Issue 3 - Vol 5 - DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

ԱՌԱՋՆՈՐԴՈՒԹԻՒՆ.ՀԱՅՈՑ.ՄԵԾՆ.ԲՐԻԴԱՆԻՈՅ.ԵՒ.ԻՐԼԱՆՏԱՅԻ

Տ.Վահան.Եպս..Յովհաննէսեան,.Հայրապետական.Պատուիրակ.եւ.Առաջնորդ The Right Revd Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate and Pontifical Legate

Issue3, Volume 5 18 January, 2014

FIRST CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM OF THE LORD IN DUBLIN

The Parish of the Armenian Church in Dublin, Ireland, had the first celebration of the Baptism of the Lord and the Blessing of the Water Services as part of the festivities of Theophany, last Sunday, 12 January. Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, presided over the services assisted by Altar Server Hovik. Participating in the services were members of the Parish Council who sang in the choir and chairman, and Dr Paul Manook, who read the scripture lesson of the day. The community had selected two Sunday School students, Albert Shahumyan and Carlo Malkhasian, to serve as the God father of baptism, recalling the biblical narrative of the baptism of our Lord by John the Baptist. Church services were followed by a lecture by Bp Vahan concerning the origins and meaning of Badarak and followed by a light dinner. The Bishop then joined the Dublin Church Council members to participate in a regular meeting of the council. Congratulation Dublin Armenians and God bless you and your families.

WELCOME VERY REVD FR AREN SHAHEENIAN

It is with thanksgiving to the Lord and great joy that the Primate‟s Office announces the arrival of the Very Revd Fr Aren Shaheenian to the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, responding to the request of our Primate, HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, have designated Fr Aren to our Diocese. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Fr Aren graduated from the University of Technology, and continued his theological climaxing with a PhD in Theology From the PIO in Italy. Click here to read Fr Aren‟s brief resume. Fr Aren will accompany Bishop Vahan to visit the Armenian Church communities in the UK and Ireland to meet with our faithful and for Fr Aren to learn more about the ministry and administration of our church. Welcome Fr Aren. May the Lord bless you and grant you successful ministry among our people here in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

SECOND ORTHODOX EDUCATION DAY

Our Lord emphasized teaching the Gospel and witnessing to it, as one of the main aspects of the Church‟s ministry worldwide. Based on this, the Council of the Oriental Orthodox Church (COOC) in the UK and Ireland created the Orthodox Education Day, to focus on various aspects of the teaching and living of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our parishes and communities. This year‟s theme was “The Extra Biblical Sources of Our Faith.” Following registration and breakfast, the Education Day started with the Morning Service according to the Armenian Church Traditions followed a the welcoming remarks of HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, President of COOC. The four speakers elaborated on different aspects of the Holy Tradition of the Church including a general introduction to Church Tradition by Abba Seraphim; Church Councils by Fr Peter Farrington, Armenian Church Hymnography by Bp Vahan, and Church Canons by Deacon Daniel Maylon. A Q&A period followed each lecture. Click here for more info about COOC.

BIRMINGHAM ARMENIANS CELEBRATE CHRIST’S BAPTISM

On Saturday, January 11, 2014 (the 6th day of the Theophany Octave „ԾննդեանՈւթօրեք‟) the

offered which contemplated on the Incarnation of Christ.

Armenian Community of Birmingham gathered in the Church of St. John, Spark Hill, for a joyful

and festive celebration of the glorious Nativity. After a brief rehearsal with the children, Fr.

