Sunday, Sept. 18, was a joyous occasion for the St. Hagop Church community, in Niagara Falls, NY, as it welcomed the newly consecrated Holy Muron brought by His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Sahakian, Visiting Pastor, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the Prelate delivered the sermon.
Liturgy was followed by the Blessing of Waters and the Blessing of Basil. At the end of the church ceremonies, the faithful gathered in the parish hall to celebrate the 31st independence of Armenia, which they marked in a festive mood with family and friends who were visiting from Buffalo and other areas.
His Eminence congratulated this small yet lively community, which keeps the flame of identity and church alive regardless of their distance from cities with much larger Armenian presence. He especially welcomed the presence of children as a testimony to St. Hagop’s future.
The event came to a close with the blessing by Fr. Zareh and the “Giligia” song.