California’s Armenian Legislative Caucus Members Visit The Western Diocese

State Assemblymembers Katcho Achadjian and Adrin Nazarian, Members of California’s Armenian Legislative Caucus visited the Western Diocese on Tuesday, October 4, 2016. Members of the State Legislature accompanied the Assemblymembers who were greeted at the entrance of the Turpanjian Diocesan Building of the Western Diocese by the Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Berjekian, Vicar General, the Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian and Mr. Hayk Madoyan.

The esteemed guests were led to the Akian Conference Room in the lower gallery of St. Leon Armenian Cathedral where they were welcomed by the Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. In his welcoming remarks, His Eminence commended Assemblymembers Nazarian and Achadjian for the wonderful initiative of introducing their colleagues to the Armenian-American community. Archbishop Derderian spoke about the establishment of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America in 1898 and the upcoming 90^th Anniversary celebration of the Western Diocese in 2017.

The guests were first led on a tour of the Zorayan Museum where a number of historic artifacts were on display and later, the sanctuary of St. Leon (Srbots Ghevontiants) Armenian Cathedral where they learned about the history of the Armenian Church and the unique Armenian architectural style.

The tour concluded with a reception at the Hampar Family Room. Salpi Ghazarian, the Director of USC Dornsife’s Institute of Armenian Studies spoke about the formation of the large Armenian presence in the United States due to the heavy immigration influxes of the 1890s, the 1920s and the 1960s-1970s.

On behalf of the Armenian Legislative Caucus, assemblymembers Katcho Achadjian and Adrin Nazarian expressed their gratitude to Archbishop Derderian for the warm and cordial hospitality. In turn, the Primate expressed his keen desire to further strengthen the Diocese-Sacramento relationship.