Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The year of 2009 was a celebratory year for our Arizona family. The start of 2009 promised many exciting events for our community. In February, the Crowning of the Dome was the first of many more memorable activities that our dedicated volunteers and parishioners prepared and enjoyed on the path to St. Apkar Armenian Church.
Another memorable activity was having His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian conduct our first Easter Eve Divine Liturgy in the new sanctuary. He was joined by Very Rev. Fr. Baret Yeretzian from the Western Diocese.
The month of September was the most special since we consecrated the first Armenian Church in Arizona. The entire weekend of activities was very well planned and so very special because we hosted many visitors, a lot of them, past community members as they too joined the emotional moments throughout the weekend. We hold very dear all the Godfathers and donors that brought this community to the reality of the dream of one day being able to pray in our own Armenian Church. It did indeed happen on September 20, 2009.
Another memorable event was the Raising of the Crosses in December that was the last step of the journey to St. Apkar Armenian Church. I felt the intense amazement in the crowd as the crane raised the crosses, the first cross to the main dome and then the other cross to the small dome. It was a very proud moment for our all of us.
December showed us results of a new idea that brought to life a part of our entire heritage…a night in Yerevan. We commemorated our patron saint, St Apkar on his feast day on the following day that will become an annual tradition.
The year of 2009 ended with another fun-filled event that brought a large crowd into Melikian Hall on December 31 to celebrate the New Year of 2010. I foresee 2010 as another great year in the history of the Arizona Armenian community.
Blessings,
Der Zacharia
