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US EASTERN DIOCESE of the Armenian Apostolic Church: is founded in 1927 by the Pontifical letter of the Catholicos of All Armenians Gevorg V Soureniants. Its primacy is the Church of Saint Vartan in New York. Until then the American-Armenian community was united under one diocese, which was founded in 1898, by the Catholicos of All Armenians Mkrtitch I Vanetsi. Its center was the town of Ulster (in the state of Massachusetts), the city Boston by 1923, and then New York since 1927. By the Encyclical of the Catholicos of All Armenians Gevorg V Soureniants, the western states were included within the new Western Diocese, whilst the eastern, southern, south-western and central states remained under the authority of the Eastern Diocese. The center remained in New York. Now (in 2001) the Eastern Diocese includes 64 Church communities of 21 states in US. The territory of the Diocese also includes the Holy Savior Church, which is the first Armenian Church built in America, in 1891, in the town of Ulster. In 1902 the Archbishop Mkrtitch I Vanetsi approved the constitution “for the Execution of the Armenian People of America”, now it’s known as “The Constitution of US Eastern Diocese of Armenian Church”. Since 1898 until today, the Diocese has had 11 prim dioceses. First of them was the Archbishop Hovsep Sarajian, between 1939-44 it was the Archbishop Karekin Hovsepian (later the Cathlicos of the Cilician Chatholicosate), between 1966-90 the Archbishop Torkom Manoukian (now the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem). The Primacy of the diocese is the Mother Church Saint Vartan, which was consecrated by the Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I Balchian in 1968. There are 42 churches that belong to the diocese, among them are The Holy Cross Church in Union City (1907), Saint Peter’s Church in Watervliet City (1916), The Holy Trinity Church in Cheltenham Town (1917), Holy Resurrection Church in South Milwaukee City (1924), Holy Resurrection Church in New Britain (1925), Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church in Chicago (1926), Saint John’s Church in Southfield City (1931), Virgin Marry Church in Washington (1963) and others. Numerous of education institutions were established under the auspice of the diocese. Since 1961, by the initiation of the Archbishop Diran Nersoian, the Seminary of Saint Nersess was founded, in order to prepare religious servants (preceptor, curate, etc.). The Seminary has its own trustees, chosen by the Eastern, Western and Canadian Dioceses, and the president of which is the prime diocese of the Eastern Diocese. The department of Religious Education and the center of the Armenian schools create books and prepare teachers for the educational institutions. The department of Religious Education has a summer camp “Saint Vartan Club” for the youth. The Informatics Center after Grigor and Carla Zohrab has archival substances, press kits, books, maps and etc... It also organizes lectures and conferences devoted to the Armenian’s History and their cultural issues. The department of the interchurch relations; maintains the connections with other religious communities in the US. The Youth Union of the Armenian Church has branches in parishes, which organize annual athletic tournaments and conferences. As the Women’s Central Union has also branches in parishes, which are devoted to the preservation of the Armenians Church’s belief. In 1988, after the devastating earthquake in Armenia, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of the US Eastern Diocese with the cooperation of other benevolent organizations; has initiated considerable assistance towards the devastated population. It also provided means for the recovery of the city of Stepanavan, it, as well as, implemented numerous projects in culture, education, health, agriculture and other sectors; like organizing humanitarian supports for the people of Artsakh. The branches of ARS are in service in Armenia and Artsakh. The Diocese publishes the “The Armenian Church” moral-religious and artistic-historic newspaper (monthly back in 1939-76, and quarterly since 1976). Part of the subjects is being printed in English. The prime diocese of the US Eastern diocese is Khazhak Archbishop Parsamian (since 1990).                                                                      

Source: Encyclopedia of “Christian Armenia”, editor in chief Hovhannes Ayvazyan, Yerevan, 2002, page 45-46. (in Armenian). 

Also see:

-         Avagyan K, History of the Armenian Diaspora in USA (since the formation until 1924), Yerevan, 2000. (in Armenian). 

-         Ashjian Arten, The Torch Was Passed: The Centennial History of the Armenian Church of America, New York, 1998.