2004 Annual Report of the Travels and Activities of the Primate

What follows is a record of the activities and travels of the Diocesan Primate, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, during 2004.

Liturgical Observances and Diocesan Functions

The Primate presided over the following observances at St. Vartan Cathedral: the Feast of the Theophany and Nativity (Jan. 6); Washing of the Feet, with 12 deacons and subdeacons (Apr. 8); Easter Sunday (Apr. 11); requiem service for His Holiness Vasken I, of blessed memory, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his passing (Dec. 5).

The Primate also presided over the following observances: a children’s Christmas party at St. David, Boca Raton, FL (Jan. 3); Primate’s Christmas party at Holy Trinity, Cambridge, MA (Jan. 10); Ghevontiantz Day at St. Leon, Fair Lawn, NJ (Feb. 17); and Vartanantz Day at St. Vartan Cathedral, New York, NY (Feb. 19).

At the Diocesan Center, the Primate presided over the following: a dinner in honor of Amb. John Ordway, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia (Jan. 13); a book presentation by Kemal Yalcin, author of You Rejoice My Heart, organized by the Tekeyan Cultural Association at the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center (Apr. 15); a reception for Dr. Thomas Mathews, hosted by the Zohrab Center (Jun. 10); a dinner honoring Mr. and Mrs. Haig and Elza Didizian (Jun. 11); a luncheon honoring four employees of the Diocese for their many years of service: Sylva der Stepanian, Konrad Tjelta, Simon Balian, and George Kassis (Sep. 21); a Christmas luncheon with Diocesan Council members and Diocesan Center staff (Dec. 14).

In addition he met with: Prof. Hans Jorgen Feuler and Dr. Buchinger of the Institute for Liturgical Studies of Vienna, Austria (Jan. 2); His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and the members of the Diocesan Council (Jan. 20); Ambassador Armen Martirosyan (Jan. 20); George Bashian Jr., Fr. Garabed Kochakian, and Elise Antreassian, on the revised edition of Sacraments: The Symbols of Our Faith (Feb. 9); Anahid Bayandur of Armenia, daughter of poetess Maro Markayan (Mar. 17); Dr. Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York (Apr. 5); Andrew Goldberg, film producer (Apr. 23); Fr. Columbo Stewart, executive director of the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library of Collegeville, MN (Jun. 14); Archbishop Mar Cyril Aphrem Karim, Prelate of the Syrian Orthodox Church, and Bishop David, General Bishop of the Coptic Church (Jun. 17); newly-appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia John Evans (Oct. 1); Razmik Matosian, Minister of Religious Affairs of Armenia (Oct. 12); Mar Gregorios, Archbishop of Aleppo for the Syrian Orthodox Church, and Archbishop Mar Cyril Aphrem Karim (Oct. 12); Arch­bishop Nicholaos of the Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo regions of Georgia, and David Wagschal of OCA (Oct. 13); Ashot Ghoulian, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh, and Vartan Barseghyan, representative of Nagorno-Karabagh in Washington, DC (Oct. 22); Yuri Sargsyan, rector of the Engineering University of Yerevan, and his assistant Ruben Aghdashian (Oct. 28).  He also met with the Arkady Ghougasian, President of the Republic Nagorno-Karabagh, and Naira Melkoomian, executive director of United Armenia Fund (Nov. 16); and with Rev. Sterling Huston, representative of the Billy Graham Crusade organization (Nov. 16).

The Primate officiated at the funeral and/or wake services for: Fr. Varoujan Kabaradjian, Evanston, IL (May 8); Josephine Gulamerian, Holy Martyrs, Bayside, NY (May 24); Dr. Nikit Ordjanian, Holy Martyrs, Bayside, NY (Mar. 1); requiem service for Haigaz Tjeknavorian at the Cathedral (Jul 25); Bishop Houssig Bagdasian, St. Mary, Livingston, NJ (Aug. 2); the artist Kachaz, St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY (Aug. 18); Vehamayr Ovsanna Sarkissian, Holy Trinity, Toronto, Canada (Oct. 4) and John Vartan, Harrisburg, PA (Dec. 18).

Ordinations and Honors

The Primate ordained a number of individuals as deacons, sub-deacons, and acolytes at the following churches: Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, Providence, RI (Jan. 25); St. David, Boca Raton, FL (Feb. 2); St. Sarkis, Dallas, TX (Feb. 7-8, May 30); St. Gregory the Illuminator, Binghamton, NY (May 9); Church of Our Saviour, Worcester, MA (May 15); St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY (Jun. 4); Holy Mary and Shoghagat, Belleville, IL (Aug. 14-15);  St. Mesrob, Racine, WI (Aug. 28-29); Sts. Joachim and Anne, Palos Heights, IL (Nov. 13-14); and St. Mary, Hollywood, FL (Dec. 11-12).

