[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12159]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING THE WESTERN PRELACY OF THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF 
                                AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2003

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Western 
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America on the occasion of 
celebrating 30 years of dedication and service to the needs of the 
Armenian Church and Community. The 30th Anniversary Banquet will be 
held at the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church Social Hall in 
Fresno, California on Saturday, May 17th.
  In 1973, the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of 
America (WPAACA) was established. The purpose of the Prelacy is to 
preserve the traditions and the cultural values of the Armenian Church 
and provide spiritual, religious, and cultural services to the Armenian 
Community. WPAACA is a non-profit organization that depends upon the 
benevolent donations of philanthropists in the community. Their field 
of services extends throughout California, and provides support and 
spiritual assistance to Armenian communities in other regions of the 
Western United States such as Utah, Oregon, Colorado, and Nevada as 
well.
  The Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Churches is under the 
jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of the Great House of 
Cilicia. The Catholicosate was established during the 11th century in 
Cilicia and later relocated in the coastal city of Antelias, Lebanon. 
This occurred after the Armenian Genocide and the persecutions of the 
Armenians from their homeland in Armenia and Cilicia.
  Functioning under the guidance of the Western Prelacy, there are 
eight churches and over a dozen schools. The oldest of the churches is 
the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church in Fresno, California. It 
was founded in 1900 as the first Armenian Apostolic Church in the 
Western United States. The Armenian community is actively involved in 
the religious, educational, and spiritual activities of the Prelacy, 
churches, and schools of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Western Prelacy of 
the Armenian Apostolic Church of America on the occasion of their 30th 
year anniversary. I urge my colleagues to join me in wishing the 
Prelacy many years of continued success.

                          ____________________