ARMENIAN SPIRITUAL LEADER VISITS SOUTHLAND, SAYS MASS.Byline: Lisa Faught Staff Writer PASADENA - It was a bit nerve-racking for Hovig Tashjian to take the stage Friday morning under the watchful eyes of His Holiness a title of the pope; - formerly given also to Greek bishops and Greek emperors. See also: Holiness Karekin II Catholicos Karekin II (Armenian: Գարեգին Բ also Garegin) is the current head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church. , the supreme patriarch and catholicos of all Armenians. Karekin II is the spiritual leader of some 7 million faithful worldwide, after all. But Tashjian, an 11-year-old student at Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian school A Christian School is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization. The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country according to the religious, educational, and political culture. in Altadena, mustered up his courage and performed in a school band with his classmates Classmates can refer to either:
``Before we got on stage, I couldn't stop shaking, and I had to go to the bathroom,'' Tashjian said. ``But afterwards, I just wanted to keep playing.'' Tashjian was one of some 800 Armenian students to hear Karekin speak at St. Gregory the Illuminator Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener (Armenian: Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ translit. Armenian Church Armenian Church, autonomous Christian church, sometimes also called the Gregorian Church. Its head, a primate of honor only, is the catholicos of Yejmiadzin, Armenia; Karekin II became catholicos in 1999. . Students from 12 local Armenian schools performed Armenian songs and dances for Karekin. Karekin's position in the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is equivalent to that of the Roman Catholic Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II) born Karol Józef Wojtyła . He spoke in Armenian about hardships in the old country and his hopes for the future, said Lora Kuyumkian, a teacher at Arshag Dickranian School in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . He is visiting the United States to celebrate 1,700 years of Christianity in Armenia. Armenia is believed to be the first nation to embrace Christianity as its state religion in A.D. 301. ``This is like a shot in the arm,'' said Father Vazken Movsesian of St. Gregory's. ``He came to renew the vows to the Armenian Church for the entire community. It's a time of renewal.'' The Southland is home to the largest population of Armenians outside of Armenia, with the highest concentrations in Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena. Being in Karekin's presence was a first for many at the church, which strives to keep Armenian children in touch with their heritage. ``It was a very moving experience,'' said Alex Aghajanian, a former member of the Pasadena school board. ``It's wonderful that he came here and brought Armenian culture to the forefront of Pasadena for a day. The energy from the kids was wonderful.'' Karekin's visit to Southern California includes a visit at 2 p.m. today to a monument to victims of the Armenian Genocide, where the faithful may line up for personal blessings. The Armenian Monument is at 901 N. Via San Clemente, Montebello. Karekin will celebrate a Mother's Day Mass at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Hollywood Bowl. |
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