Worship, Music, Fellowship Highlight of 35th Anniversary Celebration

It's a simple collection of concrete, steel, and stone. But it is so much more than the sum of its parts.

St. Vartan Cathedral in the heart of New York City is the culmination of the dreams of many Armenians. It is the spiritual home of thousands. It is a celebration of Armenian faith, and a memorial to our strength. And on November 16, the Armenian community gathered to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the consecration of St. Vartan Cathedral, the first Armenian cathedral in the New World.

"The dream of the founders did not end with the consecration of this cathedral. That was not the end of the end, but the end of the beginning," said Jim Kalustian, who served as master of ceremonies during a celebratory banquet in the cathedral's Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium. "Their dream was that St. Vartan Cathedral would stand as an enduring symbol of the Armenian faith in America. Their dream was that future generations would look upon St. Vartan Cathedral as a spiritual home that would inspire them. Their dream came true."

The banquet was the highlight of a weekend of celebration that featured a Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop Navasard Ktshoyan, Vicar of the Ararat Pontifical Diocese in Yerevan, Armenia; the dedication of a plaque remembering the Executive Officers and Central Committee members of the Cathedral and Cultural Center Project; the ordination of four deacons; and a concert to celebrate the cathedral in song.

"The true foundations of this cathedral are not brick and stone, but rather the love and devotion, faith and sacrifice, of those first generations of Armenian Americans," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), to the more than 300 people attending the banquet. "The structure that arose from those dreams express, in symbolic ways, the unique character of our community. The architecture itself is recognizable to anyone familiar with the great tradition of Armenian Church design. But St. Vartan Cathedral is not simply an imitation of those elder churches: it is a new creation, a new expression of our classical style."

Honoring Lives of Dedication

Attending Sunday's events were several of the original godparents of the cathedral's consecration, along with family members of departed godfathers. Also, leaders who helped make St. Vartan Cathedral a reality were recognized on a new plaque that graces the exterior of the cathedral.

"St. Vartan Cathedral rose from the ground stone by stone and proclaimed to the world that the Armenian people were not dead, but were alive," His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, told the banquet via phone from the Holy Land. Archbishop Manoogian was Primate of the Eastern Diocese at the time of the cathedral's consecration.

"This enduring symbol of faith and courage is the most precious legacy we can leave future generations. It is a symbol of our determination to preserve our faith."

Honoring Lives of Dedication

The celebration of the past also made several nods to the future. The co-chairs of the celebration--David Kasparian and Gregg Najarian-- and many on the committee that helped organize events were young members of the church, mostly young children at the time of the consecration. A plaque honoring the Executive Officers and Central Council members of the Cathedral and Cultural Center Project was dedicated on the exteriror of St. Vartan Cathedral during the celebrations. Recognized on the plaque were: Joseph Chorbajian, Suren Fesjian, Dr. Vartkes Migrdichian, Dicran Missirlian, Sarkis Sarafian, Harry G. Tatosian, Marin Yazmajian and Frank C. Zotian.

The Commemorative 35th Anniversary video was produced by Robert Davidian and Chris Zakian and a lovely booklet was designed by Armen Garabedian.

The Divine Liturgy on November 16 saw four men ordained as deacons by Archbishop Barsamian. Ordained were Levon Altiparmakian, Nurhan Ezik, Arman Galstyan, and Manouel Rakoubian.