On Thursday 29 November, the Parish Council of Holy Trinity Church, Wentworthville with the Reverend Fathers of Holy Resurrection Church, Diocesan Councillors and a few community members greeted Very Reverend Father Yeremia Abgaryan from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin at Sydney International Airport. He was enthusiastically and warmly welcomed after months of anticipation of his arrival as the new Parish Priest following the return to the Mother See of Very Reverend Father Nerses Harutyunyan in January. The Parish Council was keen to get acquainted with its new Pastor and help in settle in his new residence at the Church the same evening.
The following day, Parish Councillors accompanied Father Yeremia to the Diocesan Centre to be received by the Primate, Parish Priest of Holy resurrection Church and Diocesan Councillors. His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian welcomed the Reverend Father and explained a great deal about the Armenian community of Sydney, particularly the young parish he would be shepherding, the challenges and opportunities ahead of him and provided encouragement of his ministry in Sydney. The Reverend Fathers then escorted Father Yeremia around the Church of Holy Resurrection viewing the iconic symbols around the church that came about over the past 61 years.
In the evening of Friday 30 November, the Ladies’ Auxiliary and Parish Council of Holy Trinity Church hosted a gathering to welcome the newly arrived Pastor. It began with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian through a short prayer service inside the church sanctuary where Father Yeremia was accepted as the Parish Priest of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Trinity. This blessing was conducted in the presence of Fathers Avetis Hambardzumyan and Bartev Karakashian, Church benefactor Mr Krikor Batmanian and his family, and Holy Resurrection and Holy Trinity Parish Councillors. The gathering then continued upstairs in the Batmanian hall where all participated in the warm hospitality of the Ladies’ Auxiliary who served light refreshments to the guests.
Welcoming speeches were expressed by the Holy Trinity Chairman Mr Vazken Yegenian, followed by Bishop Najarian who welcomed Father Yeremia to his ministry in Sydney as the Parish Priest. Father Yeremia was then given the opportunity to say a few words where he introduced himself, his upbringing, education and past experience as a Parish Priest of Armenian Churches in Etchmiadzin, Los Angeles and Washington state. He also shared his vision for the Holy Trinity Church to bring together the Armenian community in the western Sydney region.
