Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II to the USA - North Carolina
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians continued his Pontifical Visit to the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America with a visit to the city of Charlotte, North Carolina for two days - Friday October 12th and Saturday October 13th.
His Holiness was received by a delegation of the Armenian Christian faithful who gathered at the Charlotte Airport to greet him upon his arrival. Their parish priest, Father Daniel Karadjian, along with the North Carolina Pontifical Visit Committee Co-Chairs Diane Gulkasian Tudor and Naomi Davitian, welcomed the Catholicos and his entourage on Thursday evening, October 11th. Upon arrival, the Catholicos was presented with the fundamental elements of life, bread and salt, by Armenian Christian children clothed in their native dress. Partaking of both, His Holiness Karekin II thanked the children and blessed each one.
This relatively new Armenian community of Charlotte, which has grown significantly in recent years to around 1,000 community members, is mainly comprised of immigrants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Lebanon and Russia and is served by the St. Sarkis Armenian Church. St. Sarkis was consecrated on July 31, 2005 thanks to the late benefactor, Mr. Sarkis Acopian, whose generosity also oversaw the building of two churches in Armenia.
On Friday morning, The Right Rev. Peter Jugis, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte extended his hospitality to His Holiness Karekin II by hosting an ecumenical luncheon in his honor at the Duke Mansion in Charlotte. He was joined by his predecessor, Bishop Emeritus William Curlin, Monsignor Mauricio West, Vicar General of the Diocese, Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey College (Benedictine) and other Roman Catholic leaders. Other honored guests at the event included Bishop Leonard Bolick of the North Carolina Lutheran Synod; Bishop William Gregg of the Episcopal Church; The Very Reverend John D. Hanic of St. Baptiste de La Salle Church; Father Steve Dalber of St. Ketarios Greek Orthodox Church; Father Arsenios Ragheb of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, The Reverend Cecil Donohue of the United Methodist Church’s AGAPE program (which provides aid to Armenia), Father Walde-Tsadik Maregn of Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Church; Sister Rosland Picot, RSM of the Sisters of Mercy; Sister Mary Michele Boulos of the Sacred Heart Convent Motherhouse and other ecumenical and interfaith leaders.
In his opening remarks, Bishop Jugis welcomed the Catholicos to the South
The Catholicos, moved by the warm reception of the ecumenical and interfaith leaders who came to show their respects, spoke of the gathering as a true sign of God’s work in unifying humanity. "I look around this room and the people who have come here today," said the Catholicos in English, "from many different churches and faiths, and look upon the bouquet of flowers placed in front of me. Individually each is pleasing and fragrant - but together their beauty is profound and has a sweeter aroma. I don’t know if I am making myself understood or not in my English." The crowd erupted in applause giving proof to the power of the words of the leader of the world’s most ancient Christian nation.
His Holiness Karekin II thanked Bishop Peter Jugis for being such an exceptional host, not only to him, but to all of the ecumenical and interfaith leaders who gathered to pay their respects. The Catholicos took time to praise Bishop Jugis’ leadership in the Roman Catholic community with the Eucharistic Congress, "I congratulate my brother Bishop Jugis for bringing thousands of his faithful to Christ through the Eucharist which is also the center of our faith and that unity which binds us all here today."
At the close of the luncheon, His Holiness Karekin II presented Bishop Jugis with a gold, Armenian Cross. Kissing his "very dear brother Bishop Jugis...," on both cheeks, the Catholicos and Bishop Jugis hugged one another and exchanged words of appreciation for the ministry of the other, especially in uniting the community.
"Before my audience with His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos," said Charlotte’s Episcopal Bishop William Gregg "I had not had the opportunity to meet Bishop Peter Jugis of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. I’m truly thankful to His Holiness for having come all the way from Armenia to bring the Christian community of Charlotte closer together."
The luncheon was followed by an Ecumenical Prayer Service.
On the same evening at 6:30 p.m. the Armenian Church community welcomed His Holiness at the Hrashapar Service (a thanksgiving service of welcoming) at St. Sarkis Armenian Church of Charlotte. The service included Church leaders from other denominations as well.
At the conclusion of the Hrashapar Service, a public reception in the adjacent Sarkis & Bobby Acopian Hall was held. Ecumenical and Interfaith leaders joined the Armenian faithful in becoming better acquainted with His Holiness and he with them. The reception included food and traditional Armenian poetry recitals, music and dance. The Catholicos spoke to his flock in Armenian, English, German and Russian. Father Daniel Karadjian, pastor of St. Sarkis Armenian Church, felt that older members of the flock felt "especially Armenian that evening" - helping to recover a sense of their Armenian Christian identities having been forced to live abroad in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide and resulting Diaspora which found many living in neighboring countries, enduring their more recent conflicts in the wake of the Soviet Union’s demise.
On Saturday morning, at 10:30 a.m., a youth program took place in the sanctuary, again followed by a public reception in the Sarkis & Bobby Acopian Hall. Hundreds of children and young people took part in the morning’s activities with His Holiness the Catholicos of All Armenians.
During the first half of the morning’s program, 3 to 9 year-olds recited a bible reading of the ‘Fishers of Men’ passage to His Holiness (Mt 4:18-22). His Holiness, responding to the children’s readings, spoke to them, in English, about keeping the faith and the nation alive. The Catholicos urged the children to "Remember the faith of your fathers and mothers. Keep their traditions and customs. Be patriotic Americans but don’t forget your Armenian Christian heritage. Be fishermen - not just fish. Bring your faith home - make it part of your lives each and every day." This was followed by a biblical version of Jeopardy played out by teenagers recounting the story of the Armenian Church, religion and Christianity.
At the end of the morning, everyone sang the blessing ‘Amen Hallelujah’ from the Mysteries of the Armenian Church. His Holiness, ever attentive to the needs of his children, ate what they enjoyed - pizza.
His Holiness Karekin II took time to bless bread, salt and water so these could in turn bless the flock’s homes as a part of this year’s Home and Church theme. Hundreds of Nushkhars (round wafers) were blessed and distributed for using in the blessing of parishioners homes during the coming months.
The reception provided His Holiness with an intimate opportunity to meet his flock. Conversing in the mother tongue of Armenian, using English, Russian and even German, His Holiness the Catholicos of All Armenians spoke with his North Carolinian flock with a unique pastoral sensitivity - listening to their words, concerns, dreams and hopes. Children greeted him with both awe and familial love - some hugging him as a sign of affection.
At the conclusion of the day’s events His Holiness Karekin II congratulated the community, commended them for preserving their Armenian Christian faith and thanked them for remembering their mother nation. The Catholicos presented Father Daniel with a lanchakhach (pectoral cross) traditionally worn by priests.
