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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A large spiritual fig successful the Christian and Armenian communities is successful Fresno for the archetypal clip successful 14 years.
His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia is successful the mediate of a travel crossed California and stopped successful Fresno aft visiting Los Angeles and earlier helium departs for San Francisco. His sojourn comes during a celebratory clip for Fresno’s oldest Armenian church.
“This sojourn is spiritual nourishment for our community,” Parishioner Armen Bedrosian said.
Earlier successful the day, the Catholicos visited Fresno State to spot and bless the Armenian Genocide Monument. “The sojourn of His Holiness is simply a privilege and an grant for our field and for the Armenian studies programme to big him,” Berberian Coordinator for Fresno State’s Armenian Studies Program Barlow Der Mugrdechian said.
This is His Holiness’s archetypal sojourn to Fresno successful 14 years and his archetypal sojourn to Fresno State’s Armenian Genocide Monument. “It's important to spot that again, that determination are precocious ranking radical successful the world, Armenians that travel to Fresno. It shows that Fresno is an important place,” Der Mugrdechian said.
Later successful the day, the Catholicos visited the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church.
“This is an breathtaking time for our religion that happens each once, each decennary oregon longer to person a pontifical visit. He is the equivalent to the pope of the Catholic Church,” Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church Board President David Sarabian said.
One of America's oldest Armenian churches is celebrating the completion of renovations. “All these benches were redone, each the cushions are redone, the floors new, the curtain, the carpets new,” Bedrosian said.
His Holiness re-consecrated the recently renovated sanctuary, filled with churchgoers for the archetypal clip successful six months. “It's astonishing for a Wednesday nighttime to person this galore radical astatine church. I've ne'er seen it this engaged before. Maybe Easter connected Sunday is the lone happening that I tin comparison it to,” Bedrosian said.
It’s a celebratory twelvemonth for some the pontiff and Fresno’s church.
“Two incredibly breathtaking opportunities coming together. His 30 years of consecration itself and 125th day of the constitution of this, 1 of the oldest churches successful the Western hemisphere. I convey God for the blessings,” Honorary Consulate of Armenia successful Fresno Berj Apkarian said.
His Holiness volition sojourn the Charlie Kenyan Armenian School successful Fresno connected November 6 earlier traveling to San Francisco connected Nov. 7.
