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ARMENIAN CHURCH BISHOP VISITS YELLOWKNIFE
Elizabeth McMillan
Northern News Services
Monday, January 25, 2010
ishop Bagrat Galstanian of the Armenian Church of Canada was in
Yellowknife on Jan. 19 to conduct a service commemorating a belated
Armenian Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan. 5 and 6. Artur, left,
Robert, Angelina and Narine Margaryan greet him at the entrance of St.
Patrick's Catholic Parish where Galstanian held an Armenian Church
service last week. - Elizabeth McMillan/NNSL photo
Far-flung flock
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The sweet smell of 75 different types of
flowers wafts from a vial of Holy Muran or Holy Oil that Bishop Bagrat
Galstanian prepares to use in his service.
"It's the only remaining substance from our historical past. It has a
huge, major significance in national life because it's the bond that
keeps Armenians together," he explains.
Galstanian, primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada,
was in Yellowknife on Jan. 19 to conduct a special service in honour
of Armenian Christmas. Like the Holy Muran he brought, the bishop
drew the Armenian diaspora together.
A familiar face to parishioners, he greeted people by name, stooping
to hug children and kiss their foreheads.
"It has been our mission to reach out to them, to make them feel
that even though geographically they live far away from our major
communities in Canada ... they are part of our community ... and
they're not (missing) the sacraments and the communion," said
Galstanian.
The church has 15 parishes around Canada, but none in the NWT or
Alberta. Galstanian, who is based in Montreal, visited the cities of
Calgary, Edmonton and Yellowknife last week.
For almost a decade, Armenians have been working and living in
Yellowknife but they have no established parish in the city. There
are approximately 60 Armenian immigrants living in the Yellowknife,
many of whom work in the diamond industry. Tuesday night's service
was an opportunity for people to speak in their native language and
gather with members of their community.
"We want to stress the importance of celebrating our feast days in
their daily lives. It's not only a spiritual visit to them, it's also
to get to know them, to see the families, to get to know the families
that were born here," said Galstanian. "It brings the community
together. I don't know the last time they were gathered together."
Hrant Babasyan said he was looking forward to seeing Galstanian again
because it brought people together. He said in cities like Montreal,
there are thousands of Armenians, but in Yellowknife, where there isn't
even a parish, it's more difficult to bring the community together.
"It's for the spiritual, not only the physical," said Babasyan,
who came to Yellowknife in 2000.
"It's an inspirational moment for me," Galstanian said. "When I
visit them I see their lives here. We don't see each other often,
but I want to see them spiritually healthy and sound."
It was his fifth visit since 2004.
The service was held at St. Patrick's Catholic Parish and more than
a dozen families attended. Because the Armenian Church is orthodox,
many beliefs differ from the Roman Catholic Church, though some members
of the community do attend services there, as they do elsewhere.
At the entrance of the nave, a cross-stone, or Khachkar, an inlaid
cross depicting the risen Christ, etches out a space for the Armenian
faith, even after the bishop has left.
Elizabeth McMillan
Northern News Services
Monday, January 25, 2010
ishop Bagrat Galstanian of the Armenian Church of Canada was in
Yellowknife on Jan. 19 to conduct a service commemorating a belated
Armenian Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan. 5 and 6. Artur, left,
Robert, Angelina and Narine Margaryan greet him at the entrance of St.
Patrick's Catholic Parish where Galstanian held an Armenian Church
service last week. - Elizabeth McMillan/NNSL photo
Far-flung flock
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The sweet smell of 75 different types of
flowers wafts from a vial of Holy Muran or Holy Oil that Bishop Bagrat
Galstanian prepares to use in his service.
"It's the only remaining substance from our historical past. It has a
huge, major significance in national life because it's the bond that
keeps Armenians together," he explains.
Galstanian, primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada,
was in Yellowknife on Jan. 19 to conduct a special service in honour
of Armenian Christmas. Like the Holy Muran he brought, the bishop
drew the Armenian diaspora together.
A familiar face to parishioners, he greeted people by name, stooping
to hug children and kiss their foreheads.
"It has been our mission to reach out to them, to make them feel
that even though geographically they live far away from our major
communities in Canada ... they are part of our community ... and
they're not (missing) the sacraments and the communion," said
Galstanian.
The church has 15 parishes around Canada, but none in the NWT or
Alberta. Galstanian, who is based in Montreal, visited the cities of
Calgary, Edmonton and Yellowknife last week.
For almost a decade, Armenians have been working and living in
Yellowknife but they have no established parish in the city. There
are approximately 60 Armenian immigrants living in the Yellowknife,
many of whom work in the diamond industry. Tuesday night's service
was an opportunity for people to speak in their native language and
gather with members of their community.
"We want to stress the importance of celebrating our feast days in
their daily lives. It's not only a spiritual visit to them, it's also
to get to know them, to see the families, to get to know the families
that were born here," said Galstanian. "It brings the community
together. I don't know the last time they were gathered together."
Hrant Babasyan said he was looking forward to seeing Galstanian again
because it brought people together. He said in cities like Montreal,
there are thousands of Armenians, but in Yellowknife, where there isn't
even a parish, it's more difficult to bring the community together.
"It's for the spiritual, not only the physical," said Babasyan,
who came to Yellowknife in 2000.
"It's an inspirational moment for me," Galstanian said. "When I
visit them I see their lives here. We don't see each other often,
but I want to see them spiritually healthy and sound."
It was his fifth visit since 2004.
The service was held at St. Patrick's Catholic Parish and more than
a dozen families attended. Because the Armenian Church is orthodox,
many beliefs differ from the Roman Catholic Church, though some members
of the community do attend services there, as they do elsewhere.
At the entrance of the nave, a cross-stone, or Khachkar, an inlaid
cross depicting the risen Christ, etches out a space for the Armenian
faith, even after the bishop has left.