WATERTOWN, Mass.—During his tour of Armenian communities in the United States, His Eminence Archbishop Shahan Sarkisian, prelate of Syria’s Armenian Prelacy, visited the international office of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), Inc. in Watertown on Oct. 22 and met with members of the ARS Central and Regional Executive Boards. He was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.
Archbishops Choloyan and Sarkisian with members of the ARS Central and Eastern Region Executive Boards and Greater Boston chapters.
The discussion focused mainly on the problems facing the Syrian-Armenian community. Archbishop Sarkisian expressed his profound appreciation for the continued humanitarian aid being provided to the beleaguered populations across Syria, made possible by the collective efforts of the international ARS network.
Marachelian receiving the Prelacy’s medal on behalf of the ARS family
That evening, the Watertown “Leola Sasouni” and Cambridge “Shoushi” ARS Chapters held a public briefing with Archbishop Sarkisian as the keynote speaker. In his talk, Sarkisian said the Armenian Relief Society was the first organization to rush substantial aidto to Syria meet the educational, social, and medical needs of the stricken Armenian community.
As an expression of appreciation and gratitude for the devoted ARS family worldwide, Sarkisian awarded the ARS with the “Medal of Service to the Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo.”
To date, the ARS has directed half-a-million dollars in relief aid to the Syrian-Armenian community in its struggle to survive. These efforts include several educational, social, and other humanitarian programs.
“This medal, bestowed upon us by the Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo, is in recognition of the collective humanitarian endeavors of our Society’s entities,” said ARS Central Executive Board Chairperson Vicky Marachelian. “At this time, we give our assurances that our humanitarian assistance to our brothers and sisters will continue unabated, as long as their need for our helping hand is apparent. It will continue until the survival of the Syrian-Armenian community is guaranteed.”
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