He presided over services and banquets on the occasion of: a banquet welcoming Fr. Simeon Odabashian to Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, Providence, RI (Jan. 25); 25th anniversary of Fr. Untzag Nalbandian, Trumbull, CT (May 22); 10th anniversary of Fr. Shnork Souin, Livingston, NJ (May 23); 20th anniversary of Fr. Tateos Abdalian, Philadelphia, PA (Jun. 6); 10th anniversary of Fr. Vasken Kouzouian, Cambridge, MA (Oct. 10); and 10th anniversary of Fr. Arakel Aljalian (Dec. 14).

The Primate ordained Dn. Tigran Karapetyan and renamed him Fr. Hovsep, at St. James, Richmond, VA (Feb. 21-22); and ordained Dn. Aren Jebejian at St. Vartan Cathedra,l naming him Fr. Aren (Apr. 24-25).

The Primate blessed the cornerstone of the Armenian Church in Charlotte, NC (Mar. 28); blessed two religious paintings and new doors at St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY (Jun. 4); blessed the cornerstone to be used for the future site of an Armenian chapel at the Ararat Center in Greenville, NY (Jul 24); and the stained-glass windows at Holy Translators, Framingham, MA (Oct. 3).

At the behest of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Primate presented the “St. Gregory Medal” and encyclical to John Nakashian, St. Leon, Fair Lawn, NJ (Jan. 11).  He presented the “St. Nersess Shnorhali Medal” and encyclical to Rex Kachigian of St. Leon, Fair Lawn, NJ (May 2) and to Krikor Anoushian, Holy Cross, Uptown, NY (Sep. 19).  He presented a Pontifical Letter of Blessing to Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy and Shake Pilafian , St. Mary, Hollywood, FL (Dec. 11-12).

The Primate was awarded the “Gold Medal” of the National Academy of Sciences by its president, Academician Fadey Sargsyan (Nov. 8).

Regional Meetings and Official Meetings

The Primate presided over the regional clergy meetings at the following locations: New York/New Jersey clergy retreat, organized by the Oriental Orthodox Churches in America, in Sloatsburg, NY (Jan. 22); Mid-Atlantic clergy Lenten retreat in Elberon, NJ (Feb. 23-25); New England Clergy Lenten retreat in Shrewsbury, MA (Mar. 1-3); Midwest Clergy Lenten retreat in  Mundelein, IL (Mar. 22-24); and the annual Clergy Conference in  Stony Point, NY (Apr. 26-29); and a New England clergy meeting at Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, Providence, RI (Oct. 11).

He presided over regional workshops at: St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY (Sep. 25); Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, Providence, RI (Oct. 2); and St. Gregory the Illuminator, Chicago, IL (Oct. 16).  He also led several “Archbishop’s Annual Appeal” fundraising receptions, in Chicago, IL (Oct. 15); Boston, MA (Dec. 1); New Jersey (Dec. 10); and Bayside, NY (Dec. 16).

He attended the following organizational assemblies: the 102nd Diocesan Assembly, hosted by St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY (Apr. 29-May 2); ACYOA Assembly and Sports Weekend, Dallas, TX (May 27-29).

The Primate presided over the meetings of the Diocesan Council; Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR); Armenian Church Endowment Fund (ACEF); St. Nersess Board and Executive Committees; Choir Association and ACYOA central councils; and the directors of the Diocesan administrative divisions.  He also presided over the committees for the Legate’s office, Ararat Youth and Conference Center; Liturgical committee; Altar Servers committee; Primate’s Clergy Advisory Council; the 10th anniversary memorial for His Holiness Vasken I; and the Joint Committee for the 90th Anniversary of the Genocide.

Parish Visitations

In addition to the above, the Primate paid official visits to the following Diocesan parishes: St. Leon, Fair Lawn, NJ (Jan. 11); Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, Providence, RI (Jan. 25); St. David, Boca Raton, FL (Feb. 2, Apr. 9); St. Sarkis, Dallas, TX (Feb. 7-8, May 30); St. Stepanos, Elberon, NJ (Feb. 29); St. Thomas, Tenafly, NJ (Apr. 4); St. Gregory of Narek, Cleveland, OH (Apr. 17-18); St. Gregory the Illuminator, Binghamton, NY (May 9); Church of Our Saviour. Worcester, MA (Mar. 3, May 16); St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY (Jun. 4); Holy Trinity, Cheltenham, PA (Jun. 5-6); St. Gregory the Illuminator, Chicago, IL (Jun. 13, Oct. 17); St. James, Evanston, IL (Jul 31-Aug 1); Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat, Belleville, IL (Aug. 14-15); Holy Resurrection, New Britain, CT (Aug. 16); St. Mesrob, Racine, WI (Aug. 28-29); Holy Cross, Uptown, NY (Sep. 19); Hye Point Parish, MA (Sep. 11-12); St. George, Hartford, CT (Sep. 26); Holy Translators, Framingham, MA (Oct. 3); Holy Trinity, Cambridge, MA (Oct. 10); Holy Resurrection, So. Milwaukee, WI (Oct. 23-24); St. Paul, Syracuse, NY (Oct. 26); Sts. Joachim and Anne, Palos Heights, IL (Nov. 13-14); St. Mary, Hollywood, FL (Dec. 11-12); and St. James, Watertown, MA (Dec. 19).

