NEW YORK — A special Children’s Day was held at New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral on the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God, Sunday, August 16.
More than 40 young participants, ages 5 to 12, gathered to learn about St. Mary, the mother of Jesus; the Feast of the Assumption and the tradition of grape blessing through a range of activities. Children also attended the Divine Liturgy.
Later, on the cathedral plaza, they took part in the traditional Blessing of Grapes ceremony, which is observed in conjunction with the Feast of the Assumption.
“As the pastor of the New York City community, it was a joy for me to spend time with the children of this city,” said St. Vartan Cathedral dean, the Rev. Mardiros Chevian, who led the cathedral committee that organized the day’s program. “The day was filled with learning — spiritual, cultural, liturgical — and the children were really receptive.”
Introducing the Children’s Day, Chevian led a prayer and read the gospel story of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary. Chevian emphasized Mary’s courage in accepting God’s call to bear His son.
