Commemorations Jointly Organized by the Armenian Ambassador to Mexico and the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America. On March 13, the Diocesan Primate led a delegation of Diocesan benefactors to Mexico City for the official commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The event marked the third official pastoral visit of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian since the transition of the Diocese of Mexico under the jurisdiction of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians in 2014.
Accompanying His Eminence were the Honorable Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian with his family, Archpriest Fr. Manoug Markarian, Pastor of St. John Garabed Armenian Church of Hollywood, Rev. Fr. Nerses Hayrapetyan, Pastor of St. Sarkis Armenian Church in Santa Clarita and St. Leon Armenian Cathedral Pastor the Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan with his Yeretzgin Tamar, Diocesan Council Chairman Antranik Zorayan with his spouse Virginia, Diocesan Council member Mr. Derik Ghookasian, Dr. Sarkis Mesrobian, the Executive Director of the Western Diocese Mr. Harout Markarian, Diocesan benefactresses Mrs. Rose Ketchoyan and Mrs. Sybille Aprahamian, St. Leon Armenian Cathedral Godfathers Mr. and Mrs. Nazaret and Alice Chakrian, Mrs. Alice Reisian, Grand Commander of the Knights of Vartan Mr. Steven Kradjian and Knights of Vartan Officers Mr. Hunan Arshakyan and Mr. Gregory Babikian, Ambassadors of Faith (AOF) Chairman Arsen Danielian Esq. and Mr. Aram Mousoian of the TV and Media Department of the Western Diocese.
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On March 14, Archbishop Derderian and his guests took part in a brunch reception at the Armenian Embassy in Mexico City. The reception was hosted at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia by His Excellency Grigor Hovhannissian, Armenia’s Ambassador to Mexico who had also served as the Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles.
In the afternoon, the American delegation visited the Museum of Tolerance and Memory in Mexico City containing galleries of the Jewish Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, the Srebenica Genocide, the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsis, the Cambodian Genocide, the Genocide of the Mayan Indigenous People of Guatemala, and the Genocide in Darfur, Sudan. The tour was led by Sonia Arakelian, the granddaughter of the late Armenian philanthropist Kerop Arakelian. The guests also toured the Historic Center, a World Heritage Site, where the Spaniards began to build what is now modern Mexico City in the 16th century on the ruins of the conquered Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire. The Historic Center (Centro Historico) contains most of the city’s historic sites from both eras as well as a large number of museums.
More than 100 guests attended the official gala banquet which was held at Simon’s Restaurant in Mexico City on the evening of March 14th. The Mistress of Ceremonies was Mrs. Suzie Keusseyan. The welcoming remarks were delivered by the Armenian Ambassador who expressed his delight in once again greeting his esteemed guests from Los Angeles. Ambassador Hovhannissian, who had been an avid supporter of Diocesan events and functions during his tenure as Consul General, introduced the prominent members of the Mexican-Armenian community to the delegation from California. Ambassador Hovhannissian also spoke at length about the accomplishments about the Mexican-Armenian community and the planned events scheduled to be held in the upcoming months.
In his remarks, the Primate thanked Ambassador Hovhannisian for the gracious hospitality and the warm welcome. Archbishop Derderian also welcomed the presence of His Excellency Eduardo Malayan, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Mexico.
With fond memories, His Eminence recalled the Ambassador Hovhannissian’s years of tireless service rendered to the community of Los Angeles as then the Consul General of the Republic of Armenia. Archbishop Derderian once again expressed his delight in greeting familiar faces of the Mexican-Armenian community and later introduced the members of the delegation to the hosts.
In his address to the Mexican-Armenian community, Archbishop Derderian stated in part “For one hundred years, a unified group of Armenians in the distant country of Mexico continued to bear witness to the world about our unshakable ancestral Christian Faith, which has become the source of a new life. It is our sincere wish to work with you hand-in-hand in building upon the Mexican-Armenian community – which we believe will be the greatest gift to our fallen martyrs as we prepare to commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.
Tonight we fervently pray for those souls who helped to establish this community, for as visionaries, they aimed to preserve the Armenian identity and to instill the Christian values in the hearts of the younger generation. We are delighted to know that along with the expansion of the Armenian community of Mexico, we had been graced by mutual diplomatic ties between Armenia and Mexico, namely through the Embassy and Armenia’s first Ambassador to Mexico His Excellency Ambassador Grigor Hovhannissian.
Ambassador Hovhannissian’s service and achievements speak for themselves. His organizational ability and his work ethic define his charismatic and driven personality. We are here tonight at the invitation of Ambassador Hovhannissian and we rest assured that as a result, the Armenian community in Mexico will flourish.
