CHURCH TO MARK 1ST ANNIVERSARY ARMENIAN PARISH TO CELEBRATE.Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Valley's Armenian Orthodox parish is celebrating its one-year anniversary this weekend with two special Masses - one in honor of a slain sheriff's deputy of Armenian heritage. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian Archbishop Hovnan Derderian (born December 1, 1957) is the youngest Armenian clergyman to have been elevated to the rank of Archbishop. Born in Beirut, Derderian studied at the Antelias Seminary and the Seminary of the Holy See in Etchmiadzin, Armenia. , head of the Western Diocese of the 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. of North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , will lead Mass Sunday at the Santa Clarita Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church (Armenian: Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցի, Hay Arakelagan Yegeghetzi), sometimes called the Armenian Orthodox Church or the congregation. He also will conduct a special service in honor of Deputy Hagop ``Jake'' Kuredjian. The 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. County sheriff's deputy was gunned down in 2001 while assisting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in serving a warrant at a Stevenson Ranch Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. home. The services will be held at Rio Vista Elementary School, where the congregation of some 25 regular parishioners meets biweekly. The diocese established the fledgling parish here last May as the local Armenian community grew to include more than 500 families, according to church estimates. John Toungaian, chairman of the church parish council, said the congregation is working hard to increase turnout and to move services from the elementary campus to a local church. ``They're getting to know that we're here,'' he said. ``Last year, we had a picnic of which we had about 150 people attending. This year, we had an Easter egg hunt. We're doing things to let the Armenian community know that, hey, we're here.'' Still, Toungaian acknowledged it takes time to convince local Armenians to attend services close to home when most are accustomed to attending Mass at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Van Nuys. ``People are going to be going to St. Peter because they've been doing it all their lives,'' he said. ``We're considered a satellite - a mission church. We're on a mission to gather the Armenian people in the community. It takes time to build them up. It takes time to gather the sheep.'' The Santa Clarita Armenian Church services are slated to begin Sunday at 10 a.m. at Rio Vista Elementary School, 20417 Cedarcreek St. in Canyon Country. Sunday Mass led by Derderian begins at 10 a.m., and a special service honoring Kuredjian starts at noon. Eugene Tong, (661) 257-5253 eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com |
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