St. Vartan cathedral's new bronze doors to be consecrated in New York

PanARMENIAN.Net - St. Vartan cathedral's new bronze entry doors to be consecrated in New York on May 31. The cathedral's new doors - a project more than 30 years in the making - will be consecrated by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).



The day will begin with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Services will be followed by a procession to the cathedral plaza for the unveiling and consecration of the doors. The Shushi Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Seta Paskalian-Kantardjian, will perform after the consecration.



A reception and program will follow in the Haik and Alice Kavookjian Hall, honoring benefactors who made the doors possible and recognizing dignitaries and organizations who helped realize the Diocesan Complex.



Also, a special photo and art exhibit will be on display in the adjacent Guild Hall, chronicling the fabrication of the doors. The reception and program are open to the public.



The bronze doors depict in three-dimensional relief the baptism of Armenia's King Drtad III by St. Gregory the Illuminator. That development marked Armenia's conversion to Christianity, making it the first nation in the world to be converted.



Fundraising for the doors project began decades ago with efforts led by the St. Vartan Cathedral Guild. Funds lay dormant for a while, as the cathedral (and the community itself) turned its attention to other matters. But recently, a sizable contribution from the Dadourian family - descendants of one of the original benefactors of the cathedral - allowed the project to move forward.



A committee comprised of cathedral dean Fr. Mardiros Chevian, Fr. Garabed Kochakian, Yeretzgin Yefkin Megherian, and Michael Haratunian designed the doors, conceived the artwork, and guided the engineering. Fabricating the doors was a labor of love for Setrak Agonian and his International Creative Metal firm.