Consecration of the Icon of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide
On Sunday November 1, 2015 St. Stepanos performed a special ceremony consecrating
the parish’s new Icon of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. The Ceremony began with the children of the Sunday School carrying the Icon replica into the Sanctuary. Ryan Kozak, Arianna Hovsepian, Davit Avetisyan and Larisa Avetisyan carried in the icon with the entire Sunday School in two lines behind them. Ryan and Davit placed the painting at the foot of the altar and continued to support it while Arianna and Larisa held candles. Prior to the blessing of the Icon Der Daniel gave a heartfelt sermon regarding the Genocide and sainthood. The children of the Sunday School recited Psalm 113As the Icon was washed first with water by Aida Kado and Silva Terjanian, then with wine by Richard McOmber and John Haytaian; the Icon was then wipedclean by Sona Toufayan and Ethel Yezdanian, .
At the end of the service the entire parish came to the altar to kiss the Icon. Der Daniel
and the Deacons then led the procession of Altar Servers and students to the spot where the Icon will hang in the sanctuary. It was a moving and special moment for the entire parish and children of St. Stepanos.
Following the service our Sunday school children, the youngest heirs of our Armenian legacy, performed a play in the parish hall, honoring St. Mesrop Mashdots, whose heroic invention of the alphabet made possible the Armenian people’s long and illustrious future. As the children said, thanks to St. Mesrop we have “thirty-six soldiers who preserve the Armenian language and culture in perpetuity.”
For this special occasion, the Diocese prepared a special mini-retreat for all Armenian parishes. The retreat was facilitated by Prof. Roberta Ervine of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. A film on the Genocide and the Genocide Saints, “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”, was then shown. The celebration concluded with a blessing of gratitude on the occasion of H.H. Karekin II’s sixteenth anniversary of consecration. All present then recited the prayer to the Genocide Saints, led by Der Taniel.
It was an uplifting and memorable way to mark this historic day.
