On Sunday, November 9, St. John the Baptist Armenian Church celebrated its 79th anniversary with Divine Liturgy followed by a banquet and program. The Diocesan Vicar of the Eastern Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, was the guest celebrant.
Today, as we remember St. Leon (Ghevont), the priest, and his companions, we are reminded of the profound sacrifice and unwavering faith that have shaped our history and sustained our Armenian spirit through the ages. St. Ghevont’s life and actions during the Vartanantz war stand as a beacon of courage and divine commitment, illuminating the path of righteousness for all of us, especially those called to serve in the priesthood.
Before the sun had even risen… before the city had awakened… before the world knew what was about to happen, something miraculous was already underway. The Gospels tell us that on the first Easter morning, a few faithful women who cared for Jesus made their way to His tomb. It was a tomb cut into a solid rock, sealed with a massive stone.
Their hearts on that morning were heavy with grief. The tears of Good Friday were still fresh on their cheeks. They were still carrying the pain of loss, the sting of disappointment, the crushing weight of despair. It felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on their hearts like a heavy stone blocking out all hope.
Pavel (Boghos) Lisitsian was born on November 6, 1911, in Vladikavkaz (Northern Caucasus). His father was a mine worker, and he first worked in diamond drilling and then as a welder apprentice, hoping to follow in your father’s footsteps. He entered the world of music by singing in a church choir, and then he moved to Leningrad to study cello in 1930.
His strong baritone voice turned him into the soloist of a local amateur group, and thus he entered the Leningrad Conservatory. He started his vocal career in the Leningrad Opera State Theatre and then in the Alexander Spendiarian Opera and Ballet Theatre of Yerevan, where he performed the leads for three years. …
