Weekly News – September 9, 2016

EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY AND BLESSING OF MADAGH ON THE FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS AND NAME DAY OF HOLY CROSS CATHEDRAL

– ORDINATION OF ACOLYTES AND BESTOWING OF STOLE

Cross-with-BasilOn Sunday, September 11, 2016, the Armenian Church will celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The last of the five major feasts and the greatest of the four feasts dedicated to the Cross.

As this feast is also the name-day of Holy Cross Cathedral in Montebello, on this occasion H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will celebrate Divine Liturgy, deliver the sermon, and conduct the ordination of acolytes at the Cathedral. The candidates for ordination are Alex Manoukian, Hrag Harboian, Paren Der Bedrossian, Garo Kelleyan, and Berch Papikyan, who will also be granted the privilege of wearing a stole. Afterward, the Prelate will conduct the blessing of madagh and basil at “Baghramian” Hall, which will be followed by a luncheon hosted by the parish Ladies Guild.

The historical event relating to the Feast occurred in the 7th century. In the year 614, during the Byzantine-Persian war, the Persians, under the rule of King Khosrau II, seized Jerusalem and confiscated the sacred relic which had been taken to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine. In 628, after years of battle, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius succeeded in regaining the prized treasure. The relic was ceremoniously returned to Jerusalem, by way of Armenia. The passage of the sacred relic was a blessed occasion for the Armenian people as they had contributed to its return and even shed people in the preceding battles.

COMMENCEMENT OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS
The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is also traditionally the commencement of Sunday Schools following the summer break. Thus, on this day, Sunday School teachers and students will participate in Divine Liturgy at their local churches and will receive Holy Communion to begin the new year with blessings and prayers.

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