HAVERHILL — A congregation of hundreds of families attended the grand opening of the region’s newest Armenian Church over the weekend.
The Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe, 1280 Boston Road, invited folks and parishioners to a weekend celebration that included the church’s opening, consecration and renaming. The three-day event concluded with Rev. Vart Gyozalyan, the lead priest, holding his first service on Sunday.
Members from Holy Cross Church in Lawrence and St. Gregory the Illuminator in Haverhill combined their resources to construct this institution, first purchasing the land in 2000.
Its former name, the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Point, referred to Armenian unity due to it being a collaboration between the two parishes.
The congregation gathered as the church’s doors opened in a ceremony called Trnpatsek Friday evening. This was followed by a prayer service held by Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan and a cocktail reception.
Saturday, the church’s sanctuary was consecrated and a renaming ceremony was held with the church now being titled the Holy Archangels Armenian Church St. Michael & St. Gabriel.
On the third day, the church held its first Sunday service, the Divine Liturgy.
Gyozalyan said he hopes this celebration helped create a community for the church and that more community members will join.