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Opening Ceremonies for 1700 Celebration
At Holy Etchmiadzin
Sunday, December 31, 2000 to Monday, January 1, 2001
At St. Vartan Cathedral
Saturday, January 6, 2001
At Your Local Parish
Sunday, January 14, 2001
At Holy Etchmiadzin
Sunday, December 31, 2000 to Monday, January 1, 2001
His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, has invited the
heads of the hierarchical seas of the Armenian Church and all the Diocesan
primates to Holy Etchmiadzin on December 29. One male and one female representative,
aged 18 to 28, of each diocese will accompany their bishop or primate.
At the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2000-New Year's Eve-the Catholicos of all Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, will light a torch at Khor Virab in Armenia: site of St. Gregory the Illuminator's imprisonment. The Catholicos will then travel in procession to Holy Etchmiadzin, where he will light a lantern on the Altar of Descent.
Around Vehapar will be the diocesan primates of the worldwide Armenian Church, each accompanied by a pair of youth representatives from their own diocese. After lighting the lantern with the flame from Khor Virab, Vehapar will light a similar lantern for each diocese; these in turn will be transported back to the various home dioceses by the primates and their youth representatives.
The idea is to have the symbolic "Light of St. Gregory" passed from the source of our faith and heritage-Holy Etchmiadzin-to each diocesan center, and finally to every local Armenian parish and home, to inaugurate the 1700th anniversary celebration.
At St. Vartan Cathedral
Saturday, January 6, 2001
The primate will invite two young people from each parish to St. Vartan Cathedral to participate in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ and the "Receiving the Light" ceremony.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, there will be a special service presided over by the primate, during which he will "pass the light" to the young representatives. The primate will present each parish youth representative-a boy and a girl, aged 18 to 28-with a lantern. The two young representatives who brought the light from Armenia will then pass along the flame of their lanterns to the parish representatives.
At Your Local Parish
Sunday, January 14, 2001
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in each parish, the pastor or presiding clergy will conduct a special "Receiving the Light" ceremony. Each person present at the service will be invited to light a special candle (to be provided by the Diocese) from the lantern brought from St. Vartan Cathedral (whose flame originated at Khor Virab).
A video presentation of the ceremony at Khor Virab will be shown following the Divine Liturgy, in the church hall.
The parish lantern will remain lit throughout the year 2001.
Video presentation of Opening Ceremonies at Khor Virab
(To be provided to each parish)
Feast of the Sons & Grandsons of
St. Gregory the Illuminator
Sunday, February 4, 2001
Divine Liturgy
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Background-St. Gregory the Illuminator
Divine Liturgy
Sermon should be based on the Feast of the Sons and Grandsons of St. Gregory
the Illuminator.
A special service will take place following the Divine Liturgy to commemorate the Feast of the Sons and Grandsons of St. Gregory the Illuminator.
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Ask one of the parish organizations to sponsor the program by inviting a guest speaker who may be chosen from the Zohrab Information Center list.
Organize a children's quiz show
Background-St. Gregory the Illuminator
The Feast of St. Gregory's commitment to the pit is at present a day of pilgrim-age to Khor Virab in the Republic of Armenia. During the night and morning liturgical hours on that day special hymns dedicated to St. Gregory's commit-ment to the pit are chanted in all of our churches throughout the world. These hymns, grouped together as a "canon," are attributed to the thirteenth century theologian and poet Hovhannes Bluz Vartabed of Erzinjan.
Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator's Commitment
to the Pit
Sunday, April 1, 2001
Divine Liturgy
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Divine Liturgy
Sermon should be based on the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator's Commitment to the Pit
A special service will take place following the Divine Liturgy to commemorate the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator's Commitment to the Pit.
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Ask one of the parish organizations to host a candlelight bread and water luncheon. Turn off all the lights; use only candles. The spare meal and dimness should evoke a sense of St. Gregory's commitment. For thirteen years in the pit, St. Gregory subsisted in very dimly lit conditions on only bread and water and his strong faith.
Charge $5 to $10 (or ask for a contribution) for the bread and water lunch and donate the proceeds to the Sister Parish program.
Invite a guest speaker to speak on "Stewardship"
Women Saints Day
St. Ashkhen & St. Khosrovitukht
Saturday, March 17, 2001
This year's regional observances organized by the Women's Guild Central Council will celebrate the lives and contributions of St. Ashkhen and St. Khosrovitukht.
Church Service
Luncheon & Program
Church Service
Full Service will be posted soon.
Luncheon & Program
Host Women's Guild chapter in each region will invite
a guest speaker who may be chosen from Speakers List
The Department of Religious Education is preparing a
booklet about
St. Ashkhen and St. Khosrovitukht for participants.
Feast of the Holy Translators
Sunday, October 14, 2001
Divine Liturgy
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Divine Liturgy
Sermon should focus on the importance of Holy Translators
in the life of the Armenian Church. Following the Divine Liturgy, there
will be a special service.
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Ask one of the parish organizations to arrange the luncheon and sponsor
the program by inviting a guest speaker
Read the "1700 Celebration Pledge"
Announce the winner of the essay contest.
Show the videotape of the June pilgrimage, "In the Footsteps of St. Gregory the Illuminator," in the church hall. E-mail info@armeniandiocese.org to obtain a copy of the video.
