DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND - Issue9, Volume 5Issue9, Volume 5

ԱՌԱՋՆՈՐԴՈՒԹԻՒՆ.ՀԱՅՈՑ.ՄԵԾՆ.ԲՐԻԴԱՆԻՈՅ.ԵՒ.ԻՐԼԱՆՏԱՅԻ

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

POON PAREGENTAN: WELCOMING GREAT LENT 2014 According to the Armenian Church calendar, this Monday, 3 March, 2014 is the first day of Great Lent (MedzBahk). In our Church tradition Great Lent always commences, as in the other Orthodox Churches, on the Monday following Poon Paregentan (Boon Barekendan) which is the last Sunday before Lent. The Great Lent annual journey continues to the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday, which in turn ushers in the Holy Week. Great Lent according to the Armenian Church teachings is each person’s annual spiritual journey of self-examination and spiritual renewal in preparation for the Resurrection of the Lord (Easter). It is the season of making special attempts to evaluate our calling as Christians: followers of Christ and men and women of the New Covenant with God; in order to listen to the voice of the Gospel and heed its commandments. It is the annual and open invitation... Click here to read more

ARMENIAN CHURCH MISSION PARISH IN OXFORD

Last Saturday, HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, was the celebrant of Badarak in the historic and magnificent Pembroke College Church, Oxford, 22 February. Armenians and their friends, including packed the church pews, singing the hymns and partaking in the Holy Communion. Especially moving were the participation of the youth and the excellent singing of the members of the newly formed Armenian Church Choir in Oxford. At the end of Badarak, HG Bp Hovhanessian announced the formation of the Oxford Mission Parish. Members of the Armenian community in Oxford had sent a petition to the Primate to establish a Mission Parish in Oxford, to provide pastoral care to the Armenians in the area. Assisting in the service were Fr Aren Shaheenian, Fr Garegin Hambardzumyan, Senior Deacon StepanOvanessoff and other altar servers. A fellowship followed, where all joined in an evening of conversations, food, drinks, short speeches and singing! A true mission parish in action! Thank you all and God bless.

PRAYER AND MEETING AT BIRMINGHAM

From the very inspiring celebration of Badarak in Oxford Saturday evening,Bp Vahan and Fr Garegin left the following day, Sunday, 23 February, for yet another uplifting ministry at the Mission Parish in Birmingham. The day started with a Midday Service in the St John’s Church in Birmingham, led by the Primate. Following church services, the clergy met with the faithful and members of the Mission Parish Council in the Church Hall for a fellowship hour.Fr Garegin offered a reflection beautifully elaborating on the reading of the day (John 8:12) reminding us all that we are carriers of the divine light and that it is our duty to share it with those we come in touch with. A discussion followed which generated several action points and future programmes for the Mission Parish, including the determination to have a weekly gathering organised by the Mission Parish Council on Sundays, and the establishment of a local Church charity. Thank God for a very productive and inspiring weekend.

PILGRIMS REUNION: PREPARATION, PARTICIPATION, PRAYER

On Friday, 21 February, the Gulbenkian Hall was packed with past pilgrims as well as those are preparing to participate in the 2014 Pilgrimage. The evening started with a prayer by HG Bp Vahan and an introduction by the Primate about the nature and objective of the pilgrimages.His Grace emphasized that pilgrimages are spiritual exercises and great opportunities to ponder our faith and reflect upon our personal faith journey, while visiting the sites that served as the context of the events of the gospel. This was followed by the presentation and discussion of the flight itinerary and the details of the Pilgrimage agenda. TubeerHovik, who is the coordinator of this year’s Pilgrimage, then distributed forms to be filled out with the pilgrims and discussed the details of the arrangements of the flights, lodging and transportation during the Pilgrimage. A second orientation session will be organized on a date closer to that of the Pilgrimage. Each pilgrim will receive a booklet including biblical references to the shrines to be visited and reflections as well as the agenda and important contact info.

DR THEO VAN LINT IN HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, MANCHESTER

By the invitation of V. Rev. Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan, visiting pastor of the Holly Trinity Parish in Manchester, this Sunday, March 2nd, Dr. Theo van Lint, Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies at the University of Oxford will give a lecture titled “For Whom the Bell Tolls. Death and Grace in John Donne's Devotions upon emergent occasions and the Book of Lamentation by GrigorNarekac'i”, 3:00pm at the Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Manchester.This lecture will mark the end of celebration of St. GrigorNarekatsi’s year in our diocese proclaimed in 2013 by our Primate. The same day Badarak will be celebrated at 11:15 and a lunch will follow, which will be in the form of a Charity Buffet donated by the ladies of the community This is to raise money for the Astghavard Centre in the town of Vardenis, Sevan, in Armenia for disabled children and their families. All are welcome to join!

