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Pasadena Star-News, CA
July 26 2005
Church's new sanctuary to tower over Colorado Boulevard
By Emanuel Parker , Staff Writer
PASADENA -- The steel-framed sanctuary of St. Gregory The Illuminator
Armenian Church is rising high above East Colorado Boulevard, its
dome soaring above the traffic on the city's main street.
The new sanctuary will replace one adjacent to it that has been in
use 40 years. Pasadena's growing Armenian population and increased
parish activities made it clear a bigger church was needed,
parishioners say.
The church has been in Pasadena since 1948, first on Michigan Avenue
and then at the Colorado location on the corner of Craig Avenue.
The architect is John Byram of Pasadena, working with consultant Mike
Geragos.
Gary Gagik Pogosian , the general contractor with Badamyan
Construction, said the new sanctuary will be a traditional Armenian
church, built in the shape of a cross with a dome in the center. The
sanctuary also will have a bell tower over the main entrance.
"It will be in traditional Armenian style, covered with traditional
Armenian materials imported from Armenia, and built by Armenian
craftsmen,' said Nicholas Lambajian , the sanctuary building
chairman.
He said it will be the largest Armenian church in Southern California
and that the dome, topped by a seven-foot cross, will be more than 94
feet tall, making it the tallest church on Colorado Boulevard.
The rear of the church will face Colorado while the front will face a
parking lot.
Pogosian said the building will enclose more than 16,000 square feet
and include the sanctuary, which will seat more than 600 worshippers,
plus a bridal room, trustees room, choir room and a balcony.
A full basement will house a kitchen, bathrooms, conference and
storage rooms.
The church has a core membership of several hundred members, but for
special annual celebrations visitors from San Bernardino and as far
away as Fresno can swell that number to between 1,500 and 2,000
people, Pogosian said.
The church's original budget was around $2.2 million, but with
additions and changes the final cost will be close to $3 million, he
said. The church is scheduled for completion by year's end.
The foundation stones for the church were laid April 25 last year
during an elaborate ceremony presided over by the denomination's
primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian .
"The consecration of the corner stones for the new church is also the
consecration of our spiritual lives ... a rebirth in our spiritual
lives,' Derderian said at the ceremony.
Shoghig Giragosian , the parish council vice chairman, said the
Armenian Church is 1,700 years old and has survived several periods
of persecution.
"The rebuilding of this church shows that at this day and age, not
only has our nation and people survived, but so has our church, and
it came back stronger and better,' she said.
July 26 2005
Church's new sanctuary to tower over Colorado Boulevard
By Emanuel Parker , Staff Writer
PASADENA -- The steel-framed sanctuary of St. Gregory The Illuminator
Armenian Church is rising high above East Colorado Boulevard, its
dome soaring above the traffic on the city's main street.
The new sanctuary will replace one adjacent to it that has been in
use 40 years. Pasadena's growing Armenian population and increased
parish activities made it clear a bigger church was needed,
parishioners say.
The church has been in Pasadena since 1948, first on Michigan Avenue
and then at the Colorado location on the corner of Craig Avenue.
The architect is John Byram of Pasadena, working with consultant Mike
Geragos.
Gary Gagik Pogosian , the general contractor with Badamyan
Construction, said the new sanctuary will be a traditional Armenian
church, built in the shape of a cross with a dome in the center. The
sanctuary also will have a bell tower over the main entrance.
"It will be in traditional Armenian style, covered with traditional
Armenian materials imported from Armenia, and built by Armenian
craftsmen,' said Nicholas Lambajian , the sanctuary building
chairman.
He said it will be the largest Armenian church in Southern California
and that the dome, topped by a seven-foot cross, will be more than 94
feet tall, making it the tallest church on Colorado Boulevard.
The rear of the church will face Colorado while the front will face a
parking lot.
Pogosian said the building will enclose more than 16,000 square feet
and include the sanctuary, which will seat more than 600 worshippers,
plus a bridal room, trustees room, choir room and a balcony.
A full basement will house a kitchen, bathrooms, conference and
storage rooms.
The church has a core membership of several hundred members, but for
special annual celebrations visitors from San Bernardino and as far
away as Fresno can swell that number to between 1,500 and 2,000
people, Pogosian said.
The church's original budget was around $2.2 million, but with
additions and changes the final cost will be close to $3 million, he
said. The church is scheduled for completion by year's end.
The foundation stones for the church were laid April 25 last year
during an elaborate ceremony presided over by the denomination's
primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian .
"The consecration of the corner stones for the new church is also the
consecration of our spiritual lives ... a rebirth in our spiritual
lives,' Derderian said at the ceremony.
Shoghig Giragosian , the parish council vice chairman, said the
Armenian Church is 1,700 years old and has survived several periods
of persecution.
"The rebuilding of this church shows that at this day and age, not
only has our nation and people survived, but so has our church, and
it came back stronger and better,' she said.