution of gifts was channeled through the “BeSanta” campaign by Eli.am gift shop based in Armenia. Together with the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) and World Vision Armenia, St. Illuminator’s was among the three main institutional sponsors of the campaign, requesting the organizers to deliver $1,000 worth of Christmas gifts to their Lchkadzor sister community.
The children received the gifts with much appreciation and the local leadership thanked St. Illuminator’s Cathedral for its generous contribution during the joyous Christmas and New Year season.
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 | Some of the children who received New Year and Christmas gifts. | |
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| PLEASE DO NOT FORGET:
SYRIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER
The crisis in Syria requires our financial assistance.
Please keep this community in your prayers, your hearts, and your pocketbooks.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT.
THE NEED IS REAL.
THE NEED IS GREAT.
DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON LINE. TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE AND SELECT SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU. OR IF YOU PREFER YOU MAY MAIL YOUR DONATION TO:
Armenian Prelacy
138 E. 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Checks payable to: Armenian Apostolic Church of America
(Memo: Syrian Armenian Relief)
Thank you for your help.
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| LISTEN TO THE PODCAST WITH FATHER NAREG
(Pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York)
This week’s podcast features:
• Tribute to David Bowie
• Bereavement Support Group
• Interview with Mrs. Lena Felice, Certified Holistic Nutritionist
…and more
Click on the image above to link to the Podcast.
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| MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
This Monday, January 18 is a federal holiday in the United States honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929, and was the leader of the civil rights movement based on Christian ideals and techniques of non-violence taken from Gandhi. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
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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.
February 1-3—Annual Ghevontiantz Clergy Gathering, hosted by St. Asdvadtzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts at Courtyard Boston Milford.
March 11—33rd Musical Armenia, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and 7th Avenue, with Sofya Melikian, piano; and NUR featuring Rosy Anoush Svazlian and Andrea Manzoni, soprano and piano. Tickets: $25. Box office: 212-247-7800; Prelacy: 212-689-7810; email@armenianprelacy.org.
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| 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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