His Beatitude Patriarch Sahak II visited St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church of White Plains on the morning of Saturday, June 28, 2025, accompanied by His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and Rev. Fr. Haroutioun Vartabed Damadian.
The Patriarch was greeted at the entrance of the church by former pastor Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian, current pastor Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, and members of the parish.
Following a brief prayer service, Fr. Mesrob shared information about the history and current activities of the church. He noted that the parish has a long history and that its longtime pastor was Fr. Karekin. The current church building was consecrated in 1998. Fr. Mesrob expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Patriarch and the Primate for taking the time to visit their church.
The Patriarch then offered his message, encouraging everyone to remain strong in their faith and identity. He noted that while being a Christian in America may be relatively easy, remaining Armenian can be more challenging—especially in a land with thousands of Christian institutions. He urged the faithful to use the strength of their Christian faith as a foundation to also preserve their Armenian identity. Concluding his remarks, he offered his blessing to all present and wished them success in their mission.
After the church visit, the Patriarch toured the parish complex and received detailed information from the pastor and parish leaders.
At the end of his visit, the Patriarch presented a commemorative gift to the church.
During the week, the Patriarch attended a luncheon with members of the Women’s Guild from local parishes, met with the clergy, and on Sunday he celebrated the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan. At the banquet held in his honor, students from our Armenian School gave a special performance.
