Primate Will Visit Perth this Weekend

His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand will make a pastoral visit to the Armenian Community of Perth. Arriving on Saturday 29 June, he will be accompanied by Reverend Father Bartev Karakashian.

The Community is invited to welcome the Primate at a gathering on Saturday at 2.00 p.m. in the hall of St Hilda’s Anglican Church, 15 View Street, North Perth when light refreshments will be served.

On Sunday 30 June, His Grace will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at 12.30 p.m. in St Hilda’s Church which will be followed by a tea service.

Members of the Perth-Armenian Community are invited to join the occasion to meet and greet the new Primate of the Diocese.

Willoughby Council Dedicates Armenian Khatchkar

On Sunday 14 April the City of Willoughby honoured the legacy of the late Archbishop Aghan Baliozian with the unveiling of a Khatchkar in the gardens of the newly developed Willoughby Concourse. Located in the centre of the Chatswood CBD at the hub of the cultural and performing arts centre, the memorial is of great significance for the Armenian community as a representation of our national heritage. The 1.6 metre sculpture was crafted in Armenia under the commissioning of the Mayor, Councillor Pat Reilly and Willoughby City Council.

The afternoon commenced with a commemoration service where memories and tributes were shared by the Mayor, His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian, Diocesan Council Chairman Mr Vahan Batmanian and Mrs Mara Iskenderian representing the Baliozian family.

Bishop Najarian presided over the blessing of the Khatchkar accompanied by the Reverend Fathers and members of the diaconate before the official unveiling. The Karasoun Mangounk Church children’s choir presented two hymns under the direction of the choirmaster before concluding the service with the Lord’s Prayer.

Following a memorable and befitting tribute under sunlit, blue skies attended by over 400 community members, a reception was hosted by the Mayor for the invited guests in the foyer of the Concert Hall.

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Primate Visits New Zealand

His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian visited the mission parishes of Auckland and Wellington from 14-19 February accompanied by Reverend Father Avetis Hambardzumyan. He celebrated the Divine Liturgy in both cities with the participation of the faithful community.

In Auckland, the Primate made acquaintances with community members and discussed ways to establish closer ties with the community of Sydney. Over the few days, His Grace personally met with the elderly in their homes, led a special session with the youth, conducted requiem and blessing services of the graves at the cemetery bringing solace to families of those deceased.

Similarly in Wellington His Grace enjoyed the hospitality and warmth of the small Armenian community who were nourished by his pastoral leadership. The Primate also met with the Rt Hon Dame Sian Elias, Chief Justice of New Zealand who is the daughter of the late Dr Minas Elias who arrived in New Zealand from Burma (Myanmar) in the 1950’s and was the pioneer face of Armenians in the country.

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Bishop Haigazoun Najarian Arrives in Australia

The newly appointed Primate to the Diocese of Australia, Bishop Haigazoun Najarian arrived in Sydney on Friday 4 January to be officially greeted at the airport by clergy, Diocesan and Church Councillors and other community members.

His Grace was welcomed to his new position as the spiritual father to lead the Diocese with the handing of the bishop’s rod and to his new home in the Armenian tradition when he blessed the salt and bread in the arrival hall.

Having completed his post as the Patriarchal Legate in Central Europe and Sweden, Bishop Najarian comes to Australia directly from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

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Film Crew From Vem Media Arts in Sydney

An international film crew from the Vem Media Arts production company (producers of From Ararat to Zion) was in Sydney this past week shooting footage for a documentary feature film about St Grigor Narekatsi. The film will present a mosaic of the Armenians’ global image featuring the millennial dialogue between the Armenian nation and St Narekatsi’s book.

The documentary is being filmed in various locations worldwide including Armenia, Russia, Argentina, Israel, Lebanon, France, Thailand and Australia.

With the help of the Church and its families, specifically the Mouradians, the film crew captured footage of Armenian life in Sydney from church services and community structure to the personal facets of a nucleus family.

The documentary film is expected to be released early 2014 and will be screened in Australia soon after.

Sunday School Christmas Concert

The Edgarian hall was abuzz with the spirit of Christmas on Sunday 16 December in the setting of the nativity and performances of our beautiful Sunday School children. The story of Christmas and Armenian traditions were told by orators and acted out with intermittent songs and poems presented with the gaiety of a children’s pageant.

