With love and gratitude we wish our mothers a Happy Mother’s Day, praying for the peace, mercy, and protection of our Lord to be upon you on this day and always.
May God bless our mothers, and may the memory of our beloved departed mothers rest in peace.
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IN MEMORIAM
DIRAMAYR MARIE CHOLOYAN
With deep sorrow we received the news of the passing of Diramayr Marie Choloyan, mother of H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern United States.
Diramayr Marie passed away on May 7, 2014, in Beirut, Lebanon. She was 94 years old.Funeral services will take place on Saturday, May 10, at the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Antelias, Lebanon. Interment will follow at the Armenian National Cemetery in Bourj Hammoud.
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, and the Religious and Executive Councils convey their condolences to Archbishop Choloyan and the Choloyan family.
May God bless her memory, and may the Holy Spirit grant comfort and consolation to her family.
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CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY RECOGNIZES
ARTSAKH’S INDEPENDENCE
In a landslide vote, on Thursday, May 8, the California State Assembly called for U.S. recognition of Artsakh’s independence. The historic vote specifically voiced encouragement for Artsakh’s continuing efforts to develop as a free and independent nation, and formally called upon the President and Congress of the United States to support the self-determination and democratic independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. AJR 32 was adopted by a vote of 70 to 1, and will now move to the California State Senate for consideration. Earlier this week, AJR 32 was adopted by the State Assembly Rules Committee by a vote of 9-1.
AJR 32 lead author, Assemblymember Gatto introduced the resolution on the floor providing historical background, noting the importance of supporting the self-determination and independence of Artsakh. Co-Author Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian, and Assemblymembers Ian Calderon, Tom Daly, Adrin Nazarian, Scott Wilk, and Cheryl Brown joined Gatto in urging their colleagues to support the resolution.
Upon passage by the State Senate, California will join Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Louisiana in adopting legislation which supports the independence of Artsakh.
On this momentous occasion, the Prelate and the Prelacy family express gratitude to the Assembly members for their principled decision, and to the ANCA-WR for their hard work.
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PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER DIVINE LITURGY
AT HOLY MARTYRS CHURCH IN ENCINO
Sunday, May 11, is the fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Red Sunday.
On this day, the Prelate will preside over Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino.
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42ND PRELACY REPRESENTATIVES ASSEMBLY
MAY 16 & 17
On the afternoon of Friday, May 16, the 42nd Prelacy Representatives Assembly will convene at the “Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian” Hall, presided over by the Prelate.
The two-day Assembly will review the endeavors of the Prelate, Councils, parishes, schools, and committees in the previous term, and draft the activities of the coming term.
Also on the agenda is the election of the Religious and Executive Councils.
In preparation for the Assembly, on Wednesday, May 14, the annual clergy conference will be held, presided over by the Prelate and with the participation of all Prelacy clergy at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale.
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CASPS HONORS OUTSTANDING ARMENIAN GRADUATES
FROM GLENDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
On Thursday, May 8, the 18th annual CASPS reception honoring outstanding Armenian graduates from the Glendale Unified School District was held at the Glendale Adult Recreation Center.
Two hundred graduates were honored this year for their academic achievements.
The Prelate attended the reception and conveyed his congratulations, blessings, and message to the graduates, urging and encouraging them to place their trust in the Lord and remain firm in their faith, values, and principles through all of life’s challenges. His Eminence commended also CASPS and GUSD members for their commitment to providing our youth with the tools to succeed.
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PRELATE REPRESENTED AT ARMENIA FUND SPECIAL RECEPTION
During the last year, a lottery was held throughout Armenia and the Diaspora to assist in resettlement efforts in Artsakh’s liberated territories and in the creation of jobs.
On Tuesday, March 6, a reception organized by Armenia Fund was held to present the winners with their prizes, handmade Artsakh rugs, and to brief the community on the accomplishments of this endeavor.
Representative of Artsakh in the United States, Mr. Robert Avetisyan, was present at the reception, which was held at Brandview Collection in Glendale.
On behalf of the Prelate, Rev. Fr. Khoren Babochian attended, blessed the tables, and conveyed the well wishes of His Eminence.
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RAFFI ROMANIAN-ARMENIAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY
On Saturday, May 3rd, Raffi Romanian-Armenian Cultural Association celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala banquet held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
On behalf of the Prelate, Archpriest Fr. Vicken Vassilian attended and conveyed the blessings and congratulatory remarks of His Eminence.
In response to an appeal by Association members, the Prelate had requested a Pontifical Letter of Blessing from His Holiness Aram I, which was read at the banquet. In the letter, His Holiness commended the Association’s service within the Diaspora and their efforts in preserving and promoting our Armenian heritage, stating that the greatest testament to the Association’s good works in the past fifty years are the community institutions whose foundations were set by the Association and which continue to thrive today.
The Prelate had also provided a letter of blessing, in which he commended the dedication of the members in upholding the Association’s mission begun ninety years before in Romania. With regards to their service within our community, the Prelate highlighted their efforts in founding Ferrahian School, the first Armenian day school in the U.S., St. Garabed Church and Pilibos School, Hamakayin “Kousan” Choir, and others.
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ARMENIAN BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRY
ANNUAL WALK OF LIFE
Each year the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry holds a walk-a-thon, the Walk of Life, to assist the organization’s mission of providing life-saving services to those afflicted with blood related illnesses.
This year’s Walk of Life, the 9th annual, was held on Saturday, May 3rd, beginning and ending at Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center.
On behalf of the Prelate, Rev. Fr. Vazken conducted the opening prayer and blessed the participants.
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ARS WESTERN USA 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
On Friday, May 2nd, the Armenian Relief Society Western Region celebrated its 30th anniversary with a gala held at Taglyan Hall in Hollywood.
On behalf of the Prelate, Rev. Fr. Ardak Demirjian attended, delivered the invocation, and conveyed the Prelate’s congratulations and best wishes.
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