[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 66 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E623-E624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. ILLUMINATOR ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC 
                               CATHEDRAL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 2016

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
honor the 100th anniversary of St. Illuminator Armenian Apostolic 
Cathedral located in the district I represent in Manhattan, New York. 
It was the first Armenian church established in New York City.
  After fleeing to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th 
century following the Hamidian Massacres and Armenian Genocide in the 
Ottoman Empire, the Armenians of New York City did not have their own 
church to worship in together. They held religious services in various 
churches, most of which were located in the neighborhood of the current 
cathedral. Purchasing a church was initially proposed in 1913. A 
successful fundraising effort allowed construction to begin for what 
was then known as the central cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic 
Church in 1915. The Cathedral officially opened its doors in 1916, but 
parishioners celebrated the Cathedral's centennial throughout 2015 at 
the same time as the centennial of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman 
Turkey in 1915.
  For over a century, St. Illuminator's Cathedral has played a 
significant role in advocating for Armenians in the U.S. and around the 
world. Many Genocide survivors found their refuge in the United States, 
entering the country through Ellis Island. St. Illuminator came to 
serve as shelter to many of them once they arrived. Today, there 
remains a vibrant congregation, inspiring their community through faith 
and service.
  I extend my congratulations to the pastor, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian 
who has led the church for 10 years, the Board of Trustees, and all 
members and friends of St. Illuminator, and wish them many more years 
of success and service to the Armenian American community.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the anniversary of St. 
Illuminator's Cathedral and its contributions to the Armenian American 
residents of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn as well as the larger 
Armenian American community in the United States.

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