In continuing the Diocesan tradition, 35 Diocesan clergymen participated in a day-long clergy conference on February 21, 2017. Held at the Hampar Room of the Diocesan Turpanjian Building of the Western Diocese, the conference was organized by the Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian and presided by H.E. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.

The day commenced with the morning prayer service during which the clergymen beseeched the Almighty to bless and have mercy upon the flock of Christ and to preserve and protect the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian nation.

The Very Rev. Fr. Sasoon Zumrookhdian, Pastor of St. Geragos Armenian Church in Las Vegas delivered the day’s homily wherein the clergyman emphasized the vitality of the Feasts of Sts. Ghevontiants and Sts. Vartanants in the life of the Armenian Church. “We, as clergymen as entrusted with instilling the resolute Christian spirit of St. Ghevont the Priest and St. Vartan the Warrior and their companions in the hearts of the flock of Christ,” said Fr. Sasoon.

The 90th anniversary of establishment of the Western Diocese was the central theme of the conference with the emphasis on “Christian Education”.

Various reports were presented by the nine clergymen which were analyzed and discussed at length.

The following topics were discussed and presented at the conference including:

"Adherence to the Word of God" (Archpriest Fr. Yeghia Hairabedian)

"What is the Church?" (Archpriest Fr. Sarkis Petoyan)

"Christ as the Light of the World through the Church” (V. Rev. Fr. Pakrad Dz. V. Berjekian)

"The Church as the Body of Christ" (Rev. Fr. Avedis Abovian)

"Youth engagement in the life of the Church" (Rev. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan)

"Armenian Christian Education" (Rev. Fr. Zacharia Saribekyan)

"Evangelization in the Armenian Church” (Rev. Fr. Vazken Movsesian)

"The Armenian Church as the educator of children and youth” (Archpriest. Fr. Shnork Demirjian)

In his remarks, Archbishop Derderian emphasized the importance of enhancing the parish-diocese relationship. His Eminence called upon the parishes to actively participate in the RECLAIM Rally and Conference which will be held at the Diocesan Headquarters from March 10-12, 2017. On the occasion of the 90^th anniversary of the Western Diocese, the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians will be read in all Diocesan parishes on May 7, 2017.

The Primate also informed his fellow brothers in Christ about the upcoming pontifical visit of the Catholicos of All Armenians from October 25-31, 2017.

About the Feast of Ghevontiants

The Feast of Ghevontiants is the feast day of priests. The amazing story of the Vartanants and Ghevontiants martyrs is recounted by two Armenian historians of the time: Yeghishé the Historian and Ghazar Parbetsi. St. Ghevont is remembered as the priest who, on the night before the decisive battle against the Persians in 451 A.D. assembled the Armenian troops on the battlefield and baptized those that not yet been received into the Church. This was just over a century after the Christian conversion of the Armenian people by St. Gregory the Illuminator, and we know that there were still pockets of the population that had not yet been evangelized. St. Ghevont then celebrated the Divine Liturgy and distributed Holy Communion to every soldier.