CLEVELAND, Ohio — St. Gregory of Narek Church of Richmond Heights celebrated its 50th anniversary on November 15 and 16. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), traveled to Cleveland to take part in the weekend’s activities.
On Saturday evening, November 15, the community gathered for a banquet. Master of ceremonies Ara Bagdasarian opened the program with welcoming remarks.
Peter Zahirsky, the grandson of the late Dr. Kegham Goekjian, who was the godfather of St. Gregory of Narek Church, spoke about the vision and legacy established by the church’s founders.
Parish Council Chair Mona Karoghlanian and Anniversary Committee Chair Cindy Russell reflected on the strong community ties at St. Gregory Church, and looked ahead to the next chapter of St. Gergory’s history.
“We are a small but mighty parish,” said the Rev. Hratch Sargsyan, the parish’s current pastor. “For 50 years, St. Gregory of Narek has opened her doors to countless Armenian families for worship, spiritual nourishment, and cultural life.”