On Sunday, April 5, 2015, Christians worldwide celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the foundation and cornerstone of our faith and the most joyous and monumental day of Christendom. On Easter, the solemnity of Great Lent and Holy Week gives way to utmost joy as we celebrate Christ’s victory over death and the promise of a new and everlasting life granted by His Resurrection. Prelacy Churches were filled with faithful who had come to partake in the Easter joy and exchange the good news that “Christ is Risen from the dead.”
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, celebrated Divine Liturgy and delivered his Easter message at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino. Congressman Brad Sherman, Central Executive member Khajag Dikijian, and Executive Council Chair Vahe Hovaguimian were among over thousand faithful in attendance.
Prior to his sermon, the Prelate greeted the faithful on what he referred to as a victorious day, the day of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With special joy His Eminence greeted “dear friend and long-time supporter of the Armenian Cause” Congressman Brad Sherman, who had come to congratulate the community and express his support and solidarity.
Today we celebrate the Easter message and promise of victory, triumph of life over sin and death, of good over evil, of love over hate, and of truth over falsehood, proclaimed the Prelate. His Eminence spoke of Christ’s path toward the fulfillment of His mission and of prophecy, a journey of great suffering and ultimately of a harrowing death on the Cross. With each stage in the last days of His earthly life, His opponents believed they were achieving their goal of putting an end to Christ and His mission. And with His death on the Cross, they rejoiced at their supposed victory. But as we know, said the Prelate, the trumpet of victory was blown on the third day as Jesus was resurrected, defeating death an granting us the promise of eternal life. His opponents failed in their plot, while His disciples became revitalized at the sight of the Risen Christ. From then on, they set forth to boldly spread His Word and His Light, at the risk of their own lives.
The Armenian nation too has endured great suffering on the path to an independent and Christian Armenia, said the Prelate. Our forefathers and ancestors bravely shed their blood to preserve our faith and identity. Ultimately however, our enemies failed in their mission to annihilate the Armenian people. Armed with the faith and hope of the Resurrection, we were reborn from the ashes of the Genocide. Today, the Resurrection continued to be our reality, our hope, and our victory. And so, with God and the truth on our side, and inspired by the legacy of our forefathers, we will persevere and emerge victorious as we remember and demand justice for our martyrs, concluded the Prelate.
Later in the service, parish pastor Rev. Fr. Razmig Khatchadourian welcomed the Prelate on behalf of the parish community, wished him a blessed Easter and a long and fruitful tenure.
The service concluded with the jubilant hymn proclaiming, “Today the immortal and heavenly Bridegroom resurrected from the dead, proclaim the joyful news, Christ is risen from the dead,” after which the faithful received Holy Communion.
On Monday, April 6, Easter Memorial Day, requiem service was conducted at Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn “Hall of Liberty” and Glendale Forest Lawn “Church of the Recessional”. The Prelate, accompanied by clergy, presided over the service at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills. Following requiem prayers, the Prelate was led in a procession to the courtyard for the Blessing of the Four Corners of the World (Antasdan) service.