ԱՌԱՋՆՈՐԴՈՒԹԻՒՆ.ՀԱՅՈՑ.ՄԵԾՆ.ԲՐԻԴԱՆԻՈՅ.ԵՒ.ԻՐԼԱՆՏԱՅԻ DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Տ.Վահան.Եպս..Յովհաննէսեան,.Հայրապետական.Պատուիրակ.եւ.Առաջնորդ The Right Revd Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate and Pontifical Legate

ԱՌԱՋՆՈՐԴՈՒԹԻՒՆ.ՀԱՅՈՑ.ՄԵԾՆ.ԲՐԻԴԱՆԻՈՅ.ԵՒ.ԻՐԼԱՆՏԱՅԻ

DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

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

Issue 6, Volume 5

CELEBRATING ST SARKIS DAY

According to the Armenian Church calendar, Saturday, 15 February of this year is the day designated for the Feast of St Sarkis, the patron saint of our Church in Iverna Gardens, Kensington, London, and traditionally recognised as the saint of Armenian young men and women. On this occasion the London ACYF will coordinate a night vigil at St Sarkis Church at 10:30pm, followed by the traditional blessing of the Salty Cookies. Click here for more information. All are welcome to join in the service. On the following day, Sunday, HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, will celebrate Badarak at St Sarkis Church. The Saint was appointed “General in chief” of Cappadocia bordering Armenia, during the reign of Constantine the Great (285-337). When Emperor Julian the Betrayer (360-363) came to power and launched persecutions against Christians, St. Sarkis and his only son, Mardiros, left for Armenia and from Armenia to ...

Click here to read more about the saint

ORIENTATION DAY – PILGRIMAGE 2014

In order to help the thirty Four people who have signed up to join in the fourth Annual Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, 6-14 June, 2014, HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, is inviting all those who participated in the previous pilgrimages as well as those who have signed up for this year‟s forthcoming pilgrimage to attend an orientation session scheduled for Friday, 21 February in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall at 7:00PM. The orientation will be an opportunity to those participating in the forthcoming pilgrimage to ask questions and enquire about the details of the various aspects of the Pilgrimage. Participants in the orientation will also receive handouts with important information about the pilgrimage including a detailed itinerary and important contact information. The Primate’s Office regrets to inform our readers that due to space limitations at the hotels and on British Airways, we will no longer be able to add more pilgrims. All are welcome to join in the orientation.

BADARAK IN OXFORD– SATURDAY, 22 FEBRUARY

Join the Primate and the Armenian students in Oxford for the second celebration of Badarak in Oxford on Saturday, 22 February, 2014. HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian will celebrate the Badarak, at Pembroke College Chapel (Pembroke College, Oxford, OX1 1DW) and deliver the homily. The Badarak is scheduled to commence at 5:00pm. Please spread the news. Thanks to the leadership of Very Revd Fr Garegin Hambardzumyan, the Oxford Armenian community has already organised a church choir and petitioned the Primate to appoint a Mission Parish Council to prepare the path for the establishment of a permanent Parish in Oxford. If you or someone you know lives in or near Oxford please e-mail the contact info to the Primate‟s Office (0208 127 8364 or –mail: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk). Refreshments after the celebration of Badarak are organised by the volunteers at Oxford and by the Armenian Studies and Armenian Society of Oxford University. Click here for the online flyer.

LECTURE ON THE CLASSICAL ARMENIAN LANGUAGE IN CAIA

On Sunday, 16 February, the Very Revd Fr Garegin Hambardzumyan will be the guest speaker at the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice (CAIA). The talk is a part of a series of talks to be offered at CAIA titled Introduction to Armenian History, Culture and heritaqge. Fr Garegin‟s talk will demonstrate the importance of Classical Armenian as a source of Christian Armenian identity. He will present the first ever website which teaches Krapar at an elementary level, and touch upon few questions related to the Armenian Church tradition, followed by discussion. This talk is part of a 6 half day course funded by Ealing Adult Education Department delivered in the English language for anyone. Please register in advance. Refreshments and light lunch provided at 1.30pm before the start of each session. The talk, scheduled 1-4pm, is open to all and is offered free of charge. Among the other speakers in the series is Dr HratchTchilingirian whose talk, scheduled on 2 March, is titled Cultural Production and Preservation in Diaspora. More details to come.

BADARAK COURSE IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS - SIGN UP NOW!

As part of the Continuing Education Ministry of the Primate’s Office, HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, 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. Those interested to attend, are encouraged to register as soon as possible, as space is limited. The course will be a great opportunity to discuss questions such as why do we celebrate Badarak every Sunday? Why is an hour or so long? Why do I Have to go to Badarak when I can pray anywhere? --and other questions. 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: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk,or telephone: 0208 127 8364.

.

SUMMER INTENSIVE COURSE IN WESTERN ARMENIAN

The Programme of Armenian Studies is delighted to announce its new initiative, the Summer Intensive Course in Western Armenian. The courses are offered at two levels: elementary (Western Armenian 1) which covers the four main areas of language acquisition: reading, writing, speaking and listening. It lays the foundations of language by teaching at a slow but steady pace the basics of Western Armenian. The second level is intermediate (Western Armenian 2), which covers many aspects of grammar to take students to a reasonable level of competence in reading, writing and speaking.. The courses will take place in London in July 2014 for Western Armenian 1 and in August 2014 for Western Armenian 2. Both courses are held in English. Semi-catered accommodation a short walk away from the classroom is available, but places are limited. The two courses will be taught by DrKrikorMoskofian (SOAS, University of London). For more information or to sign up click here or e-mail: moskofiank@gmail.com

LONDON ARMENIAN OPERA PRESENT: GARINEH 'Garineh' is the first completed operatic work written by an Armenian composer. It was originally performed under the title of 'LebledjiHorHor Agha' in Istanbul in 1875 and has since enjoyed great success. Its plot and the music are within the tradition of European 19th century opera buffas. Take two lovers, add an angry and distraught chickpea seller whose loyalty to traditional customs prevents. Take two lovers, add an angry and distraught chickpea seller whose loyalty to traditional customs prevents him from approving his daughter‟s courtship in high circles, then spice it up with a dash of duplicity. Ingredients for an Armenian rag for riches romance, and the makings of a comic opera. The popularity of the song „MenkKachDohmiZavagnernenk‟ from this opera and its positive influence on the national psyche is such that it has elevated itself to the height of the national song category. To purchase tickets online, click here, call 01923 773 277 / 07867 672 787 / 07850 777 520 or e-mailLondonArmenianOpera@virginmedia.com.

8 February, 2014

Armenian Church in Bethlehem

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  BIBLE STUDY GROUP: The Bible Study group will NOT meet this Thursday. The group will resume its study

sessionson Thursday, 20 February, in the Syrian Cathedral at 7:00pm. All are welcome.  INTERNSHIP:The Primate’s Office is happy to announce the creation of the Summer Internship Program which is

designed to provide a practical learning opportunity and experience for college students or recent graduates in different

administrative fields. For information please click here. To apply, please contact the Primate’s Office.  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: The Primate’s Office has prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions (collected from different people and parish council members), which is published in a document accessible by clicking here. Please

send your questions or comments to the Primate’s Office. YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CHURCH WITHOUT DONATING MONEY: If you shop online, then you can go to the

easyfundraising website below and choose “Armenian Church Trust UK” as the cause you want to support. Shop, as you usually do. The website will donate a small percentage of the money spent on the purchahse to our Church. It is very easy: 1) go to easyfundraising.org.uk; 2) sign up for free; 3) Choose the “Armenian Church Trust” as the cause you want to support; 4) shop as much as you want. Nobody will know what you purchased or from where. Easyfundraising will simply transfer a small percentage to the Church. To try it, click here.

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