NEW YORK — In a glittering evening of celebration, the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America marked the 125th Anniversary of the Armenian Church’s “Diocese of America” in memorable fashion at the New York Botanical Garden.
The gala banquet on Saturday, April 6, was the capstone to a yearlong celebration of the 125th Anniversary milestone, which included a rich variety of liturgical, cultural, and charitable events. Guests from around the Diocese enjoyed the beauty of the setting, with its magnificent floral exhibits, and the festive atmosphere that combined respect for the honored past with hopeful optimism for the future.
Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan presided over the evening, and addressed the large gathering at its close. Attendees at the sold-out evening included a large proportion of younger members of the Armenian Church community — and indeed many aspects of the gala highlighted the gifts and promise of the rising generation of Armenian Americans.
This was especially evident in the Masters of Ceremonies for the evening’s program, Aram Sethian and Kristina Ayanian. Aram Sethian, an investment analyst at One68 Global Capital, proved a witty and engaging host, offering thoughtful observations of Armenian community life.
Kristina Ayanian — pioneering host of Nasdaq’s “Live from MarketSite” series — employed her talent as an interviewer of top business figures to elicit spontaneous, heartfelt testimonials from individual banquet guests.
Both MCs kept the program moving at a brisk pace, through remarks, musical interludes, and a video presentation.