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ARS EASTERN USA REGIONAL SEMINAR AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S JOHN PASHALIAN HALL

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Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian and his childhood friend Bared Maronian, director of “Orphans of the Genocide” documentary
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian and his childhood friend Bared Maronian, director of
“Orphans of the Genocide” documentary

Ungh.Sevan Kolejian , welcomed the quests and thanked Rev. Fr. Mesrop Lakissian for his hospitality and allowing us to use St. Illuminators Church for our event and then introduced the members of the ARS Regional Board of Directors.

Ungh. Ani Attar, Chairperson of ARS Eastern Regional Board of Directors, welcomed everyone and thanked the ARS Erebouni and Mayr Chapters for hosting this Regional Educational Seminar.

As His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia has declared 2013 The Year of the Armenian Mother, ARS decided to dedicate this seminar to the Armenian Mother.

Armenian mothers are the pillars of our national existence, their sacrifice and dedication throughout history is highly commendable. The Armenian mother is the caregiver, educator, a hero and a role model in our national life. As the famous writer Hovannes Shiraz wrote:

Mer houysi toorn eh mayrs
Mer dan madurn eh mayrs
Mer hatsn ou choo eh mayrs Mer teghn ou jarn eh mayrs
Mer dan jerakn eh mayrs

We salute and honor our Armenian Mothers for their continued selfless act in meeting the humanitarian need of the Armenia people in Armenia and the Diaspora. Ms. Attar Introduced guest speakers Dr. Chris Garo Sassouni, grandson of Garo and Leola Sassouni and Mr. Bared Maronian, producer and film maker, of the “Orphans of the Genocide” documentary. Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Pastor of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral offered his words of appreciation thanking all the participants and wishing them well as they return to their communities near and far. The seminar concluded by Rev. Lakissian’s benediction.

Participants of the ARS Eastern USA Regional Educational Seminar with Dr. Chris Sasouni and Mr. Bared Maronian
Participants of the ARS Eastern USA Regional Educational Seminar with Dr. Chris Sasouni and Mr. Bared Maronian

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES

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The National Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy, hosted by Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, concluded on Saturday, May 18.

The Religious and Executive Councils: Seated, from left, Stephen Hagopian, Archpriest Fr. Aram Stepanian, Archbishop Oshagan, Bishop Anoushavan, Noubar Megerian, Sarkis Ohanessian. Standing, from left, Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian, Armen Kourkounian, Hagop Antranigian, John Daghlian, Raffi Ourlian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian
The Religious and Executive Councils: Seated, from left, Stephen Hagopian, Archpriest Fr. Aram Stepanian, Archbishop Oshagan, Bishop Anoushavan, Noubar Megerian, Sarkis Ohanessian. Standing, from left, Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian, Armen Kourkounian, Hagop Antranigian, John Daghlian, Raffi Ourlian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian
The clergy at the National Assembly: Seated from left, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, Archpriest Fr. Aram Stepanian, Archpriest Zareh Sahakian, Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian, H. E. Archbishop Oshagan, H. G. Bishop Anoushavan, Archpriest Fr. Krikoris Keshishian, Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian, Archpriest Fr. Khatchadour Boghossian. Standing from left, Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian, Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian, Rev. Fr. Bedros Shetilian, Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian.
The clergy at the National Assembly: Seated from left, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, Archpriest Fr. Aram Stepanian, Archpriest Zareh Sahakian, Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian, H. E. Archbishop Oshagan, H. G. Bishop Anoushavan, Archpriest Fr. Krikoris Keshishian, Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian, Archpriest Fr. Khatchadour Boghossian. Standing from left, Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian, Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Baghsarian, Rev. Fr. Bedros Shetilian, Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian.

SERIES ON ARMENIAN HISTORY SEMINARS AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL CONTINUES

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The series of eight seminars “History of Armenia: Past, Present, Future” are being held every Thursday until June 20th at St. Illuminator Cathedral’s John Pashalian Hall.

The series are sponsored by St. Illuminator’s Cathedral and the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations.

The facilitator of the series is Artur Martirosyan, Ph.D., who is a specialist in Political Science.

