Groundbreaking, Blessing Service For Heritage Park to Be Held September 9

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BOSTON — The Board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation and its benefactors invite the entire Armenian-American community of Massachusetts to the groundbreaking ceremony and blessing service for Armenian Heritage Park. The groundbreakingwill take place on Thursday, September 9 at 2 p.m. on parcel 13 of The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.

The construction of the park is scheduled to begin this fall.

Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, will preside over the ground blessing and memorial service in honor of the victims of The Armenian Genocide. In addition to all Massachusetts clergy, Archbishops Khajag Barsamian, Primate of The Diocese of The Armenian Church (Eastern), Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate, Eastern Prelacy of The Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and Vicken Aykazian, Legate, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) and past president of the National Council of Churches will also participate.

“We are very blessed that His Holiness and so many high ranking clergy of the Armenian Church will grace us on this historic occasion. It will be a once in a life time opportunity for our entire community to come together in celebration of the beginning of construction of Armenian Heritage Park,” said James M. Kalustian, president of the Armenian Heritage Foundation.

State Rep. Peter Koutoujian, honorary cochair of the Armenian Heritage Foundation, will serve as master of ceremonies. Remarks will be offered by Deval L. Patrick, governor of the state, and Thomas M. Menino, mayor of the city of Boston.

“It is appropriate that both Governor Patrick and Mayor Menino will be with for the ground breaking as they were both instrumental in helping our community secure its place on The Greenway,” said Koutoujian.

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The ceremony and services will begin promptly at 2 p.m. and will conclude by 3 p.m. Limited seating will be available, with priority given to senior citizens. A brief reception will take place immediately following the program at Joe’s All American Restaurant along the waterfront and adjacent to Christopher Columbus Park. The public is invited to attend.

Armenian Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit organization with representatives from 37 Armenian-American parishes and organizations within Massachusetts, was founded in 2004 to design, secure designation and raise funds to construct and maintain Armenian Heritage Park on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. A gift to the City of Boston and Commonwealth, Armenian Heritage Park celebrates the immigrant experience and commemorates lives lost during  the 1915 Armenian Genocide and all genocides that continue to follow. Endowed funds support the Park’s annual care, reconfiguration of the sculpture and endowed public programs including the K. George and Carolann S. Najarian, M.D annual lecture on human rights in partnership with The Bostonian Society.

For further information, visit www.ArmenianHeritagePark.net.

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