One of the wonderful things about the Christmas season is the way it re-introduces us to such interesting people. And it’s not limited to friends and family: some of the most memorable re-introductions come from the surrounding culture. Who can suppress a warm smile at their first yearly sighting of Santa, Rudolph, and the elves? Or at the Grinch, and the whole Peanuts gang?
Four months have passed since Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the coast of Texas, eventually leaving the city of Houston with the worst flood emergency in its history. Severely affected by the disaster were members of the St. Kevork Armenian Church, many of whose families were displaced by Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. Family homes became uninhabitable; belongings of a lifetime were lost.
The Diocese’s “Christmas at the Cathedral” concert featuring the Gomidas Choir and Astghikner Vocal Ensemble took place on Friday evening, December 8, 2017 in the cathedral’s sanctuary.
The choir members sang songs in the Armenian and American tradition, bringing cheer and the Christmas spirit to the Cathedral.
A child has been born for us, a son given to us. Authority rests upon his shoulders;and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
PICTURE THE SCENE OF THE NATIVITY in your imagination: the cool, star-filled sky over the city of Bethlehem; the harmony of all God’s creatures, where angels, human beings, and animals all come together; the mingling of the different classes of mankind, as wise kings and simple shepherds kneel together in humble reverence.
On December 6, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director, took part in a special panel on “Sacred Sites and Property Rights” during the third international Conference on Religious Freedom.
