Armenian Church in CT hosts annual festival

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection hosted its 71st Annual Armenian Festival Sunday, August 19 afternoon - the largest of its kind in Southern New England, CT, New Britain Herald reports.

“It about the culture, the heritage; this is how you maintain it,” explained parishioner Malcolm Sagherian, a Newington resident whose parents survived the Armenian Genocide.

Like they would at a big family picnic, visitors sat around picnic tables enjoying the classic Armenian dishes and live music from the Harry Bedrossian Ensemble.

“This is a remarkable parish; they single-handedly built this church,” said Rev. Kapriel Mouradjian, who every August looks forward to “picnic season” when all the Armenian churches in the diocese in New England hold their own picnics, inviting fellow parishes and reuniting old friends and relatives.

“It’s a great day of fellowship and fun; next time we’ll be in Springfield, Mass.,” he said.

The diocese holds about a dozen yearly local and regional events, so parishioners are able to stay in close contact and stay close to their faith at the same time. For the younger crowd, there are dances, sport weekends, leadership conferences, and Lenten retreats.

“Social events do strengthen the church because you enjoy each others’ company and then want to be together, and that flows into the sanctuary,” said the Reverend.