NEW YORK — Two large-scale icon paintings dominated the sanctuary of New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, during its Sts. Vartanantz Day celebration on Thursday, February 27.
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, presided over the occasion, which began with the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Abraham Malkhasyan, pastor of Holy Martyrs Church of Bayside, NY.
Diocesan Vicar Fr. Simeon Odabashian and Cathedral Vicar Fr. Davit Karamyan also participated in the service, as did a large retinue of deacons from the region. Khoren Mekanejian conducted the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir, augmented by singers from area choirs, with Kris Kalfayan accompanying on the organ.
A unique feature of the service was the consecration of the two new icons, depicting the cathedral’s namesake St. Vartan, and his daughter St. Shushan. Both were donated by Adrienne Alexanian and the Edward and Grace Alexanian Fund. The Alexanian family has had a long and honored history of serving the Armenian Church and the Diocesan cathedral in particular.
After blessing the two icons, Parsamyan shared his blessing with the faithful in attendance. While Vartan is the “patron saint” of the cathedral, and a well-known personage in Armenian spirituality, it is rare to have him figure as the subject of a holy icon — and rarer still to have his sainted daughter Shushan in that role.
The two new icons are the work of Armenian artist M. Hovanessian, and are painted in accordance with the religious stipulations that dictate how saintly subjects should be portrayed to make them suitable for veneration. Each icon measures over eight feet in height, and will henceforth adorn the narthex of the cathedral, flanking the entry portal on its southern wall, above the votive candle array.
