WATERTOWN COMMUNITY PAYS TRIBUTE TO ARCHPRIEST FR. ANTRANIG BALJIAN

Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, the community of St. Stephen’s Church in Watertown, Massachusetts, got together on the evening of Saturday, May 3, to pay tribute to Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian in a Celebration of Service, marking his nearly 50 years of service to the Armenian Church, with nearly three decades at St. Stephen’s. 

After an opening prayer, Master of Ceremonies Tamar Kanarian (who is also a member of the Prelacy Executive Committee) kicked off the evening’s program with her personal reflections of working with Fr. Antraning through the years, and how his support and mentorship influenced her service to the Church. Other speakers included Dn. John Daghlian, Chair of the Board; Becky Megerdichian, Chair of the Ladies Guild; and the principals of the church-affiliated schools: Dr. Garine Palandjian, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School; Mayda Melkonian, Saturday School; and Nayiri Baljian Bell, daughter of Der Antranig, on behalf of the Sunday School. The Pontifical Letter of Benediction was read by Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, son of Der Antranig and pastor of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Merrimack Valley.  

The Honorable David K. Muradian, Jr., a Massachusetts State Representative representing the 9th district of Worcester (Massachusetts), and cousin of Fr Antranig, offered a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives congratulating him on his years of service.  

Nishan Baljian, grandson of Der Antranig, provided a lovely piano interlude, including a piece from Aram Khachaturian’s Album for Children. 

With Fr. Antranig having celebrated his 75th birthday a few days before the event, the crowd serenaded him with a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday,’ after which he had some assistance blowing out his birthday candles from his two granddaughters, Dalita and Mariam.  

Very Rev. Fr. Hrant Tahanian, pastor of St. Stephen’s, offered his gratitude to Fr. Antranig on behalf of everyone present for his continued service, and presented him with a very special present – a framed piece of the Church’s original wooden altar tile, constructed in 1956. The tile was one that was directly under Fr. Antranig’s feet as he celebrated thousands of Badaraks and Sacraments through the years and included a Bible quote from Psalm 37:23: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” Other gifts were presented to Fr. Antranig and Yn. Cheryl on behalf of the Board of Trustees by Sonya Hagopian, chair of the event and Vice Chair of the Board, and Dn. John Daghlian.  

In closing remarks, Archbishop Anoushavan reflected on the time spent together at the Seminary with Fr. Antranig and their decades-long friendship. He presented him with a facsimile of a famous illuminated manuscript of St. Gregory of Narek’s Book of Tragedy, a masterpiece of Armenian literature with significant spiritual meaning for Armenians, printed at the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia by the order of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I.

The evening concluded with the singing of Giligia and a closing prayer. 

It was a joyous celebration for all as the community packed the ballroom of the Boston Marriott Newton to show their love and appreciation to Der Antranig and Yeretzgin Cheryl. It was the stated intent of the event committee to donate all proceeds to the Church. That evening it was announced that due to the generosity of the sponsors, donors and those in attendance, more than $40,000 will be donated to the St. Stephen’s Endowment Fund in honor of Der Antranig.