Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland Volume 2, Issue 2 15 January 2016 Armenian Church News

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Armenian Christmas Celebrations throughout

the United Kingdom

Cardiff Parish

According to the calendar of the

Armenian Church the nine days following Theophany are considered the Christmas period.

There are no fasting days and people share with each other the

good news of Christmas – Ավետիս.. During this period the Primate visited the Armenian communities which do not have permanent pastors and celebrated Divine Liturgies as well as the

Blessing of Water.

The first liturgy was in Christ

Church, Carmarthen, in Wales. The Primate was hosted by Revd Canon Patrick Thomas who graciously provided his Church to the Primate to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the Armenian community in Wales. At the end of the service the Primate conducted the Sacrament of Baptism. The parish acquired its youngest new member: Louren-

Mariam Gayané. During the service the Primate spoke about the meaning of Theophany and explained the meaning of baptism in the Armenian Church. He also thanked Canon Thomas for his continued support to the Armenian

Nativity Scene at Holy Etchmiadzin

In this issue:
Armenian Christmas in Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester Parishes
ACYF Christmas Basket Project
Armenians in Ethiopia
AREV Children’s Play Group
Fr. Shnork visits Saturday and Sunday Schools

Church and people.
Singers from the St Sarkis choir, Mr. Sos Grigorian, Suzi Grigorian and Zvart Gulakian, joined the Primate and Deacon Hovik to celebrate the liturgy. Father Thomas enriched the prayer with an ecumenical flavour, reading some passages in English from the Bible.
The parish was established in 2010 as a mission parish. The parishioners are from Cardiff, Swindon, Bath, Bristol, Newport, Bridgend, Port Talbot and Swansea. Originally the Cardiff parish was founded with some 30 members. This has now grown to almost double the original figure. The growth in the community

Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate
Diocesan Office
Tel. 0208 127 8364 primatesoffice@ armenianchurch.co.uk

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chance to socialise and meet with the Primate. There were also discussions between the parishioners, the Primate and representatives of the Armenian Community Council, Mr Zorik Gasparyan and Mr Raffi Sarkissian, on how to promote the church and community life. A new choir will be organised for the mission parish. The community needs to have a centre and a small church. They are seeking ways to organise a school for the Armenian children. The Primate committed himself to helping the community.
The Armenian mission parish was established in 2010. There are around 60 Armenian families involved in the life of the mission parish.

has come mainly from immigration from the Middle East.

In 2015 the parish undertook eleven main events. The activities of the Parish Council are varied and consist of social and religious activities, concerts, lectures and pilgrimages (within the UK), and Genocide Recognition.

Birmingham Parish

On 10th January the Primate visited

the Armenian mission parish in Birmingham and celebrated Divine

Liturgy and the Blessing of Water at the Anglican Church of St John for the Armenian community. The

godfather of the Blessing of Water was Mr Varuj Davtyan, Chair of the

Birmingham Mission Parish.

Singers from St Yeghiche Church, Mr. & Mrs. Stepan, Mrs Anahit Avagyan and Seta Tokatlian from

Birmingham joined the choir. Artur Tumanyan assisted the Primate at

the altar for the first time.

After the liturgy the faithful had a chance to socialise and meet with the Primate. There were also

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Manchester Parish

To mark the Nativity and Revelation of Christ, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Trinity Church in Manchester on 6th January 2016 by

Father Nerses Nersessian. The 6th of January marked the first complete year whereby - at the invitation of the Trustees of Holy Trinity Church - Father Nerses has conducted monthly services in Manchester.

The service was well attended and sung

under the watchful direction of Deacon Arthur Bobikyan. Present among the congregation were Mrs Kirsty Thorpe

and Mr Martin Smith of the United Reformed Church.
The homily delivered by the celebrant Father Nerses Nersessian focused on the Eastern dimension of Christmas. On 6th January the Christian church

celebrates Christmas for a second time, this time, however, in the style of the

Orthodox tradition, where the focus is on the manifestation of God. It is not so much about the little defenceless child

The Armenian faithful adopted the
gift of the Christ marking the words of their Movses Khorenatsi] –
« Խորհուրդ մեծ եւ սքանչելի , որ այսմ աւուր յայտնեցաւ, որդիք մարդկան օրհնեցէքզի վասն մեր մարմնացաւ».
The ceremony of the Blessing of Water and its consecration with Holy Chrism (myuron) concluded the solemn liturgy. The Godfather [ «խաչեղբայր»] on this occasion was Deacon Hovhannes Takukian.
A luncheon party was organised by the Ladies Committee in the restaurant of a nearby hotel.