Garegin Hambardzumyan led a traditional service of the Blessing of Water which symbolizes

Christ‟s Baptism. Accompanying Fr. Garegin was Dn. Artur Bobikyan from Manchester. Upon

the end of the Service the Children of the mission parish distributed blessed water to the

members of the community greeting them by saying “Christ is Born and Revealed”. In his

sermon Fr. Garegin stressed the necessity of constant prayer and of dedication to Jesus Christ‟s

eternal mission: „Let us pray so that the consumption of the Blessed Water be for us a renewal of

our Baptismal commitment to be the tools of God (1 Cor. 1:26-31), to be light where there is no

light and to be hope where there is no hope‟. Following the Service a Bible Study session was

“NEW DIRECTIONS” - A TALK BY DRRAZMIKPANOSSIAN

The Programme of Armenian Studies is delighted to announce the first event and lecture of 2014. Our guest is Dr RazmikPanossian, Director of the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, who will deliver a lecture titled New Directions: The 5-Year Plan ofthe Armenian Communities Department at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This event will take place on Thursday 23 January, 7pm, at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation London Branch, 50 Hoxton Square, London N1 6PB. Dr.RazmikPanossian holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he also taught. He has published widely on Armenian-related issues, including a critically acclaimed book on Armenian national identity. He has worked for the United Nations Development Programme. He is fluent in English, French and Armenian.

ST SARKIS PARISH CAKE SALE AND BRICK-A-BRAC

The St Sarkis Church Parish Council is holding a Cake Sake and Bric-a-Brac on Sunday 26th January to raise funds for the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund. If you have any unwanted gifts from Christmas or any good quality unwanted bric-a-brac, the Parish Council kindly ask that you donate such items for the sale. Also, the Parish Council is looking for talented bakers who are willing to donate some cakes for the sale. Those who are interested in making gift and cake donations please contact the St Sarkis Church Parish Council by email: stsarkisparish@armenianchurch.co.uk or tel: 020 7937 0152. Most importantly please join us on Sunday, 26 January and support our effort in raising funds to help our brothers and sisters in Syria. For an electronic copy of the flyer please click here.

ARMENIAN PAVILION 2014

We are happy to inform our faithful that the Armenian Pavilion stand will again participate in this year‟sLondon Book Fair, to be held from April 8-10, 2014. The Armenian Pavilion first participated in the London Book Fair in 2013, and featured a rich collection of books on art, history, literature, children‟s themes, and religion. Publishers from both the Homeland and the Armenian Diaspora introduced their books alongside authors Rouben Galichian, Noune Sarkisian, and Nouritsa Matossian. The stand also featured a unique Facsimile copy (reprint) of the 16th-century “Urbatagirk” by the first Armenian publisher, Hagop Meghapart, presented by the publishing house Edit Print. It is due to this success that the community has decided to repeat the event in 2014, and has already secured the space in Hall 2 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in Central London, where the 2014 London Book Fair will take place. Click here for more info about the London Book Fair.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  THEOPHANIA: Music from the oldest Christian civilizations: Armenian, Coptic, Greek, Roman Catholic, Syrian &

others. 25 January, 7:00pm @ the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Sophia, Moscow Road, Bayswater, London W2 4LQ.  BADARAK COURSE: As part of the Continuing Education Ministry of the Primate’s Office, HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian will be offering a course on the theology and spirituality of our Divine Liturgy, Badarak, on Monday evenings starting Monday, 17 February. The course will meet in the St Sarkis Church, Monday evenings at 7:00pm, and is offered free of charge. Registered members will receive printed notes of each session. Make an effort to join us and ask all the questions you wanted to ask about this central celebration of our faith. Those interested to sign up for the

course are requested to contact the Primate‟s Office via e-mail or telephone: 0208 127 8364.  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: The Primate’s Office has prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions, about

the church administration which is published in a document accessible by clicking here. More Qs are welcome.  ST SARKIS PARISH DONATES TO PHILIPPINES RELIEF: Following the Primate‟s directive in December for a Diocesan-wide fund raising for the Philippines, the St Sarkis Church Parish raised £160.83 during the plate collection on Sunday 15th December. The St Sarkis Church Parish Council has decided to double the figure raised and increase the

total amount to be donated to the Philippines Relief Fund to £321.66.

The Primate’s Office, HyeDoon, 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, London W8 6TG – 0208 127 8364 – primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk