
St. Nersess will organize an intensive workshop for deacons over Columbus Day weekend, October 8-10, 2004 at the Ararat Youth and Conference Center in Greenville, NY.
The workshop will focus on the Armenian Church service known as Yooghapereets, the "Service of the Oil-Bearing Women." This service is a weekly celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection, which is at the heart of the Christian faith. The name of the service derives from the biblical accounts of Jesus' resurrection, in which his tomb was found empty by pious women who had come to anoint his body. The service is traditionally conducted in Armenian Churches early on Sunday mornings as a weekly celebration of Easter.
An Ancient Service Revived
Some of the most beautiful and stirring hymns in the Armenian Church's sacred music repertoire are found in the Yooghapereets service. The ancient service has roots going back to 4th-century Jerusalem. Sadly, in many parishes in the United States the brief and highly meaningful service is omitted. Among other reasons, this is because there are relatively few deacons familiar with its demanding music and rituals.
The purpose of the workshop is to train deacons and sub-deacons in the proper celebration and full appreciation of the Yooghapereets service. It is hoped that this ancient pearl of our church's tradition may be revived in our parishes. This, in turn, should draw our people toward a fresh appreciation of the Christian mystery of the resurrection, new life in Christ.
Multi-Disciplinary Program and Speakers
Much of the long weekend will be devoted to practical training in the hymns and rituals ofYooghapereets. Instruction will not be limited to practical liturgics, however. A series of lectures will probe the theology, history, context and meaning of the service from a variety of perspectives.
V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan (Dean and Associate Professor of Liturgy) will speak on "Yooghapereets:From Jerusalem to Armenia to America."
Dr. Abraham Terian (Professor of Armenian Patristics) will speak on "Jesus' Resurrection in the Four Gospels."
Dr. Roberta Ervine, Associate Professor of Armenian Studies, will deliver a lecture on "The Resurrection of Christ in Armenian Sacred Art: Theology in Color."
Musical instruction will be led by Deacon Gary Alexander, of Smithfield, RI, and Roland Telfeyan, of Charlotte, NC.
An Autumn Weekend of Music, Study, Prayer and Renewal
Join the seminary faculty and guest instructors for an Autumn weekend of informational talks, musical workshops, worship and fellowship in the good company of men and women who love God, love the Armenian Church, and want to learn more about their Armenian-Christian heritage while growing closer to the Risen Lord.
The workshop will take place at the beautiful and serene 65-acre Ararat Youth and Conference Center in Greenville, New York, located just 30 miles south of Albany. The Ararat Center offers modern and comfortable accommodations, beautiful facilities and home-cooked meals, in a scenic home away from home for church-loving Armenian-Americans.
For further information write to info@stnersess.edu.