Revelation of occasion in the k'ert’oghahayr [

Jesus at the news of whose birth “Herod was afraid and all Jerusalem with him” [«Եւ իբրեւ լուաւ արքայ Հերովդէս,խռովեցաւ,եւ ամենայն Երուսաղէմ ընդ նմա»] as about God’s glory which reveals itself in a royal child. In the words of St Paul “The manifestation of the goodness and loving kindness of God” [ «Իսկ յորժամ

քաղցրութիւն եւ մարդասիրութիւն Փրկչին Մերոյ Աստուծոյ յայտնեցաւ»](Titus 3.4).

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ACYF London Christmas Basket Project

On 9th and 10th of January 2016, the ACYF London Chapter fulfilled their special Christmas Basket Project by visiting 30 housebound elderly people and celebrated the Epiphany with them. They were joined by Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Father Movses Sargsyan and Father Shnork Baghdassarian.
They travelled to all corners of London delivering gifts and the clergy blessed their homes. The elderly were overwhelmed with joy that the youth and the Church always find time to visit them and constantly reminded us not to forget them. One of the elderly gave us a yellow rose plant from her garden

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AREV Children’s Club
Arev Children’s Club is now five years old. Conceived and directed by Shakeh Major Tchilingirian at St Sarkis Church in 2010, these monthly gatherings introduce Armenian folk songs, dances, classical music (Komitas, Khatchaturian, Ganachian, Babjanian), visual arts (Saryan, Gorky, Minas, Aivazovsky), storytelling (Tumanian, Aghayan, Nouneh Sarkissian, etc.) and classical epic stories to children ages 5-11 through fun and interactive sessions. A glimpse of the last five years is given in a short clip found at https://youtu.be/chtXGeLL4Pc. Parents who are willing to commit one-hour a month to join the club and register their children, please contact Shakeh on 07968446223 or email: iShakeh@gmail.com. Parents’ participation and commitment is essential.

and asked us to plant it in the St Sarkis Church garden, which Deacon Nairy Afrikian did that evening.
This project is a unique one and is actioned every Easter and Christmas and is one of the most humbling and fulfilling events of ACYF’s active calendar. These types of inspirational projects would not be possible if it wasn't for the passion and dedication of ACYF members and of course to the very kind and generous benefactor who finances this project. We are eternally grateful to you.

Thank you to Misak Ohanian and Hrachik Sarian for adding names to this list.
ACYF London Chapter's next basket delivery will be during Easter 2016.
If you have any questions about this project or would like to help deliver or help sponsor this project, then please do contact us on: acyf@armenianchurch.co.uk Or contact us through our Facebook page ‘ACYF London’.

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Our Legacy Remembering the Armenians of Ethiopia

