What a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day other than to honor and show our appreciation to them. We believe that mothers are the most treasured gifts given to us from God. Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of Western Diocese, the Ladies Society of Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley had organized a banquet on May 10, 2013 in the church hall to honor all mothers and specifically, Diramayr Mrs. Janet Derderian and two mothers from Crescenta Valley Church.

The Office of the Western Diocese presents a list of upcoming Diocesan events in the months of May, June and July.

We present to you key Diocesan missions that have been initiated or revitalized since the Primacy of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.

According to the Armenian Church calendar, May 12, 2013 was observed as Second Palm Sunday (Yergrort Dzaghgazart). The seventh Sunday of Easter is called Second Palm Sunday because of the readings on that day. Beginning with New Sunday and continuing until Pentecost, the Armenian Church reads from the four Gospels every day in their proper order. Luke is read in the morning; John at midday; Matthew at the beginning of the evening hour; and Mark at the end of the evening hour. The sections related to Christ’s entry into Jerusalem coincide with the seventh Sunday of Easter, hence the designation of “Second Palm Sunday.”

The Feast of Ascension (Hampartzum) celebrations took place on Thursday May 9, 2013, at St. John Garabed Armenian Church in Hollywood. With the participation of Diocesan clergy of the greater Los Angeles Area, the Feast commenced with the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. Presided by the Primate, the day’s celebrant was the Rev. Fr. Avedis Abovian, Pastor of the Armenian Church of Crescenta Valley. The Hampartzum celebration was held under the patronage of Diocesan benefactress Mrs. Rose Ketchoyan and was organized by the Hampartzum Committee.

For decades, the Turpanjian family has answered to the calling of the Almighty. Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian have been immersed in the life of the Armenian Apostolic Church through their generosity and steadfast support of her sacred missions. The benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America were honored on May 5, 2013 during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral. Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan and the deacons of the Cathedral parish assisted the day’s celebrant, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate. Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian also participated in the service.

St. Leon Armenian Cathedral hosted this year’s Annual Clergy Assembly which convened on May 2, 2013 under the presidency of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

The 61st Annual Assembly of the Ladies Society of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Western Diocese was held on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at the Western Diocese Headquarters in Burbank, California under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese. The meeting convened at 10:30 a.m. with the Opening Prayer by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.

The 86th Annual Assembly of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, presided by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, convened at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral on Friday, May 3, 2013.

May 10 – Mothers’ Day Celebration at the Armenian Church of Crescenta Valley May 12 – St. Vartan Armenian Church in Oakland

The website of St. John Garabed Armenian Church of San Diego recently underwent an upgrade. We invite the faithful to visit the informative and interactive website and navigate through the informative links and photo galleries. To strengthen one’s spirituality, the website provides St. Nersess Armenian Seminary Liturgical Resources including a Sacred Music Lab, Interactive Badarak, Armenian Hymnals and Liturgical Services.

When a couple hundred people gathered to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the St. Peter Armenian Church and Youth Ministries’ Center (Glendale) last Sunday, they all knew this wasn’t your ordinary anniversary party. Ten years ago, the St. Peter Armenian Church and Youth Ministry Center began on a corner in Glendale, and today its mission reaches out to all parts of the world. So it wasn’t a surprise that well-wishers from six different continents chimed in with their congratulations.

It was fun and educational. Students and parents from different Sunday Schools gathered to enrich the valuable knowledge of their most important class in life: Christian Education, which will help them throughout their lives. Nearly 40 students were present at the workshop on Sunday May 5, 2013, where everyone had fun, learned, played different games and gained more knowledge about their faith, to strengthen their lives in God’s ways and to help them grow spiritually to be the future of the Armenian community. Students made friends and shared their knowledge.

The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), under the auspices of the Western District Committee, celebrated the 107th Anniversary of AGBU Founders' Day on Sunday, May 5, 2013, at AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Center. The event was sponsored by the AGBU Pasadena-Glendale Chapter, AGBU LA-San Fernando Valley Chapter and the AGBU Orange County Chapter. Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian attended the event, delivered the opening prayer and addressed his remarks to the organizers.

The Annual Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry Walk of Life was held on May 4, 2013. The event held at the Glendale Memorial Hospital, which sponsored it, allowed the organization to recruit potential donors and raise awareness about the need for Armenian bone marrow. More than 350 people walked in the event and another 300 participants were recruited as potential donors. Accompanied by Archpriest Fr. Hovsep Hagopian and Deacon Hovnan Vardanyan, Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian attended the event and delivered the opening prayer and the day’s spiritual message.