Ecumenical Service
October 2001
During the month of October, organize an ecumenical service in your parish or region. A text for the service will be provided. The service may take place in an Armenian or non-Armenian church. Choose your venue to reach and include all denominations.
Prepare a list of all non-Armenian area clergy and form a committee. The sermon theme should be "The Contribution of Armenian Christians to Society and to the World."
Spirit of the 1700 Anniversary Ceremony
Sunday, December 30, 2001
The special ceremony-dedicated to keeping the spirit of the 1700th Anniversary of Armenia's Christianization alive-is designed to remind us of our year of celebration, and of our commitment to the spirit of St. Gregory, so that we may Continue Growing in the Light.
Divine Liturgy
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Divine Liturgy
Sermon should be based on the spirit of the yearlong celebration and carrying our renewed faith with us throughout the 21st century.
Luncheon & Program at Church Hall
Ask one of the parish organizations to sponsor the program by inviting a guest speaker
Memorial Day Weekend Celebrations
in New York City
Wednesday to Monday, May 23 to 28, 2001
List of Events
Hrashapar Service at St. Vartan Cathedral to welcome
His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians
Wednesday, May 23, 2001
Clergy Retreat with His Holiness
Thursday, May 24, 2001
ACYOA Assembly
Thursday evening & Friday, May 24-25, 2001
ACYOA Sports Weekend
Saturday & Sunday, May 26-27, 2001
Hye Hope Walkathon, Central
Park (East Meadow), Saturday, May 26, 2001
Saturday, May 26, 2001
Divine Liturgy - Celebrant: His Holiness Karekin II
Sunday morning, May 27, 2001
Banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Sunday evening, May 27, 2001
Farewell Breakfast on the St. Vartan Cathedral Plaza
Monday, May 28, 2001
We urge every Armenian to attend these celebrations. Your participation is vital to perpetuating and growing the strength of the Armenian Church.
St. Leon Armenian Church ACYOA Juniors Plan Sport and
Spiritual Renewal Weekend for Memorial Day Weekend
May 25-28 200
The
ACYOA Juniors of St. Leon Armenian Church of Fair Lawn, NJ will be hosting
Sports and Spiritual Renewal Weekend over Memorial Day Weekend (May 25-28,2001).
"Our
ACYOA Juniors Chapter was asked by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian
to host this unique event in conjunction with the observance of the 1700th
anniversary of the Christianization of Armenia and the visit by
His Holiness Karekin ll, Catholicos of all Armenians, to our Diocese,"
announced Reverend Father Diran Bohajian, Pastor of St Leon Armenian Church.
In
addition to the athletic competitions typical of a traditional Sports
Weekend, the participants in this year's Sports and Spiritual Weekend
will take part in two landmark services in New York City's Central Park:
on Saturday, they will attend the Spiritual Renewal service presided over
by His Holiness; and, on Sunday, they will travel to NYC again to worship
at the outdoor Divine Liturgy to be held in Central Park.
Social
opportunities will also be abundant in the roster of events for the weekend:
from the arrival reception on Friday, to the Saturday night dance, a Sunday
night banquet and dance, and, finally, a farewell breakfast on Monday.
"An
enthusiastic and hard-working committee has been organized to make sure
this is a memorable weekend for all the participants," said Father
Bohajian, "fitting of this extraordinary year in the history of our
Faith."
Registered ACYOA Juniors should receive invitations to the Sports and Spiritual Renewal Weekend early in March. Further information may be obtained from the local parish or ACYOA advisor or by phoning St. Leon Armenian Church (201) 791-2862.
Concert Tour
October and November 2001
The 1700 Anniversary Celebration Committee is in the process of inviting
The Komitas Chamber Choir of Armenia, associated with the Komitas
State Conservatory of Yerevan, for the period of October and November
of 2001. The 25-member chorus
will sing under the baton of its dynamic conductor, Professor Hovhannes
Mirzoyan.
In addition to the choral selections, the program will feature instrumental and vocal soloists performing works based exclusively on liturgical chants of the Armenian Church. The innovative program consisting of familiar melodies but including a few new works created on this occasion as well is designed around the nine liturgical hours of the Armenian Church. It will feature musical versions of the "Hayr Mer," composed by a number of musicians, as well as arrangements of well-known sharagans by the likes of Yekmalian, Komitas, Hovhannes, Yardumian, Harutunian, Apcar (whose Badarak, published in India in the 1880s, served as the model to Komitas' own Divine Liturgy), Manas, Mekanejian, Chilingirian, Arzruni and others.
It is suggested that the celebratory concert should take place in a large sanctuary where there is a suitable pipe organ and where a concert series is already being presented. In doing so, Armenian music can also be disseminated among general music lovers and might attract the greater media attention. It is also suggested that the organist of the selected sanctuary is engaged to play a work by an Armenian composer.
A complete itinerary of the concert tour will be posted here later in 2001.
1700th Anniversary Celebration
As part of the 1700th Anniversary celebration, the Diocese will hold two full day events examining the past, present, and future of the Church.
Armenian Christianization Symposium, September 22, 2001
The Armenian Church in the 21st Century: Modernization and the Need to Revive the Faith of St. Vartan Conference, March 31, 2001
For more information, contact info@armeniandiocese.org