At the beginning of March a requiem was offered for my parents and for the Sevadjian Clan, which transported me back forty years to when I had last been to a service in the magnificent church of my childhood; St George Armenian Apostolic Church, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I thought of all the Yetovbahayer (Armenians of Ethiopia) who had prayed in that church, who had made up the richest and most vibrant foreign community in Ethiopia, their numbers now dwindled to fewer than one hundred souls. Philanthropists, industrialists, businessmen, talented men and women. What a great number of them there were! Boghos Markarian, who arrived in 1866 and supplied goods and arms to the courts of Emperors Yohannes and later Menelik II, was one of the first Armenians to settle in Ethiopia in modern times - by the late 1960s they numbered some 1,200. There had been Armenians in Ethiopia from as early as the thirteenth century, but a real community with significant numbers was only established in the early 1900s when many left their ancestral homes in the Ottoman Empire and found a safe haven in Christian Ethiopia. Another wave of Armenians arrived in the 1920s. Thereafter the numbers increased as people married, invited cousins and other relatives to join them from wherever they had ended up, mostly Syria and Lebanon, after the deportations. The Armenians who settled in Ethiopia before the 1920s, and those arriving after 1945, were mostly well-educated: doctors, dentists, chemists, architects, engineers, lawyers, accountants. Many of those who arrived in the 1920s as a direct consequence of the Genocide were artisans: tailors, watchmakers, cobblers, carpet makers. Thus in almost every trade, profession, and industry, there were Armenians in Addis Ababa. They had come from a very wide area and brought with them the special expertise of their hometowns. A visit to the Armenian Cemetery gives an idea of the origins of the three major waves of Armenian immigrants, mirroring the tragedies which befell their homeland. First came those from Constantinople, Aintab, Arapkir, Kharpert - then Adana, Van, and then Marash, Sparta, Smyrna. It is difficult to overestimate the contribution that Armenians made in their one hundred years in Ethiopia. Armenians moved with Emperor Menelik II from Harar to Addis Ababa and helped build a modern capital city. During one hundred years or so, Armenians ran big industries and businesses, as well as departments of government. Because of their loyalty to the Emperors -

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Yohannes, Menelik and Haile Selassie - they were entrusted with work in such important government departments as the Imperial Mint, the Treasury, the Police Force (complete with secret service), Town Planning, and Municipality. There was a Deputy Governor of Province, an Officer of the Kbur Zebagna (Imperial Bodyguard) and a Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa.
As has been related in many articles and publications, Ras Tafari, later Emperor Haile Selassie I, was pleased to bring forty orphans of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to Ethiopia. On his way to Europe in 1923, he had seen some of their number in Jerusalem and was much impressed by the stories of how they came to be there. The Arba Lidjoch ‘the forty children’, arrived in Addis Ababa in September 1924 on an initial four year contract to form a marching band, some of them only having learnt how to play an instrument en route!
The Ethiopian revolution of 1974, which deposed Haile Selassie I and installed a Marxist government, devastated the Armenian community. The ‘Red Terror’ meant no one was safe. Life became unbearable. Younger Armenians, who had already left Ethiopia for higher education, did not return. Many of those who were able, took their families and emigrated to other countries. The community was scattered to the four corners of the earth, just a few families staying on, upholding Yetovbahay traditions.
(This is a shortened version of the article that appeared in Armenian Weekly on 6th May 2015. You can read the whole article at http://armenianweekly.com/2015/05/06/remembering-the-armenians-of-ethiopia/. R.P. Sevadjian is the author of In the Shadow of the Sultan, a historical coming of age novel set during the Hamidian Massacres of 1896. Sevadjian is a third-generation Diasporan Armenian, whose family left Asia Minor in the 1800s and was scattered across the world, no members remaining in their ancestral homelands. Born and raised in Africa, she now lives in the UK. Her book is available from amazon.co.uk.)

Of interest to our readers: This year’s LIVING STONES YEARBOOK 2015 (Living Stones of the Holy Land Trust, 2015, p. 214) was devoted to the theme ofMartyrdom and Christian

Response to Conflict in the Middle East, which contains three contributions on the Armenian Genocide, one being ‘The impact of the Genocide of 1915 on the Armenian Orthodox Apostolic Church’ (pp.126-141) by Fr Nerses Vrej Nersessian The eleven boxes of theological/armenological books donated to the library of the Theological Seminary in Holy Etchmiadzin by Fr Nerses Vrej Nersessian, part of his personal library, reached Yerevan on 12th January.

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Fr. Shnork visits Saturday and Sunday Schools

Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Christian education of our children is a pastoral obligation and a priority for our Diocese. That is why our diocesan clergy make regular visits to Saturday and Sunday Schools to teach children Armenian Church hymns, prayers, history and church etiquette. On Saturday, 9th January, Fr Shnork visited the Saturday School, and the following day he made a similar visit to the Sunday School. On Sunday he was accompanied by the St Sarkis Church Choir led by the Director Marianna Asatryan. On both occasions he spoke about the mystery of incarnation. During the morning assembly children of both schools learnt to sing the Armenian Christmas hymn “Christos Dzenav yev Haytnetsav”. At the end Fr Shnork blessed the children, as well as their parents and the teachers of both schools.