It has been a custom in the Armenian Apostolic Church for the Catholicos of All Armenians to officially designate a Diocese with an Encyclical – (a Gontag) as had been done in 1898 with the establishment of the Diocese of North and South America with one spiritual leader. The Dioceses split eventually as a result of growing Armenian communities in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Diocese of Mexico was transferred from the Eastern Diocese to the jurisdiction of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America with the Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
It is an honor to read the Encyclical of His Holiness tonight in its entirety:
KAREKIN II, SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST,
BY THE MERCY OF GOD AND THE WILL OF THE NATION
CHIEF BISHOP AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS,
SUPREME PATRIARCH OF THE PAN-NATIONAL PREEMINENT ARARATIAN SEE
THE APOSTOLIC MOTHER CHURCH OF UNIVERSAL HOLY ETCHMIADZIN.
CHRIST-BEQUEATHED GREETINGS OF LOVE AND PONTIFICAL BLESSINGS
TO THE CATHOLICIOSATE OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA,
TO THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATES
OF HOLY JERUSALEM AND CONSTANTINOPLE,
TO ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS,
TO DIOCESAN ASSEMBLIES,
DIOCESAN AND PARISH COUNCILS AND OFFICERS,
AND TO ALL BELOVED FAITHFUL ARMENIAN PEOPLE
We render our praise and glory to Almighty God, who blesses our sons for prosperously and vibrantly maintaining the national and spiritual life worldwide.
Yet in the 19th century, when the Armenians who survived the Ottoman massacres settled in North America, the late Pontiff of the Armenians Khrimian Hayrik, by Pontifical Encyclical, confirmed a diocesan structure on the North America continent, so that the service of our Apostolic Holy Church would be useful to our faithful sons and daughters, and thus our longing people would not be indifferent to spiritual care.
Over subsequent years, a great number of Armenians found life safety in North America. Armenian communities were formed in the Eastern, then in the Western regions of US, and in Canada. In order to organize and take care our nation’s spiritual life, in response to the region’s churches requests, the late Pontiffs Gevork V and Vasken I, confirmed the Armenian Western Diocese of the USA and the Armenian Diocese of Canada.
In recent decades, as a result of demographic changes, the number of Armenians has also increased in Mexico. During this time, our Church has made outreach through visiting clergy, so that the Armenians living in Mexico could build their spiritual and national life on our father’s holy sacred rock of faith, and keep their religious and national identity unbroken.
Today, it’s a necessity to offer greater spiritual care and compassion to our nation’s children who live in Mexico. In this regard, responding to the requests of the Eastern and Western Dioceses of the Armenian Church of Nother America, and considering the close ties between the Armenian communities of Mexico and California, and Mexico’s geographical proximity, with this Patriarchal Encyclical we separate the Mexican Armenian communities from the Armenian Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America and include it in the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.
We extend our Pontifical Blessings to His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian; Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, urging that he make efforts with pastoral zeal, to offer service for the formation of the community structures in Mexico for their successful activities.
From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, we extend our Pontifical blessings, love and best wishes to our faithful Armenian sons and daughters living in Mexico. We pray from the depth of our hearts, asking the Lord to preserve the Mexican-Armenian community under the patronage of His Holy Right Hand and with His heavenly graces, richly bless and brighten the national and spiritual life of our Christ-loving people now and forever: Amen.
“Heavenly King, keep your Church immovable and grant peace by Your worshiped name”.
With Blessings,
KAREKIN II
CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
Encyclical issued on the 21st of November
In the Year of our Lord 2014 and in the date of the Armenians 1463
At the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Number 877
The guests enjoyed the beautiful performances of Mexican artists on the Armenian wind instrument duduk.
On Sunday, March 15 at noon, members of the Armenian-Mexican community and the delegation from California participated in the Holy Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico in commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. The celebrant was His Eminence Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Mexico’s Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian participated in the service along with ecumenical officials including representatives of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, the Anglican Church as well as inter-religious officials of the Jewish Faith.
The liturgy was widely covered by the Mexican media.
Following the service, the members of the Mexican-Armenian community and the delegation from California took part in a reception at the Museum of Cultures in the Historic Center.
With the participation of the Diocesan Priests, the Primate consecrated a cross-stone (khatchkar), a gift to the National Museum of Civilizations from the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. Present at the ceremonial rite were Mr. Carlos Vasquez Olvera, Director of the National Museum of Mexican Culture, members of the Mexican-Armenian community as well as the delegation from Los Angeles. Historical books about the Armenian Genocide were also donated to the National Museum. The khatchkar will become one of the permanent exponents at Mexico’s National Museum of Cultures.
The day’s festivities concluded with an informal dinner at Café Tacuba restaurant.
The delegation returned to Los Angeles on March 16th with uplifted spirits.
Yorumlar kapatıldı.