Blessing Of The Water Service At Glendale Adventist Medical Center

For most Americans, the holidays conclude with the ringing in of the New Year. However, for  Armenian-Americans the start of the New Year is a time of spiritual preparation for the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Christ. For years, the Diocesan Primate and clergy of the Los Angeles Area have been bringing the Good News to local hospitals and this year was no different.  Nearly 100 people, including hospital staff, local officials and patients, amassed near the 20-foot-tall tree in the west lobby of Glendale Adventist Medical Center on Monday January 4, 2016 as Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and Diocesan clergy performed the Blessing of the Water Service.  Gata, an Armenian pastry, was also blessed by the clergymen.  Welcomed by Kevin Roberts, President and CEO of GAMC, Mrs. Ramella Markarian, Vice President of Business Development and Physicians Relations and Arsen Danielian, Esq. GAMC's Chairman of Healthcare Foundation Board,  physicians and nurses, the clergy handed out the blessed bread and cups of holy water to the physicians, nurses and patients alike. In the Armenian tradition, the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany commemorates not only the birth of Christ, but also His baptism by John the Baptist. The latter is remembered through the “Blessing of the Water” service. Archbishop Derderian was accompanied by Archpriest Fr. Hovsep Hagopian, the Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan, the Rev. Fr. Nerses Hayrapetyan and Deacon Artak Khachikyan.