The Senior Citizens Group of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City, enjoyed their 8th annual indoor picnic, under the auspices of Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor. About fifty seniors and guests gathered at the Cathedral’s John Pashalian Hall and enjoyed fellowship, delicious homemade food, and good Armenian music.
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian with the Cathedral’s seniors group and guests.
Last Sunday, June 10, Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar, presided over the Divine Liturgy at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York. Following the Liturgy and the 40th day requiem service for Aris Sevag, the Vicar celebrated the Blessing of Water ceremony using the relic of St. John the Baptist, whose feast day in the Armenian liturgical calendar was last Thursday.
Bishop Anoushavan conducts the Blessing of the Water ceremony at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral. From left to right, Dikran Kabarajian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Bishop Anoushavan, Deacon Shant Kazanjian, and Deacon Hagop Ghajanian.
On Sunday, June 3, students and teachers of St. Illuminator’s Sunday school gathered in the church hall and presented their donation to the Prelacy of funds they raised for the Nor Giligia project. Nor Giligia is a village in Artsakh whose renovation is being sponsored by the Holy See of Cilicia. The Eastern Prelacy has agreed to sponsor the cost of building four new homes. As parents and parishioners looked on, the students gave Deacon Shant Kazanjian, the director of the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council, an envelope containing $500 that they had collected through various means for this cause. The money will be presented to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, during his pontifical visit to the Eastern Prelacy in October.
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York, with students and teachers of the Sunday school as the money they raised for the Nor Giligia project is presented to Deacon Shant Kazanjian.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian at the opening session of the 36th annual assembly of the Hamazkayin Cultural Association that took place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City, May 18.
The Pastor and the Delegates of St. Illuminatos’ Cathedral attended this past weekend the 2012 National Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church of Providence, Rhode Island.
The 43rd annual student competition of the Armenian Saturday and Day schools, organized by the literary committee of Hamazkayin in New York, took place on Saturday, May 5th at St. Illuminator’s school.
The participating schools were Holy Martyrs Day and Saturday schools, St. Illuminator’s Day school , St Sarkis Saturday school and Nareg Saturday school.
A total of 45 students participated.
The competition includes for , Saturday schools grades 1-4, the meaning of the Armenian words for their English equivalents and for grades 1-4, Day schools, spelling of Armenian words . Two separate lists of general questions about knowledge of various Armenian topics such as history, geography, poetry, name and location of monuments, famous Armenians.. etc. is provided to Saturday and Day schools, grades 4-5. Power point presentation accompanies the questions whenever appropriate.
Certificates and gifts were given to all participants and additional gifts to those who answered all questions accurately.
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, efficiently conducted the competition with a touch of humor, pleasing and educating every one.