Clergy throughout the Eastern Diocese marked a holy day with special relevance to their vocation during the Feast of the Ghevontiantz Saints, observed on February 22.
Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel presided over the regional service hosted by St. Leon Church of Fair Lawn, NJ—which is itself named for St. Ghevont (Latinized as Leontius or Leon), one of the martyrs of the Vartanantz war. Attending were pastors and deacons from the New York-New Jersey and Mid-Atlantic regions.
St. Leon pastor Fr. Diran Bohajian celebrated the Divine Liturgy, and Fr. Abraham Malkhasyan, pastor of Holy Martyrs Church of Bayside, NY, delivered the homily.
Also attending the service was Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, formerly the Primate of France and of the United Kingdom, and a longtime clergyman of the Eastern Diocese who served as pastor of the Fair Lawn and Bayside parishes, and as rector of St. Nersess Seminary.
At the celebration of Ghevontiantz Day hosted by Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church in Providence, RI, and its pastor Fr. Shnork Souin, the badarak was celebrated by Fr. Nigoghos Aznavourian, pastor of St. Mark Church of Springfield, MA, with Diocesan Vicar Fr. Simeon Odabashian presiding.
In the Midwest region, at St. Mesrob Church in Racine, WI, pastor Fr. Avedis Kalayjian welcomed fellow clergy for the day. Fr. Andreas Garabedian, pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, IL, celebrated the liturgy, with Fr. Guregh Hambardzumyan, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Milwaukee, WI, preaching. A Midwest Ghevontiantz gathering also took place at St. John Church in Southfield, MI, hosted by Fr. Aren Jebejian.
Click on the links to view photos from around the Diocese, and to watch a recording of the service in Fair Lawn.