PRELATE CALLS FOR STEADFAST FAITH DURING HOLY WEEK

Holy Week’s packed schedule of His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, included the Opening of the Doors in Massachusetts, meetings with the Archbishop of Boston and the Bishop of Providence, as well as the several services that precede Sunday of the Holy Resurrection, which he celebrated at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York. In his Easter sermon, His Eminence exhorted the faithful to overcome the trials and tribulations of our times with steadfast faith.  

On Sunday, March 29, Archbishop Anoushavan celebrated the Divine Liturgy, delivered the sermon, and performed the service of the Opening of the Portals (“Դռնբացէք”/“Trnpatsek”) at St. Stephen’s Church in Watertown, Massachusetts. On Monday, March 30, he met with the Most Rev. Richard G. Henning, Archbishop of Boston.

On Tuesday, March 31, the Prelate presided over the commemoration of the Parable of the Ten Maidens at Holy Trinity Church (Worcester, Massachusetts) and on Wednesday, April 1, he presided over the Betrayal service at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church (Indian Orchard, Massachusetts).  

After meeting Thursday morning with the Most Rev. Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, Bishop of Providence, Archbishop Anoushavan participated in the Divine Liturgy at Sts. Vartanantz Church (Providence, Rhode Island), celebrated by Rev. Fr. Kapriel Nazarian, Pastor. The Washing of the Feet service then took place. The Prelate washed the feet of the twelve apostles, and afterwards those of the Pastor, the deacons, the altar servers, the Board of Trustees, the Ladies’ Guild, the Men’s Club, as well as Rhode Island State Senator David Tikoian and David Caprio, son of the late renowned Judge Frank Caprio, who had personally welcomed His Holiness at Sts. Vartanantz Church two years earlier and on that occasion had asked for His Holiness’ blessing. His Eminence had extended a special invitation to David Caprio for this occasion.  

After a brief recess, the Tenebrae service took place. In his remarks, the Prelate reflected on Christ’s obedience, embraced with incomparable love, for the fulfillment of the Father’s will for the salvation of the human race. He therefore invited the faithful to follow in the footsteps of Our Lord in their own lives.

On Friday, April 3, Archbishop Anoushavan participated in the Entombment Service of our Lord Jesus Christ at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in North Andover, Massachusetts. In his message, the Prelate said that our Lord always expressed in practice the doctrine he taught. Accordingly, following his own parable that “unless a grain of wheat dies, it bears much fruit,” he likewise was buried so that the God-centered and luminous Christian faith could spread throughout the world.

On Saturday morning, April 4, the Prelate participated in the service of the Night-Morning Service in commemoration of sealing the tomb of Christ (Matthew 27:62-66) at Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, with the participation of the faithful and Sunday school students. Especially addressing the students, the Prelate said that the meaning of the day teaches us an important practical lesson: not to be discouraged before any seeming impossibility, but rather to be strengthened by Christ and to act. 

On Saturday evening, the Prelate participated in the Easter Eve Divine Liturgy (“Ճրագալոյց”/“Jrakalouyts”) at St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, New York, celebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Pastor. At the conclusion, he invited all those present to pray unceasingly that the will of God the Father be done on earth as it is in heaven, so that peace may be restored in today’s stormy world. 

On Sunday, April 5, Archbishop Anoushavan celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Resurrection. In his message, the Prelate reflected on the historical reality of the Holy Resurrection transmitted to us by the Gospel, which, transcending every concept of time and space, is a truth that transforms and inspires our life, guiding our personal and collective life in the footsteps of Him who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He called on the faithful to be always strengthened by the faith and hope of the Resurrection that conquers death, especially amid the current national and international upheavals.