“It was a great experience for our parish to host the 108th Annual Diocesan Assembly,” said Dr. Larry Farsakian, who chaired the host parish committee organizing the 108th Diocesan Assembly. “I am most proud of the fact that our small parish united together, worked hard, and acted as one to host a very successful assembly.”

The St. James Church of Evanston, Ill., hosted the gathering for 147 clergy and… [Continue...]

The feeling of an extended family gathering permeated the atmosphere of the awards banquet of the 108th Diocesan Assembly. It was a “wonderful, emotional, and uplifting evening,” in the words of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), delivered to the more than 300 attendees from the Chicago area and from parishes throughout the Diocese.

The St. James Armenian Church of… [Continue...]

“Requiem and Resurrection,” a concert of remembrance on the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, was held in the sanctuary of New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral on Friday, April 23, as part of the Diocese’s commemoration of the milestone.

Some 800 people gathered for the event, including Ambassador Garen Nazarian, Armenia’s representative to the United Nations, along with other dignitaries and diplomats from U.N. member nations.

Archbishop Khajag… [Continue...]

Light of the World

THE ROMAN EMPIRE OF THE FIRST CENTURY was an entity of many glories: arguably mankind’s greatest political achievement to that time. Yet when we remember it today, we are transfixed by its cruelty and disregard for life; its mask of civility hiding a darker truth.

Ordinarily, this truth would have been left in the shadows of history. But something exposed it, illuminated it. What… [Continue...]

His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, traveled to Jerusalem on Monday, February 15, where he presented His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, with the “Medal of St. Mesrob Mashdots.”
Accompanying His Holiness were Archbishop Navasart Kjoyan, Primate of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese in Yerevan, Armenia, and Bishop Arshak Khachatrian, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian… [Continue...]

It has been 21 years now since the earthquake that destroyed large areas of Armenia—and 21 years since the world’s beautiful outpouring of goodwill towards our country and its people. This week, another such tragedy has taken its toll—this time on the island nation of Haiti. In a region already beset by difficulties, this natural disaster has been especially destructive, and the images coming out of the news have been… [Continue...]

The International Foundation for Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations has bestowed on His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, this year’s Unity of Orthodox Peoples Award. His Holiness traveled to Moscow, Russia this week to receive the honor, which will be presented by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who chairs the Foundation for Unity.

Other recipients of this year’s Unity… [Continue...]

The National Council of Churches’ annual general assembly met November 11-13 in Minneapolis, Minn., under the joint presidency of Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, NCC President and Legate of the Diocese, and Bishop Johncy Itty (who chairs the board of directors of the NCC’s outreach arm, Church World Service).

The meeting marked the last time the country’s largest ecumenical organization would gather under Archbishop Aykazian’s presidency. Elected to a standard two-year… [Continue...]

President Barack Obama recently responded to a joint letter co-authored by the Eastern and Western Dioceses, the AGBU, and the Armenian Assembly of America with respect to the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. The joint letter was issued in September.

In his response, President Obama wrote that the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey “has important benefits for the future of both countries.” In addressing… [Continue...]