The concert also included a visit from jolly old Santa Claus who came laden with gifts for everyone.

Participating with the Sunday school were older siblings and children of our church families. Santa was treated to Armenian folkloric dancers, carols by saxophone and an energetic demonstration of dhol (Armenian drum) playing.

Once the gifts were distributed to the children and all bid farewell to Santa, Reverend Fathers Bartev Karakashian and Avetis Hambardzumyan presented certificates of commendation to the students and participants. Father Bartev commended the performance which he said took him back to Bethlehem with the depiction of the nativity and to our motherland with the music and dances.

Church Council, Mr Bedros Zorlu thanked and praised the Sunday School teachers for their dedication and devoted service to the children’s ministry in our Church. Yeretsgin Hasmik Ghambaryan, Mrs Shakeh Vartanian and Mrs Liza Kopoushian were applauded for all their hard work.

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New Primate Appointed to the Diocese of Australia

By the directive of His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian has been appointed Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand as of 1 January 2013.

Bishop Najarian leaves his position as the Pontifical Legate of Central Europe and Sweden which he was appointed to in 2010. Based in Vienna, Austria he tended to the spiritual needs of Armenian communities in more than a dozen countries.

In prior years, His Grace served in the Eastern Diocese of the United States as Vicar General from 2007-2010 (and periodically between 1986-1995). He has been the Pastor of Armenian churches in the parishes of Philadelphia, Dallas and New Jersey.

Throughout his years of service he has held the position of Dean/New Testament Lecturer at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary in Holy Etchmiadzin.

Having graduated from the Gevorkian Seminary in 1973 he continued his theological studies at St Augustine’s College in Canterbury, King’s College in London and St Andrew’s College in Scotland and during this time served as Pastor of St Peter and St Sarkis Armenian Churches in London. In 1994 he completed a M.A. in History from Columbia University in New York.

Click here to read the official announcement (in Armenian) of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin with a comprehensive biography of His Grace

Armenian Church Joins in the Armenian Festival

On Sunday 9 December, the Armenian Apostolic Church will participate in the Armenian Festival at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour commencing at 12.00 p.m. The festival will continue into the evening with carols from 6.00 to 8.00 p.m. Throughout the day, the Church will hold a stall to display and sell Armenian Bibles, a selection of books including dictionaries, instructional Church books for children and adults, DVDs, CDs, religious and Armenian trinkets with a small variety of ornamental crosses

Primate Laid To Rest

The funeral of His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian was held on Thursday 4 October at the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection.

The Divine Liturgy was presided by His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovannisian from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and His Eminence Archbishop Nourhan Manougian from the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem who presented the eulogy.

Very Reverend Fathers Khoren Hovannisyan from Calcutta and Nerses Harutunyan, from the Mother See newly appointed to serve in the parish of Melbourne by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, were the attendants of the day.

During the service, the open casket was placed on the Altar where the last rites were conferred upon the late Primate.

Over 1,000 clergy, dignitaries, community organisation representatives and parishioners attended the service to pay their final respects to the late Archbishop, who was the spiritual father of his faithful flock and leader of the Armenian Community of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand for more than 30 years; an envoy of ecumenism representing the Armenian Apostolic Church in Australia and internationally; and a highly respected head of church in religious and official circles as well as in broader sectors of society.

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Photos courtesy of North Shore Times

Open Casket Viewing and Funeral Service

We inform the faithful flock of our Community that on Wednesday, 3 October, 2012 a public viewing of the open casket of our dearly departed Primate, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian will be held in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection at 6.00 p.m. with a special requiem service at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, 4 October the open casket viewing will commence at 8.00 a.m. and at 10.00 a.m. the Divine Liturgy, funeral service and final consecration will be conducted.

The funeral service will be presided by His Eminence Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Following the church service at 12.30 p.m. the interment ceremony will be take place in the Armenian Section of Macquarie Park Cemetery where the late Primate will be laid to rest in a designated plot behind the Armenian Genocide Monument. The memorial coffee (hokesoorj) will be served afterward in the Edgarian hall.

The presence of our faithful community will be duly received on these solemn days of mourning to pay final respects to the late Archbishop and farewell him in reverence.

In accordance with the wishes of our beloved late Primate, we request that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Diocese’s St Nerses Shenorhali Fund for the purpose of preparing Armenian clergy.

 Issued on Behalf of the Diocesan Council