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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
October 14, 2004
___________________
UNITED NATIONS COMMUNITY WELCOMED AT ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL
By Jake Goshert
With drums and energetic voices, the Yared Ethiopian Choir welcomed the
Holy Spirit. In Syriac, the Syrian clergy offered the Lord's Prayer and
other prayers for peace. Those in the congregation spoke with many
toungues, but all had come to New York City's St. Vartan Cathedral on
Tuesday, October 12, 2004, for one purpose: to pray for peace.
"We come today to witness as Orthodox Christians to our respective
communities, and to the world at large," said Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean
of St. Vartan Cathedral, as he welcomed about 250 people to the 4th
annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community. "We
are here to say we are part of this greater community, and it is for the
world and for peace that we come together to offer our prayers."
Organized this year by the Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church for
the Eastern United States, the event brought together the Oriental
Orthodox churches -- the Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Malankara, and
Syrian -- with their Eastern Orthodox sister churches -- Albanian,
American Carpatho-Russian, Antiochian, Bulgarian, Greek, Orthodox Church
in America, Romanian, Serbian, and Ukrainian.
The annual event is designed to promote a pan-Orthodox voice in the
international community. Dozens of U.N. ambassadors from around the
world were in attendance at the service, which was dedicated this year
to overcoming violence in the world.
"As Christians, we are called upon to be peacemakers," said Metropolitan
Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Archbishop of the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese
for the Eastern United States. "By virtue of our baptism, we are given
the charge to deliver His good news of peace, which He promised to those
who followed His word."
Guest speakers from the U.N. community included Kaha Chitaia, deputy
permanent representative of Georgia to the United Nations and Ambassador
Teruneh Zenna, deputy permanent representative of Ethiopia to the United
Nations. They spoke of the role religious organizations play in
promoting world peace.
"Religion should serve to promote peace and understanding," Ambassador
Zenna said. "But we should not forget that if misused, religion can
serve a destructive end as well."
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a personal message to the group
via his personal representative, Undersecretary-General Giandomenico
Picco.
"We need more than ever the contribution of men and women of faith to
extend and promote dialogue," read the statement. "It is assuring to
know you've gathered in celebration of your commitment to overcome
violence in the world. There has never been a more pressing need for us
to promote greater tolerance and understanding of all people in the
world."
The U.N. Orthodox prayer evening is organized annually by the Joint
Commission of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, the broadest forum
of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox cooperation in North America.
Established in 1996 by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox
Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and the Standing Conference of Oriental
Orthodox Churches in America (SCOOCH), the commission works to promote
dialogue, organize joint educational initiatives, and provide a common
voice on political, social, and moral issues.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), and Bishop Dimitrios, of the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America, serve as co-chairmen of the commission.
"It is important that we all come together as children of the Lord.
Only through such dialogue and togetherness can we bring about peace,"
Archbishop Barsamian said.
Earlier in the day the Primate and Bishop Vicken Aykazian, diocesan
legate and ecumenical officer, welcomed to the Diocese for a reception
in his honor Mor Gregorius Yohanna Ibrahim, the Syrian Orthodox Church
leader in Aleppo, Syria.
-- 10/14/04
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): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), reads a prayer during the
4th annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community at
St. Vartan Cathedral on October 12, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical
officer of the Eastern Diocese, reads a prayer during the Orthodox
Prayer Service for the U.N. Community at New York City's St. Vartan
Cathedral on Tuesday, October 12, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Clergy from 14 Orthodox churches -- including Fr.
Simeon Odabashian, pastor of the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of
Providence, RI, second from right -- took part in the U.N. prayer
service organized by the Joint Commission of Eastern and Oriental
Orthodox Churches.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Leaders from the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox
churches gather at the altar of the St. Vartan Cathedral in New York
City following the 4th annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United
Nations Community on Tuesday, October 12, 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
October 14, 2004
___________________
UNITED NATIONS COMMUNITY WELCOMED AT ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL
By Jake Goshert
With drums and energetic voices, the Yared Ethiopian Choir welcomed the
Holy Spirit. In Syriac, the Syrian clergy offered the Lord's Prayer and
other prayers for peace. Those in the congregation spoke with many
toungues, but all had come to New York City's St. Vartan Cathedral on
Tuesday, October 12, 2004, for one purpose: to pray for peace.
"We come today to witness as Orthodox Christians to our respective
communities, and to the world at large," said Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean
of St. Vartan Cathedral, as he welcomed about 250 people to the 4th
annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community. "We
are here to say we are part of this greater community, and it is for the
world and for peace that we come together to offer our prayers."
Organized this year by the Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church for
the Eastern United States, the event brought together the Oriental
Orthodox churches -- the Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Malankara, and
Syrian -- with their Eastern Orthodox sister churches -- Albanian,
American Carpatho-Russian, Antiochian, Bulgarian, Greek, Orthodox Church
in America, Romanian, Serbian, and Ukrainian.
The annual event is designed to promote a pan-Orthodox voice in the
international community. Dozens of U.N. ambassadors from around the
world were in attendance at the service, which was dedicated this year
to overcoming violence in the world.
"As Christians, we are called upon to be peacemakers," said Metropolitan
Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Archbishop of the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese
for the Eastern United States. "By virtue of our baptism, we are given
the charge to deliver His good news of peace, which He promised to those
who followed His word."
Guest speakers from the U.N. community included Kaha Chitaia, deputy
permanent representative of Georgia to the United Nations and Ambassador
Teruneh Zenna, deputy permanent representative of Ethiopia to the United
Nations. They spoke of the role religious organizations play in
promoting world peace.
"Religion should serve to promote peace and understanding," Ambassador
Zenna said. "But we should not forget that if misused, religion can
serve a destructive end as well."
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a personal message to the group
via his personal representative, Undersecretary-General Giandomenico
Picco.
"We need more than ever the contribution of men and women of faith to
extend and promote dialogue," read the statement. "It is assuring to
know you've gathered in celebration of your commitment to overcome
violence in the world. There has never been a more pressing need for us
to promote greater tolerance and understanding of all people in the
world."
The U.N. Orthodox prayer evening is organized annually by the Joint
Commission of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, the broadest forum
of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox cooperation in North America.
Established in 1996 by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox
Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and the Standing Conference of Oriental
Orthodox Churches in America (SCOOCH), the commission works to promote
dialogue, organize joint educational initiatives, and provide a common
voice on political, social, and moral issues.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), and Bishop Dimitrios, of the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America, serve as co-chairmen of the commission.
"It is important that we all come together as children of the Lord.
Only through such dialogue and togetherness can we bring about peace,"
Archbishop Barsamian said.
Earlier in the day the Primate and Bishop Vicken Aykazian, diocesan
legate and ecumenical officer, welcomed to the Diocese for a reception
in his honor Mor Gregorius Yohanna Ibrahim, the Syrian Orthodox Church
leader in Aleppo, Syria.
-- 10/14/04
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): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), reads a prayer during the
4th annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community at
St. Vartan Cathedral on October 12, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical
officer of the Eastern Diocese, reads a prayer during the Orthodox
Prayer Service for the U.N. Community at New York City's St. Vartan
Cathedral on Tuesday, October 12, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Clergy from 14 Orthodox churches -- including Fr.
Simeon Odabashian, pastor of the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of
Providence, RI, second from right -- took part in the U.N. prayer
service organized by the Joint Commission of Eastern and Oriental
Orthodox Churches.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Leaders from the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox
churches gather at the altar of the St. Vartan Cathedral in New York
City following the 4th annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United
Nations Community on Tuesday, October 12, 2004.
# # #