The Primate performed the home blessing service at the Flushing and Emerson Homes for the Aged (Jan. 8-9); and visited the Holy Martyrs and Hovnanian schools (Jan. 8-9).

Representing the Diocese

The Primate attended a reception hosted by St. Nersess Seminary, in honor of Dr. Nina Garsoian (Feb. 9); participated at the meeting of the three North American Primates and their Diocesan Council chairmen in Los Angeles, CA (Feb. 12-17); met with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, NY (Mar. 8); presided over the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches at the St. Nersess Seminary (Mar. 9); met with Bishop Mark Sisk, Episcopal Bishop of New York (Mar. 10); attended a breakfast meeting in honor of His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, at the Greek Archdiocese of New York (Mar. 15); attended a luncheon in honor of His All Holiness Bartholomew, hosted by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (Mar. 17); a dinner in honor of Dr. Helen Evans, hosted by Dany Kornfeld and Torkom Demirjian in New York (Mar. 17); a lecture, Byzantine Icons: A Legacy for Humanism, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Mar. 18); chaired the Joint Commission of the Orthodox  and Oriental churches at the Diocesan Center (Mar. 19); attended a luncheon hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. for religious leaders in New York (Apr. 17); and the Armenian Assembly banquet and breakfast meeting in Washington, DC (Apr. 19-20).

The Primate delivered the invocation at the graduation ceremony of the Hudson County Community College (May 26); officiated at the ground-breaking cere­mony for the “His Holiness Karekin I Theological Center” and St. Hagop Chapel at St. Nersess Seminary (Jun. 12); delivered the benediction at a luncheon in honor of His Excellency Peter Cardinal Erdo, of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary, hosted by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (Jul. 28).; met with Amb. John Danforth, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. (Jul. 29); attended the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress, of the Greek Archdiocese in New York (Jul. 29); attended the U.N. Prayer Service, at the Holy Family Church in New York (Sep. 13); delivered the benediction at the 2004 Annual Awards Dinner of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (Sep. 20); chaired the meeting of the Standing Confer­ence of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in Teaneck, NJ (Sep. 21); attended a din­ner in honor of Dr. Mikhail Borisevich Piotrovsky, director of the Hermitage Museum (Sep. 21); presided over the joint meeting of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches at the Greek Archdiocese (Sep. 24); participated at the three North American Primate’s meeting in Toronto, Canada (Sep. 30); attended din­ner in honor of Rahmi Koc (Oct. 7); took part in the 4th annual Orthodox Prayer Service and reception for the U.N. community, organized by the Syrian Ortho­dox Church, at St. Vartan Cathedral (Oct. 12); attended a roundtable discussion on the occasion of the visit of the Minister Li Dezhu of China, organized by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (Oct. 18); met with Secretary General Kofi Annan and Eli Weisel at the United Nations (Oct. 27); met with Berge Setrakian, president of AGBU, and Anthony Barsamian, Esq., chairman of the Board of Armenian Assembly, at the AGBU offices in New York (Nov. 17); attended a luncheon with Bishop Mark Sisk, Episcopal Bishop of New York, and Bishop Griswold, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (Nov. 18); and participated at the Oriental Orthodox Con-Celebration at St. Leon, Fair Lawn, NJ (Dec. 4).

Youth Forums

The Primate presided over the 5th annual ACYOA Youth Leadership Confer­ence, Stony Point, NY (Mar. 13); hosted a dinner for the AGBU interns at the Diocese (Jul. 15); met with the participants of the Diocese’s 2004 Arthur and Tacouhi Ayvazian Teacher’s College (Jul. 16); met with the participants of the St. Nersess Summer Conference (Jul. 20, 26, Aug. 17); met with the Armenian Assembly interns in Washington, DC (Jul. 22); met with the participants of the Diocese’s Sewny Armenian Studies seminar (Jul. 30); visited Hye Camp (Aug. 1) and St. Vartan Camp (Jul. 14); and hosted a luncheon for the participants of Mardigian Institute (Aug. 19).

Duties Outside the United States

The Primate traveled to Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia, to attend meetings of the Supreme Religious Council (Mar. 29-Apr. 1, Jul. 6-8, Aug. 3-9).  He traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to participate at the 50th anniversary of Archbishop Shahan Sivajian (May 17-21); traveled to Milan, Italy, for the annual conference of the International Community of St. Egidio (Aug. 31-Sep. 9).  At the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II, he traveled to Holy Etchmiadzin with members of the Diocesan Council (Oct. 31-Nov. 11).