In a message to Diocesan leaders earlier this month, Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan urged the faithful to lend aid to the victims of the California wildfires, by supporting the outreach efforts of our sister Western Diocese.
“The California wildfires have been the utmost urgent concern for our brothers and sisters of the Western Diocese,” Bishop Mesrop said in his message. “Under the leadership of their esteemed Primate, my Brother in Christ Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Western Diocese has been undertaking a comprehensive outreach effort to the fire victims, and especially to our fellow Armenian-Americans whose lives have been disrupted by the disaster.”
For weeks now, intense wildfires have raged through areas of California, destroying property, driving people from their homes, and taking a dreadful toll in life.
Armenian churches in the disaster area—St. Gregory the Illuminator in Pasadena, and St. James in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu—have reported that, by God’s grace, there have been no casualties among their faithful to this point. But members of both communities have lost their homes and all their personal belongings. Sorrowfully, an Armenian school in Pasadena, the Sahag-Mesrob Christian School, saw its facilities completely destroyed in the fires—but thankfully suffered no loss of life.
At present the Western Diocese has been encouraging donors to give to the emergency, rescue, and humanitarian service organizations working in the moment to combat the ongoing disaster and ameliorate its human consequences—organizations like the Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, and the L.A. Food Bank.
Also, the Western Diocese links to a spreadsheet of some 60 Armenian families severely affected by the fires, to whom contributions can be sent directly through individual GoFundMe accounts. (Click the preceding link to access the listing, which is being updated regularly.)
Bishop Mesrop’s message concludes: “As the faithful of the Eastern Diocese, we stand in solidarity with Archbishop Hovnan, our brothers and sisters of the Western Diocese, and all the people of California in this crisis. And we strongly encourage our people across the Eastern Diocese to support the Western Diocese’s efforts, and to avail themselves of the resources our sister diocese is providing to help the victims.”
Parishes of the Eastern Diocese held a special collection on Sunday, January 19, in support of the Western Diocese’s wildfire outreach efforts. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian expressed thanks to Bishop Mesrop and the Eastern Diocese’s faithful for their concern, solidarity, and support.
Read Bishop Mesrop’s directive below. Click the following link to learn more and lend help on the Western Diocese’s website.
* * *
Support for California Wildfires Victims
We have all been distressed and disheartened these past weeks to witness the horrific wildfires burning a destructive path through much of California, including Los Angeles and Pasadena.
The scale of the disaster is horrifying. Many people have lost everything: their homes, property, and the possessions of a lifetime. Many more have been evacuated from their neighborhoods, and have been living day to day in anxious anticipation of what will come next.
Saddest of all, of course, is the terrible loss of precious life. May our merciful Lord receive His departed children into His kingdom.
For all the people affected, we offer our deepest, heartfelt prayers. And we likewise pray for the safety and well-being of the rescuers who have been risking their lives to help others.
The California wildfires have been the utmost urgent concern for our brothers and sister of the Western Diocese. Under the leadership of their esteemed Primate, my Brother in Christ Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Western Diocese has been undertaking a comprehensive outreach effort to the fire victims, and especially to our fellow Armenian-Americans whose lives have been disrupted by the disaster.
With this directive, I am asking all parishes in the Eastern Diocese to take up a special plate collection on Sunday, January 19, to support the Western Diocese’s outreach efforts, and to show solidarity with the fire victims.
Additionally, the Western Diocese has established an online resource to help fire victims fill their housing, food, and therapeutic needs. The web-resource also identifies ways to help by giving financially.
Click here to learn more and lend your help.
As the faithful of the Eastern Diocese, we stand in solidarity with Archbishop Hovnan, our brothers and sisters of the Western Diocese, and all the people of California in this crisis. And we strongly encourage our people across the Eastern Diocese to support the Western Diocese’s efforts, and to avail themselves of the resources our sister diocese is providing to help the victims.
May our Lord Jesus Christ protect them, lead them through the present crisis, and grant them strength and hope to build anew.
Prayerfully,
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate