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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.armenianchurch-ed.net
December 16, 2011
_______________________________________________
FR. SHNORK KASPARIAN: 50 YEARS OF SERVICE
The Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Church of Belleville, Ill., hosted an
exciting weekend centered on celebrating the 50th ordination anniversary of
longtime parish pastor (and current visiting pastor) the Very Rev. Fr.
Shnork Kasparian.
Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian presided over the gala banquet
at the Cedars Ballroom in, St. Louis, Mo., on Friday, December 9, which was
also attended by honored clergy including Bishop Robert Shaheen, the
Maronite Eparchial Bishop of Our Lady of Lebanon Eparchy, and the Very Rev.
Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of Chicago's St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian
Church.
Nearly 100 people attended, including guests who had traveled from New York,
Canada, and Chicago to honor Fr. Kasparian. Mark Marifian and Adrienne
Krikorian served as Masters of Ceremony. Tributes and congratulatory letters
presented included those from U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and from clergy
throughout the United States. A video tribute spanning Fr. Kasparian's life,
prepared by George and Nina Marifian, was also shown.
Archbishop Barsamian addressed the gathering, sharing his experiences with
Fr. Shnork, and emphasizing the piety of this humble servant of the Lord. He
also presented the honoree with an Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II,
the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, which Fr. Aren
Jebejian read to a standing audience.
At last, Fr. Kasparian reflected on his many years of service, expressing
thanks to people around the world to whom he had ministered. To conclude the
program, parish council chairman George Marifian presented Fr. Kasparian
with a new laptop computer from the parish.
As part of the banquet, Archbishop Barsamian presented diplomas to the
parish's recent Sunday School graduates: Erik Stryshak, Adrienne Krikorian,
Gabrielle Krikorian, Gregory Marifian, and Mark Marifian.
The anniversary organizing committee, co-chaired by Raffi Krikorian and Jane
Matoesian, included committee members Lisa Bedian, Caroline Kernan, Lydia
Kachigian Krikorian, Adrienne Krikorian, Mark Marifian, Nina Marifian, Rose
Nersesian, Tamara Noubarian, and Arleen Stryshak, assisted by parish council
chair George Marifian.
A native of Alexandra, Egypt, Fr. Kasparian studied at the St. James
Armenian Seminary of Jerusalem, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961.
He served in Brazil and Uruguay prior to arriving in the Eastern Diocese,
where he continued his theological studies at Marquette University in
Milwaukee, Wis., and was assigned to serve at St. John the Baptist Church in
Greenfield, Wis.
In 1969, he was invited by His Holiness Vasken I, the late Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of all Armenians, to serve as the dean of the theological
seminary at Holy Etchmiadzin. He returned to the Eastern Diocese in 1972,
and went on to serve in Worcester, Mass., Providence, R.I., Milwaukee, Wis.,
and Belleville, Ill.
Fr. Kasparian has also served in the Canadian Diocese, at the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople, and at the Armenian Patriarchate of
Jerusalem.
###
Photo attached: Archbishop Barsamian presents Fr. Shnork Kasparian with an
Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II.
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.armenianchurch-ed.net
December 16, 2011
_______________________________________________
FR. SHNORK KASPARIAN: 50 YEARS OF SERVICE
The Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Church of Belleville, Ill., hosted an
exciting weekend centered on celebrating the 50th ordination anniversary of
longtime parish pastor (and current visiting pastor) the Very Rev. Fr.
Shnork Kasparian.
Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian presided over the gala banquet
at the Cedars Ballroom in, St. Louis, Mo., on Friday, December 9, which was
also attended by honored clergy including Bishop Robert Shaheen, the
Maronite Eparchial Bishop of Our Lady of Lebanon Eparchy, and the Very Rev.
Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of Chicago's St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian
Church.
Nearly 100 people attended, including guests who had traveled from New York,
Canada, and Chicago to honor Fr. Kasparian. Mark Marifian and Adrienne
Krikorian served as Masters of Ceremony. Tributes and congratulatory letters
presented included those from U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and from clergy
throughout the United States. A video tribute spanning Fr. Kasparian's life,
prepared by George and Nina Marifian, was also shown.
Archbishop Barsamian addressed the gathering, sharing his experiences with
Fr. Shnork, and emphasizing the piety of this humble servant of the Lord. He
also presented the honoree with an Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II,
the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, which Fr. Aren
Jebejian read to a standing audience.
At last, Fr. Kasparian reflected on his many years of service, expressing
thanks to people around the world to whom he had ministered. To conclude the
program, parish council chairman George Marifian presented Fr. Kasparian
with a new laptop computer from the parish.
As part of the banquet, Archbishop Barsamian presented diplomas to the
parish's recent Sunday School graduates: Erik Stryshak, Adrienne Krikorian,
Gabrielle Krikorian, Gregory Marifian, and Mark Marifian.
The anniversary organizing committee, co-chaired by Raffi Krikorian and Jane
Matoesian, included committee members Lisa Bedian, Caroline Kernan, Lydia
Kachigian Krikorian, Adrienne Krikorian, Mark Marifian, Nina Marifian, Rose
Nersesian, Tamara Noubarian, and Arleen Stryshak, assisted by parish council
chair George Marifian.
A native of Alexandra, Egypt, Fr. Kasparian studied at the St. James
Armenian Seminary of Jerusalem, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961.
He served in Brazil and Uruguay prior to arriving in the Eastern Diocese,
where he continued his theological studies at Marquette University in
Milwaukee, Wis., and was assigned to serve at St. John the Baptist Church in
Greenfield, Wis.
In 1969, he was invited by His Holiness Vasken I, the late Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of all Armenians, to serve as the dean of the theological
seminary at Holy Etchmiadzin. He returned to the Eastern Diocese in 1972,
and went on to serve in Worcester, Mass., Providence, R.I., Milwaukee, Wis.,
and Belleville, Ill.
Fr. Kasparian has also served in the Canadian Diocese, at the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople, and at the Armenian Patriarchate of
Jerusalem.
###
Photo attached: Archbishop Barsamian presents Fr. Shnork Kasparian with an
Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II.