Saturday, September 27, marked a milestone for the Oriental Orthodox churches of the Maryland region, as the Medhane Alem Eritrean Orthodox Cathedral hosted the region’s first-ever concelebration of the Divine Liturgy. The service was organized by the Maryland Regional Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches.
At the altar, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese, concelebrated the liturgy with Bishop Sinoda of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Diocese of North America, along with clergy from the Armenian, Ethiopian, Coptic, and Malankara-Syriac Orthodox churches.
Accompanying Archbishop Vicken was Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, pastor of St. Mary Armenian Church of Washington, DC, who assisted in the liturgy and helped distribute the Sacrament of Holy Communion to the faithful. Fr. Shiryl Mathai, Vicar of St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Church of Baltimore, delivered the homily.
The Eritrean Orthodox Church expressed profound appreciation for Archbishop Aykazian’s decades of service in advocating for their unity and dignity–particularly the instrumental role he played, together with Bishop David of the Coptic Orthodox Church, in helping unite the Eritrean dioceses in the diaspora into one body.
During a post-liturgy ceremony, Eritrean clergy presented Archbishop Aykazian with gifts, including a traditional Eritrean hand cross, as a visible sign of their gratitude. In their words, they consider him “one of their own fathers”: a shepherd who has stood with them at the World Council of Churches, in Europe, in North America, and beyond.
Faithful in the Face of Adversity
In his remarks, Archbishop Vicken encouraged the Eritrean faithful to remain steadfast in the face of hardship and to deepen their fellowship with their Armenian brothers and sisters. His words were reinforced by his presence directly from Jerusalem, arriving only hours before the service, a testament to his devotion. He also highlighted the importance of ongoing ties with St. Mary Armenian Church and its community.
The September 27 liturgy coincided with the Eritrean Church’s celebration of the Feast of the Discovery of the True Cross, and the ceremonies that followed reflected traditions of that sister church, including a Demera bonfire. An agape meal and fellowship followed, shared by hundreds of faithful from across the Oriental Orthodox churches.
The event not only marked a first for the Eritrean Orthodox Church in Maryland, but also stood as a testament to the unity and brotherhood of the Oriental Orthodox churches, an ecumenical vision that Archbishop Vicken Aykazian has championed with unwavering dedication.
Click the following links to read more and view photos of the Maryland concelebration.
The next official concelebrated liturgy of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches will be hosted by the Armenian Church, on Saturday, October 11, when Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan will welcome the Oriental Orthodox family to St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ. Click here for information on that gathering.