ST SARKIS PARISH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

The third Annual Parish Assemblywill take place on Sunday, 9 March, at 3pm. All members of the Parish who have fully paid their dues for the year 2013, are welcome and encouraged to join the assembly. Following Badarak parishioners will be invited to partake of a light lunch and register to participate in the assembly. If you are a member of the Parish in the previous years but have not yet paid your 2013 membership dues. It is not too late. You can pay your 2013 dues on the day of the assembly or prior to that and participate in the Assembly. Dues-paying members vote in the procedures of the Assembly and can elect and get elected for Parish administrative positions. For more info please contact the Parish Council by email: stsarkisparish@armenianchurch.co.uk or tel: 020 7937 0152. Most importantly please join us on Sunday, 9 March. New members are always welcome.

OBITUARY BARKEVKASSARDJIAN

The Armenian community in the United Kingdoms and around the world mourns the passing away of benefactor BarkevKassardjian. As a young man from a large Armenian family from a Bekaa village in Lebanon, Mr BarkevKassardjian was a true business pioneer in Africa. He was one of the first who built roads and created businesses in countries where no foreigners had penetrated before. In Ghana and the surrounding countries, thanks to the businesses established by BaronBarkev large numbers of the local population started having a decent living. The Kassardjian University in Ghana is a well known centre ofeducation in Africa. Mr Barkev was so loved and respected that Presidents of African countries used to consult him, seeking his adviceon local and international business matters. His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, expresses his condolences to the Kassardjian family and joins them praying that our Lord may have mercy upon the late BarkevKassardjian and grant him eternity.

1 March, 2014

Dr Theo van Lint Oxford University

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  LENTEN FRIDAY EVENING VIGILS AND DINNER: Join us every Friday during Lent at 6:45pm in St Sarkis Church for our

traditional Lenten Vigils, followed by Lenten dinner in Gulbenkian Hall: £5 per person. Children under 12 free. Our host

Mr Barkev was the first man in Africa to discover the qualities of

this Friday, 7 March is the Primate’s Office.

"Shea Nut". This nut grows in Africa but nobody paid attention to it.

 IRAQ AN UNFORGOTTEN MENA PLAYER: Click here to read the latest blog by our own Dr Harry Hagopian concerning Because of him this nut is used in cosmetics throughout the world and

the situation in the MENA region. You can also listen to the latest radio programme by clicking here. in Africa is used for medicinal reasons. Because of this discovery it

 GARINEH OPERA: 'Garineh' the first completed operatic work written by an Armenian composer, originally performed brought more work and wealth to the workers and nations in Africa.

under the title of 'LebledjiHorHor Agha' in Istanbul in 1875 will be performed by the London Armenian Opera on Saturday 29 March (7:30pm) and Sunday 30 Marhc (6:30pm), in the Tabernacle. To purchase tickets online, click here, call 01923 773 277 / 07867 672 787 / 07850 777 520 or e-mailLondonArmenianOpera@virginmedia.com

 BIBLE STUDY GROUP: Thursday, 6 March, in the St TomaSyriac Orthodox Cathedral at 7:00pm. All are welcome. As one of the most prominent members of the Armenian Community in  INTERNSHIP:The Primate’s Office is happy to announce the creation of the Summer Internship Program which is England, Mr Barkev’s name is associated in every major organisation in

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

the UK. Mr Barkev was passionate about preserving and teaching of the

administrative fields. For information please click here. To apply, please contact the Primate’s Office. Armenian language to the Armenian young generation. He was one of the

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: The Primate’s Office has prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions (collected founding fathers of the Armenian Saturday School. In 2001 he

from different people and parish council members), which is published in a document accessible by clicking here.

established the BarkevKassardjian Sis Trust which became the major donor to the London Armenian Sunday School, Saturday School, the

The Primate’s Office, HyeDoon, 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, London W8 6TG – 0208 127 8364 – primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk Scouts, The Manchester Sunday School and the Hayashen

playgroup/kindergarten.