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Upcoming Events

DIOCESAN PROGRAMMES
Forthcoming Events in January and February
Bible Studies

Every Thursday, at St. Sarkis Church Gulbenkian Hall led by the Primate and the

clergy of the Diocese

Next dates: January 21st, 28th ; February 4th, 11th

Bible Studies are an important part of the church’s ministry as they provide

opportunities for the faithful and those who are interested and curious to have a deeper understanding of Christianity and to ask questions about their faith, beliefs

and concerns. During Bible studies we make observations (what do passages in the Bible say?), provide interpretation (what do they mean?) and ask how

applicable these passages are to our lives today. Open to everyone.

Deacons’ Training
Divine Liturgy in Oxford
Saturday, 16th January, 3:00pm, in Oxford
For those who have booked the transport with us, there will be two pick up points: the first one will be from Iverna Gardens, London W8 6TP at 9:00am sharp and the second from Twyford Church of England High school, Twyford Crescent, London W3 9PP at exactly 9:40am. The cost of transport will be £20.00. There are few places available. Please contact: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk or ring 020 8127 8364 for further inquiries.
Eve of the Fast of the Catechumens
Sunday, 17th January, 11:00am, in St. Yeghiche Church and St. Sarkis Church
Divine Liturgy - Eve of the Fast of the Catechumens- Առաջաւորաց պահք
Feast of St. Sarkis
Saturday, 23rd January, in St. Sarkis Church at 6:30pm
Evensong and a special blessing on the occasion of the Feast of St. Sarkis followed by the Blessing of the Youth, followed by a reception in Gulbenkian Hall during which salty cookies will be offered. It is the name day of those whose name is Sarkis or Martyros.
Feast of St. Sarkis, Divine Liturgy
Sunday, 24th January, 11:00am in St. Sarkis Church
Followed by Madagh in the Gulbenkian Hall. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Deacons’ training takes place every Sunday at 5:00pm in the Vicarage, St. Sarkis

Church. For more details please contact the Diocesan Office.

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Dublin Parish
Divine Liturgy
Sunday, 24th January, in Dublin
Kensington Council of Churches
Ecumenical Prayer for Christian Unity
Monday, 25th January, in St. Sarkis Church at 7.15pm
Ecumenical Prayer Service
Divine Liturgy on the Feast of St. Vartan and his Companions
Thursday, 4th February, time and venue to be scheduled
The Feast of St. Vartan the Captain and his 1036 Companions marks their martyrdom 1565 years ago in the battle of Avarayr, fighting for the freedom of conscience and religion for the Armenian nation. It was to be the first testimony of many to follow that the Armenians were a people who freely chose Christ, remained steadfast in their Christian faith, and would not betray that faith for any reason. “Vartanants” as it is commonly called, is one of the most sacred feasts of the Armenian people.
In the Armenian Church, the Feast day of St. Vartan the Captain and Companions is also celebrated as the Name Day of His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II. To mark the occasion, at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a Pontifical Prayer (Հայրապետական մաղթանք) is offered in churches. It is also the name day of those named after St. Vartan and his 1036 warriors. On this day you can congratulate all those who have names such as Vartan, Yeghishé, Hmayak, Hamazasp, Vazgen, Karekin, Derenik, Khoren, Tatev and Tatevik, Lusiné, Anahit, Satenik.
Eve of Great Lent
Sunday, 7th February, Eve of the Great Lent or Great Barekendan- Բուն Բարեկենդան
The Armenian Church defines the period of Great Lent as a time of abstinence and repentance for the faithful. Each Sunday during this period is named after an event in the Holy Bible that contains the message of the day. According to the calendar, the days prior to weekly fasts, as well as Great Lent, (with the exception of the fast preceding Holy Nativity) are called Barekendan. The word Barekendan means “good living” or “good life”, as we are called to live cheerfully, joyfully, and to be happy on these days preceding fasting periods.
On these days of Barekendan, the angel’s words addressed to the prophet Elijah are fulfilled: “Arise and eat, otherwise the journey will be too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7). The Armenian Church thus allows her faithful to organise games, festivals,carnivalsandlarge,plentifulmealsbeforethefeast. Duringtheperiodof the Great Lent curtains in churches are drawn in commemoration of the expulsion of Adam from Eden and the doors of heaven were closed before him.

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Every Friday evening during Great Lent there will be services in St. Sarkis and St. Yeghiche Churches. St. Sarkis will continue its tradition of Friday night evening Lenten vigil services followed by a Lenten fellowship meal.
Eve of Tiarnendaraj (The Lord’s Presentation to the Temple)
Saturday, 13th February, in St. Sarkis Church at 5:30pm
There will be blessing of the newly married couples at St. Sarkis Church at 5:30 pm and a bonfire.
Divine Liturgies at St. Yeghiche and St. Sarkis Churches are at 11:00am and Manchester Holy Trinity Church at 11:30am.
The Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation to the Temple. Tiarnendaraj, or Candlemas as it is known in the West, symbolises the presentation of the 40 day-old Christ Child to the Temple in Jerusalem. In the tradition of the Church, Evening Services (Nakhatonak) are conducted on the night preceding the Feast Day. At the conclusion of the service, the priest lights a candle from the Holy Altar, and distributes the flame to all present. With great care, the faithful take the lit candles home to their families.
The morning of the Feast Day, Divine Liturgy is celebrated in Armenian Churches throughout the world. The hymn offered during the Liturgy commemorating Tiarnendaraj glorifies Simeon’s articulation of “a Light to lighten the Gentiles”. The hymn praising Simeon also lauds the Mystery of the Incarnation.
Many additional customs have been inherited from the past, including the blessing of the four corners of the world in the Andastan Service, the blessing of newlywed couples, as well as offering prayers for the crops and fertility of the fields.

Tiarnendaraj – The Lord’s Presentation to the Temple
Sunday, 14th February

Prayer intentions for January

Editorial:
The main objective of the diocesan e-newsletter is to serve and reach out to Armenians throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The community members and organisations are welcome to send their announcements for the e-newsletter, including information not only about public events but also about important family events such as christening, matrimony or passing away.

Let us follow Church leaders and pray so that Christ our Lord may empower the souls of people with heavenly grace, faith, hope and love, in order to build a safe, peaceful and prosperous world and those from diverse religious traditions and all people of good will may work together for peace.

Armenian Church News

Worship Services in the Armenian Churches
Services are held in the Armenian Churches in London every Sunday starting at 11:00 am. In Manchester, there is a service on the 1st Sunday of the month. For further details, please contact the parish nearest to you:

Holy Trinity Armenian Church
229 Upper Brook Street Manchester, M13 0FY
Tel: 0161 273 1074 www.armenianchurchmanchester.org/

St. Sarkis Church
Iverna Gardens Kensington, London, W8 6TP Tel: 020 7937 0152 http://www.stsarkisparish.co.uk

St. Yeghiche Cathedral
13b Cranley Gardens Kensington, London SW7 3BB Tel: 020 7373 8133 http://www.styeghiche.org.uk/

Other Parishes of our Diocese:
Cardiff - Tel: + 44 771 279 2304, +44 2920779248. john@jagproperties.co.uk
Dublin - Tel: +44 2891 863559. http://www.armenians.ie/
Birmingham – Tel: +44 121 675 1469. St John’s Church, Stratford Road, Birmingham, B11 4EA Oxford - Tel: +44 7810 490242. armenian.society@studentsclub.ox.ac.uk

We invite those who have questions or wish to gain deeper understanding of the faith, moral discernment, teachings and traditions of the Armenian Church to contact the Office of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in United Kingdom and Ireland:
The Primate’s Office
The Armenian Vicarage
Iverna Gardens
London, W8 6TP
or email: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk

PLEASE NOTE OUR CHANGE OF POSTAL ADDRESS

Editorial Committee:
His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate
Garen Arevian
Lena Boghossian
Hovik Hovhannisyan Aznive Simon
Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian Sossi Yerissian