SERIES ON ARMENIAN HISTORY SEMINARS AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL CONTINUES

SERIES ON ARMENIAN HISTORY SEMINARS AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL CONTINUES2

HISTORICAL ATLAS PRESENTED AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL

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On Sunday, May 5, 2013, Dr. Vartan Matiossian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), presented the recently published “Historical Atlas of Armenia”. The presentation took place in the John Pashalian Hall after the Divine Liturgy. Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor, introduced the lecturer.

In his illustrated presentation, Dr. Matiossian, editor of the Atlas, referred to the main features of the new publication. He stressed its importance, as a new generation had already come to age since the publication of the first edition in the late 1980s. He reminded the audience that this generation had witnessed the making of history, as two independent Armenian republics (Armenia and Karabakh) were born in the meantime. Dr. Matiossian emphasized the importance of history as a central identity marker for Armenians worldwide, and the use of the Atlas as an educational tool in our schools, which was the main purpose of ANEC when deciding to publish a revised edition of the Atlas. After the presentation, Dr. Matiossian signed copies of the Atlas.

HISTORICAL ATLAS PRESENTED AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL3

HISTORICAL ATLAS PRESENTED AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL1

HISTORICAL ATLAS PRESENTED AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL2

ARMENIAN SCHOOL COMPETITION

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The 44th annual competition of Armenian Saturday and Day Schools in New York/New Jersey took place on Saturday, May 4, at the Armenian Center in Woodside, New York. The competition is organized by the literary committee of Hamazkayin of New York. Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, guided the competition.

Participating schools included: Holy Martyrs Day and Saturday schools; St. Sarkis Saturday School (Douglaston); and Nareg Saturday School (New Jersey).

Certificates and gifts were given to all participants and additional gifts were presented to those students who answered all questions correctly.

ARMENIAN SCHOOL COMPETITION

ARMENIAN SCHOOL COMPETITION3

ARMENIAN SCHOOL COMPETITION4

We Demand Turkey Return Confiscated Armenian Churches and Church Properties

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JOINT STATEMENT

His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, Holy See of Etchmiadzin
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, Holy See of Cilicia

We Demand Turkey Return Confiscated Armenian Churches and Church Properties

In 2015, Armenians living in the Republics of Armenia and Karabagh and in the Diaspora will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Genocide of the Armenian people, planned and executed by Ottoman Turkey.

In 1915, more than one-and-a-half million Armenians were victims of the
Genocide. The survivors of the deportation and exile found refuge in Eastern Armenia (the current Republic of Armenia), Syria, Lebanon, other Arab countries, and various countries around the world.

Armenians living under the Ottoman Empire in Western Armenia, Cilicia and other regions of Turkey, lost all their personal belongings as well as their churches, monasteries, holy sites, religious, educational, and charitable centers, cultural and religious relics and artifacts of great value, including cross-stones, manuscripts, and holy pictures. All of the properties belonging to those massacred and those forcibly deported were usurped by the Turkish government under the pretext of being “abandoned properties.”

Ninety-eight years after the Armenian Genocide, the current Turkish Republic, the legal successors of the Ottoman Empire, not only refuses to acknowledge the well-planned and executed genocide, but continues its anti-Armenian policy, keeping in bondage the Armenian people’s confiscated properties and artifacts, as well as religious and cultural treasures.

Therefore, we send this appeal to the Turkish government with the following demands:
1. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
2. Total reparations for Armenian losses in human lives and human rights.
3. The immediate return of churches, monasteries, church properties, and all religious and cultural sites to their rightful and legal owners, the Armenian people.

As we pray for the memory of our victims of the Genocide, we condemn all violent acts against God-given human lives, all assaults on human dignity, and all acts that disrupt peaceful co-existence, because “God is a God not of disorder but of peace,” (I Corinthians 14:33), who invites people to love, to live together, and cooperate in peace and harmony.

We remember with gratitude all those people and governments who during the Genocide sheltered the deported Armenians and showed care and brotherly love toward them.

The Armenian people will always remain grateful to all those governments, who driven by their principles of compassion and justice, have condemned and officially recognized the Armenian Genocide.

On the threshold of the 100th Anniversary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, we shall work together to achieve the demands of the Armenian people in the name of justice and in defense of the rights of the Armenian people.
April 24, 2013

Karekin II
Catholicos of All Armenians
Etchmidadzin, Armenia

Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia
Antelias, Lebanon