On December 23, 2018, the parish family of St. Peter Armenian Church of Glendale was overjoyed to receive the episcopal blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. Assisted at the Holy Altar by the Rev. Fr. Yeghia Isayan and the deacons, Archbishop Derderian celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon. Father Confessor of St. Peter Armenian Church Archpriest Fr. Dr. Zaven Arzoumanian and more than 200 faithful participated in the service.

Following the service, Archbishop Derderian presided over the Annual Children’s Christmas Play wherein the Sunday School students wonderfully presented the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In his remarks to the students, Archbishop Derderian said “Through your outstanding presentation, you have masterfully captured the miracle of Christ’s birth. Through your joyous songs and recitations, you have reaffirmed that Jesus Christ lives in your hearts.” Addressing the Sunday School teachers, His Eminence said “Your noble deed as instructors instills in the hearts of our youth the love for God and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Their Christian upbringing is vividly expressed in their humble personalities and their quest to excel.”

As a token of appreciation, the Primate distributed crosses from the Holy City of Jerusalem to the children and exhorted them to protect the cross and to cherish their relationship with God through prayer. 

Addressing the Primate, the Rev. Fr. Yeghia Isayan introduced the parish family to Archbishop Derderian and expressed his wholehearted gratitude to His Eminence for his pastoral guidance and compassion throughout the years.

The Primate also commended the pastoral leadership of the Rev. Fr. Yeghia Isayan and the collective efforts of the auxiliary bodies of the parish for their role of spreading the light of the Gospel of Christ in the community. “St. Peter Armenian Church of Glendale is a family-oriented parish. The congregants singing the hymns of the Divine Liturgy is a testament to the closeness of the parishioners and the existence of God’s divine love in the parish.”