ORDINATIONS MARK MEMORABLE PENTECOST IN NEW JERSEY

The Sts. Vartanantz Church parish celebrated the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, May 24, with the ordination of a large group of altar servers. 

His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan celebrated the Divine Liturgy assisted by Rev. Fr. Vahan Kouyoumdjian, Visiting Pastor of Holy Cross Church (Troy, New York). During the Divine Liturgy, the Prelate, administered the sacrament of ordination for Nareg Kassardjian, Ararad Yakoubian, Michael Ambartsumyan, Michael Bederjikian, Greg Varjabedian, and Robert Kanaby Jr. as subdeacons. He also ordained 26 acolytes, including  Sevan Asadurian, Maral Kaprielian, Yn. Maggie Kouyoumdjian, Hilda Tavitian, Marina Yakoubian, Sonia Tekeyan, Anne Trozzo, Jane Gordner, Jasmine Ambartsumyan, Lynn Mahlebjian, Annie Charkhutian, Tvene Baronian, Karina Berberian, Nara Simonyan, Mari Ohannessian, Tigran Alaverdyan, Ararad Yakoubian, Manuel Bederjikian, Michael Bederjikian, Mason Roberts, Greg Varjabedian, Vahe Kafafian, Robert Kanaby Jr., Hovhannes Hovhannessian, Guluzar Demirdjian, and Margaret Papazian. 

In his message, the Prelate referred to his re-election and his recent visit to the Vatican as part of the His Holiness Catholicos Aram I’s entourage. Afterwards, he spoke about the significance of Pentecost, connecting it to these ordinations and the life and future of Sts. Vartanantz Church.

After the Divine Liturgy, there was a reception in the church hall. During the reception, Archbishop Anoushavan personally distributed the certificates of ordination to each new acolyte and subdeacon, and congratulated them on this occasion. At the end, he highly commended the work of Very Rev. Fr. Vache Balekjian, Pastor, who has further enlivened the activities of the church in cooperation with the Board of Trustees, auxiliary bodies, and sister organizations.