WHITINSVILLE BIKE-RIDE FUNDRAISER AND NEW BAPTISMAL FONT

On Saturday, June 26, a small but enthusiastic group met Archbishop Anoushavan at the Blackstone River Bikeway to join him in the 24-mile bike ride to raise funds for the Armenian Memorial Monument. A much larger group welcomed them back, with a picnic style luncheon organized by the Board of Trustees.

Fr. Mikael Der Kosrofian, Pastor of Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, thanked Archbishop Anoushavan and everyone in attendance for participating and supporting their first fundraiser for the memorial. Der Mikael also introduced Peter and Celeste Bedigian as the matching donors for this event and thanked them for their generosity, with whose help a total of $3,000.00 was collected.

And on Sunday, after presiding over the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Anoushavan consecrated the baptismal font donated by Jim and Priscilla Altoonian. As Psalm 29 was read, he washed the font with water and with wine. After a short prayer, he began to anoint the font with Holy Muron, chanting, “Blessed, and anointed, and sanctified be the baptismal font of this holy Church of Soorp Asdvadzadzin with this sign of the holy cross and with the holy Gospel and with this holy chrism, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.” The Prelate then placed the alb (the white vestment shirt), the stole, and the belt worn by the celebrant over the font, symbolizing the purity of the font, and three candlesticks representing the Holy Trinity. The Archbishop, the Celebrant and the Deacons bowed down and kissed the font.

The Service concluded with everyone singing “Heavenly King, preserve your Church unshaken and keep in peace those who worship You.” In closing remarks, Archbishop Anoushavan congratulated the Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church community.