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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
July 19, 2004
___________________
PRIMATE VISITS WITH YOUNG LEADERS
Young people from Massachusetts to Michigan to Texas -- as well as from
California, Canada, Armenia, England, France, Brazil, and Switzerland --
who are spending the summer interning in New York City as part of a
program organized by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)
visited St. Vartan Cathedral and met with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Diocese, on Thursday, July 15, 2004.
"I feel religion is what keeps the Armenian community together," said
the organizer of the AGBU summer intern program in New York City, Aline
Ekmekji. "This is one thing young people need to be exposed to."
The 34 interns work at a variety of locations, from the United Nations
and the office of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to Revlon and
Bloomingdale's corporate offices. During their visit to the Diocesan
Center on Thursday, July 15, 2004, they toured the St. Vartan Cathedral
with Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of the cathedral, before sitting down to
dinner with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese.
During the dinner, the primate spoke with the interns in a dialogue that
touched on topics such as the restoration of churches in Armenia, clergy
recruitment, college ministry, internet communications efforts, and
marriage to non-Armenians.
"This is your home," the Primate told the interns, encouraging them to
attend services at the cathedral while in New York. "Wherever you see
an Armenian Church, I hope you feel that you are at home. Because the
Armenian Church belongs to all of us."
For the interns, the summer is not just about getting job experience,
but about joining other Armenians in fellowship and an exploration of
their faith and heritage.
"I feel it is very important to be a part of an Armenian internship
program," said Arineh Babajanian, a finance student at the University of
Houston who is interning with AXA Financial. "Being from Houston, which
does not have a large Armenian community, I feel I am becoming closer to
my Armenian community and religion."
-- 7/19/04
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website,
www.armenianchurch.org.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral
in New York City, talk with the AGBU summer interns during their tour of
the cathedral on July 15, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, greats the AGBU interns following a dinner discussion during
their visit to the Diocesan Center in New York City on July 15, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): The Primate welcomed 34 AGBU interns to the Eastern
Diocesan Center on Thursday, July 15, 2004.
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
July 19, 2004
___________________
PRIMATE VISITS WITH YOUNG LEADERS
Young people from Massachusetts to Michigan to Texas -- as well as from
California, Canada, Armenia, England, France, Brazil, and Switzerland --
who are spending the summer interning in New York City as part of a
program organized by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)
visited St. Vartan Cathedral and met with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Diocese, on Thursday, July 15, 2004.
"I feel religion is what keeps the Armenian community together," said
the organizer of the AGBU summer intern program in New York City, Aline
Ekmekji. "This is one thing young people need to be exposed to."
The 34 interns work at a variety of locations, from the United Nations
and the office of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to Revlon and
Bloomingdale's corporate offices. During their visit to the Diocesan
Center on Thursday, July 15, 2004, they toured the St. Vartan Cathedral
with Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of the cathedral, before sitting down to
dinner with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese.
During the dinner, the primate spoke with the interns in a dialogue that
touched on topics such as the restoration of churches in Armenia, clergy
recruitment, college ministry, internet communications efforts, and
marriage to non-Armenians.
"This is your home," the Primate told the interns, encouraging them to
attend services at the cathedral while in New York. "Wherever you see
an Armenian Church, I hope you feel that you are at home. Because the
Armenian Church belongs to all of us."
For the interns, the summer is not just about getting job experience,
but about joining other Armenians in fellowship and an exploration of
their faith and heritage.
"I feel it is very important to be a part of an Armenian internship
program," said Arineh Babajanian, a finance student at the University of
Houston who is interning with AXA Financial. "Being from Houston, which
does not have a large Armenian community, I feel I am becoming closer to
my Armenian community and religion."
-- 7/19/04
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website,
www.armenianchurch.org.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral
in New York City, talk with the AGBU summer interns during their tour of
the cathedral on July 15, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, greats the AGBU interns following a dinner discussion during
their visit to the Diocesan Center in New York City on July 15, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): The Primate welcomed 34 AGBU interns to the Eastern
Diocesan Center on Thursday, July 15, 2004.