On Sunday, November 16, the Eastern Prelacy celebrated the 30th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I with a banquet at the Garden City Hotel of Long Island, following the Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, New York.
During the event, welcoming remarks were delivered by Susan Chitjian-Erickson, co-chairperson of the steering committee; Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America; Very Rev. Fr. Ardag Arabian, Pastor of Holy Trinity Church (Worcester, Massachusetts); Col. Aram Sarafian, chairman of the Executive Council, and His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate. Bishop Nektarios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Permanent Observer of the Vatican at the United Nations, delivered congratulatory remarks. The artistic program featured singers Anoosh Barclay, Hooshere Bezdikian, and Karina Vartanian. A video dedicated to the thirty years of pontifical service of His Holiness was shown. His Holiness delivered his paternal blessings in Armenian and English. He said, in particular:
“This is my last meeting with our people; tomorrow I will return to Antelias, the seat of our Catholicosate. Let me share with you a few thoughts.-
1) An anniversary is an occasion to look backward by reminding the achievements.
2) It is also an opportunity to look forward by identifying the priorities.
The United States communities have a pivotal role to play in the life and mission of our church particularly in the following way:
– By helping us prepare human resources – clergy and teachers.
– By initiating projects and programs aimed at encouraging our youth to become actively present in the life and witness of our church.
– By promoting people-oriented educational. pastoral and humanitarian programs and activities.”
