On the evening of May 11, in New York City, His Holiness Karekin II presided over a small gathering of friends and benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, during which he bestowed a pontifical award on Adrienne Alexanian of New York.
In bestowing the “St. Nersess Shnorhali” Medal and encyclical on Ms. Alexanian, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians spoke of her lifelong, devoted service to the Eastern Diocese, St. Vartan Cathedral, and the Armenian Church. The Catholicos made special reference to the faith and generosity of the honoree’s late parents, Edward and Grace Alexanian.
After expressing her profound appreciation to His Holiness for the honor, Adrienne Alexanian offered her own short reflections on the foundations of a lifetime of dedication.
“Someone once said that the two most important days of your life are the day that you’re born, and the day you realize whyyou were born,” she said. “I consider myself to be lucky because I came to that realization early in life, and despite having free will I never changed course.”
She continued: “I believe strongly in God’s will, and that we’re on earth for a purpose which is predetermined. You know the purpose when you look for the signs. The signs were obvious to me, because I watched both of my parents dedicate their lives to advocacy for our people. I learned by watching them that it was my responsibility and my privilege to do the same. So when you honor me this evening, you are in reality honoring my parents’ legacy—for which I am profoundly grateful.”
Several years ago, Ms. Alexanian paid tribute to that family legacy by publishing her father’s remarkable memoir of survival in the Armenian Genocide, under the title Forced Into Genocide: Memoirs of an Armenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Army (Transaction, 2017).
In attendance at the May 11 gathering were Eastern Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel Findikyan; the visiting Primate of Russia and New Nakhijevan Archbishop Archbishop Yezras Nersissian; the visiting Pontifical Legate of Western Europe and Representative to the Vatican Archbishop Khajag Barsamian; as well as distinguished figures of the Armenian American community.
His Holiness Karekin II was visiting New York as part of a two-week sojourn in the United States in early May. No large public gatherings were scheduled for his visit due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions. However, the Catholicos was able to meet with leaders of the Eastern Diocese as well prominent figures of the ecumenical community.
Above: Archbishop Barsamian, His Holiness Karekin II, Adrienne Alexanian, and Bishop Daniel.