Western Diocese

On April 21, 2007, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderain offered the opening prayer at the Annual Meeting of the Armenian Bar Association. The event was attended by prominent Armenian-American judges, attorneys, and legal scholars and the Co-Masters of Ceremony were the Honorable Judges Dickran Tevrizian and Larry Burns. This event marked the first presentation of the Hrant Dink Freedom Award which was given to Professors Vahakn Dadrian and Taner Akcam for their respective tireless pursuits to have the Armenian Genocide universally recognized. There were over 200 in attendance.

 

THE PRIMATES OPENING PRAYER

Almighty God,

You have blessed us all with the gift of life and all the necessary tools to bring peace and joy into the world. This weekend’s Armenian Bar Association’s Annual meeting is a vivid reflection of our appreciation of God’s blessings. Our lawyers cherish and grasp their God-entrusted role and responsibilities in the service of society.

This blessed and largest organization of Armenian lawyers, judges, and legal scholars founded by Raffi Hovannissian and a group of his colleagues in 1989 has truly been the catalyst of professional leadership in the Armenian American community. Truly it has justified its mission in providing scholarships to law students, promoting and protecting the legal and civil rights of Armenians in the US, has monitored attempts to defame Armenians as a nation and the historic fact of the Genocide.

God our Lord has enlightened the minds of mankind with life giving commandments as he responded to the Pharisees, on of them being a lawyer, who challenged him with the question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Christ’s response is the foundation of all the laws: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:24-40)

Almighty God, bless the Armenian Bar Association, our judges, lawyers and scholars and grant them all the spiritual strength to educate and lead our youth with the same vision they themselves have enriched their lives. Tonight, we particularly praise the memory of Hrant Dink, who will remain to be a hero for his fight for freedom of speech and justice. The first Hrant Dink Freedom of Speech Awards which will be presented to distinguished scholars professors Vahakn Dadrian and Taner Akcam are a tribute to the martyrdom of Hrant Dink.

Bless, O God, all of us and the food which is being offered to us for the sustenance of our bodies. We praise your name forever.

Amen