Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian Obstructs Fellow Christian Armenians’ Pilgrimage
Posted on April. 12. 2024
Below is the text of the TV program of ACR TV 04 05, 2024. Investigative jopurnalist Vosgan Mekhitarian sheds light on how Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian Obstructs Fellow Christian Armenians’ Pilgrimage
VOSGAN MEKHITARIAN: To our dear listeners having in mind that we expressed I wouldn’t say our anger but our frustration regarding what happened in the past when both churches St Saris and Holy Cross in Upland had organized a pilgrimage to visit the Maronite Monastery.
Unfortunately, at the last minute it was cancelled because his Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian telephoned the Maronite bishop indicating and declaring that these churches absolutely do not belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church therefore he should not allow them to participate in pilgrimage.
I had the opportunity to talk about it to our listeners in Armenian in the past. Today unfortunately we have another Scandal that happened just recently. We organized another pilgrimage to the Greek Orthodox Church, our sister Church.
Unfortunately, we were told by the hierarchy that again his Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian telephoned asking the Greek Archbishop not to allow both Armenian churches St Saris and Holy Cross church to attend or organize pilgrimage.
In light of this misconception by his Eminence we came up with a declaration both churches including their priests and Parish organizers are declaring the following
Dear Community Members,
We would like to clarify that while the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church of Upland, California and Saint Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of Glendale, California are both a part of the Armenian Apostolic Church, they do not report to Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the current Primate. We remain committed to our shared faith and values while operating independently under the guidance of Archbishop Diran Kyuregyan.
Our churches, led by Rev. Fr. Petros Bagramyan, at Saint Sarkis and me, Rev. Fr. Kevork Halladjian, at the Holy Cross, are independent and do not report to Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.
We understand the challenges that some may face within church settings, including politics, favoritism, and feeling neglected. In contrast, our churches are committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and spiritually fulfilling environments for all.
We believe in a church without politics, a place where everyone can pray, belong to a community, and connect with our Lord Jesus Christ. If you are seeking a church home where you can worship without the burden of annual fees, we invite you to join us. Our doors are open, and we welcome you to become a part of our church family.
With warm regards,
Rev. Fr. Petros Bagramyan, Pastor St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of Glendale and
Rev. Fr. Kevork Halladjian, Pastor Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church of Upland with their entire communities