PRELATE PRESIDES OVER WAKE AND FINAL ANOINTING OF ARCHPRIEST FR. VAZKEN BEKIARIAN
During the Divine Liturgy
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His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, presided over the funeral of Very Rev. Archpriest Fr. Vazken Bekiarian at Holy Trinity Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Friday, July 30. He was accompanied by Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Diocesan Vicar of the Eastern United States, and the clergy of the Armenian Prelacy of the Eastern United States.
Fr. Simeon conveyed the condolences of His Eminence Bishop Daniel Findikyan, primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church. Archbishop Anoushavan received with gratitude the fraternal expression of sympathy by Bishop Daniel.
On behalf of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, the Prelate expressed condolences to the family of Fr. Vazken. He added that Catholicos Aram knew Fr. Vazken very well from his time as a seminarian at Antelias and highly appreciated his devotion and service.
Following the ceremony, Fr. Vazken’s family received the expression of condolence from the attendees, including some who had arrived from other states and Canada, at the parish hall.
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The clergy and the faithful had crowded Holy Trinity Church on Saturday morning. Right after the Great Entrance and the Salutation, Archbishop Anoushavan administered the final anointing of Fr. Vazken on his forehead and his right hand. With heartfelt chanting, his fellow clergymen bid their final farewell to Fr. Vazken, following which the Prelate praised the luminous memory of his brother in Christ, an indefatigable servant of the Armenian Church. During the Salutation, the clergymen kissed the forefront and the right of their brother who died in Christ.
After a brief ceremony following Divine Liturgy, funeral attendees were headed to Worcester’s cemetery for the interment of Fr. Vazken.
During a Requiem lunch, Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishian, Vicar General of the Eastern Prelacy, blessed the table while Very Fr. Antranig Baljian, head of the Religious Council of the Prelacy, offered the clergy’s condolences to Fr. Vazken’s family, bringing up fond memories of his friendship with his brother in the Church.
The forty-day requiem service, or karasoonk, is scheduled for Sunday, September 5, at Holy Trinity Church in Worcester.
