H. E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate, celebrated the Christmas Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon, followed by Blessing of the Water ceremony. The Godfather of the Cross was Mr. Ardashes Bedrosian.
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The Prelate’s annual Christmas reception took place on the evening of January 6 filling the Prelacy’s Vahakn and Hasmig Hovnanian reception hall with many well-wishers who were greeted by the Prelate Archbishop Oshagan and the Vicar Bishop Anoushavan.
The traditional Home Blessing was offered by Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, with the participation of area clergy including Archpriest Fr. Moushegh Der Kaloustian, pastor emeritus of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, and Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian, pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.
The Armenian tradition of Home Blessing is considered essential during the Christmas and Easter Holy days. During this ceremony, the priest blesses bread, water, and salt, all considered to be essential to life. It is customary to burn incense, echoing the words of the psalmist, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you.” (Psalm 41)
“O Christ our God, guardian and hope of all your faithful, protect and keep in peace your people under the protection of your holy and venerable cross; and especially this family, their home, the bread, the salt, and the water. Save them O Lord from visible and invisible enemies and make them worthy to glorify you with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, forever and ever. Amen.
(Benediction from the Blessing of Homes service)
Sevan Hajinian is a 52 year old mother of 15 and 17 year old daughters who needed a life-saving spine surgery at NYU Langone Medical Hospital for Joint Diseases.
Mrs. Hajinian and her brother are highly-dedicated members of the Canadian-Armenian community and active in the Canadian civil society. In addition to authoring an important resource book about “The Armenian Genocide Denied (A Response to Turkey’s Thirteen Propaganda Spins)”, she has been a volunteer youth leader, school board trustee, school parents committee member, and a social services, immigration and government relations adviser. Mrs. Hajinian had here surgery on Tuesday December 4. According to the doctors, the surgery went well. She was discharged from the hospital on December 15.
The initial estimated cost of the hospital and the doctors is US $146.000. The Hajinian family, the Canadian Armenian Community, and their friends from various faiths based and Canadian civil society organizations have raised CDN $120.000. The hospital agreed to schedule the surgery with what they have raised so far on the condition that the remaining balance will be paid after the surgery. Already the family transferred US $71,000 to the hospital. The doctors’ fees of US $48,500 have been paid in full. The family still has to pay the hospital’s remaining fees.
The above cost is based on 5 hours of surgery room operation time and 5 days of hospitalization. The surgery lasted around 7:30 hours. Mrs. Hajinina’s stayed in the hospital exceeded the 5 days. In total she stayed at the hospital almost two weeks.
Mrs. Hanjinian’s case is high profile case in Canada and the media covered her story on TV, radio, and print.
So far St. Illuminator’s Cathedral and community already raised $4,000.00.
If you would like to help in covering Mrs. Hajinian’s remaining hospital fees, please make a donation payable to the St. Illuminator’s Cathedral (221 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016). Please indicate “Fund for Sevan Hajinian” in the memo area.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
We pray that with your help we will be able to give the family the best ever New Year and Christmas gift any one would wish—a good health. God Bless.
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On Sunday, December 23, all volunteers of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral were invited to gather at the John Pashalian Hall for Appreciation Luncheon. Rev. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor and Mr. Shant Chalian, Chairman of the Board of Trustees expressed their gratitude for the great service performed by volunteers.
On Sunday, December 23, 2012 St. Illuminator’s Cathedral celebrated the feast of St. Stephen, the first deacon and proto-martyr, the deacons wore liturgical crowns in honor of this special day.
On Sunday, December 23, the Ladies Guild of the Cathedral presented a check of $12,000.00 to the St. Illuminator’s Cathedral.
During this year the Ladies Guild also donated 250 copies of the Holy Bible in English and Armenian to the Cathedral; $500.00 to the St. Illuminator’s Day school, $200.00 to the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund; $100.00 to the Armenian Prelacy and $100.00 to the Armenian Home for the Aged.
We greatly appreciate our Ladies Guild’s dedication, hard work and support to the Cathedral and community.
Please download a PDF version of our Cathedral Newsletter below.
Please download a PDF version of our Cathedral Newsletter below.
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Church Attendance Guide
Replay of Badarak, May 8, 2022
Replay of Badarak, May 1, 2022
Replay of Badarak, April 24, 2022
Easter Sunday Service
Good Friday Livestream
Maundy Thursday Livestream
Replay of Badarak, April 10, 2022
Replay of Badarak, April 3, 2022
Replay of Badarak, March 27, 2022
Replay of Badarak, March 20, 2022
Replay of Badarak, March 13, 2022
Replay of Badarak, March 6, 2022
Replay of Badarak, February 27, 2022
