http://www.armenianchurch.net/news/index3.php?newsid=1081&selmonth=10&selyear=2008ORTHODOX PRAYER SERVICE TO BE HOSTED AT ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL FOR UN COMMUNITY AND GENERAL PUBLIC
Members of the United Nations community and Orthodox Christians in the New York metro area will gather for the annual Orthodox Prayer Service and reception at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, 630 Second Avenue, New York, NY, on Thursday, October 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), will preside over the service and deliver the homily. His Excellency Ambassador Negash Kebret Botora, permanent representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations, will speak after the service. Raffi V. Balian, a member of the Diocesan Legate’s Committee, will serve as master of ceremonies. The theme for this year’s event will reflect the UN Millennium Development Goal to stamp out poverty and inequality.
Organized under the auspices of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Orthodox Prayer Service is a tradition begun in 2001 to give Orthodox Christians an opportunity to come together for worship and to learn more about each other’s culture and heritage by engaging with representatives from the United Nations.
For Armenian-Americans, the event has been particularly important as it builds upon the community’s relationship with the United Nations at a time when increased attention is drawn to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and Armenia.
The prayer service was last held at St. Vartan Cathedral in 2006. This year, as the Cathedral marks its 40 anniversary, it will once again welcome clergy, ambassadors and members of the general public for an evening of worship and conversation.
For more information, please call Maral Serce at the Diocesan Center at 212-686-0710.
