PRELATE’S MESSAGE OF BLESSING
With cordial Christian love and justifiable national pride, on behalf of the Western Prelacy, we greet the clergy, Board of Trustees, representative delegates and those dedicated people who work for the preservation and splendor of the House of God, the Holy Cross Cathedral. We also salute the deacons, altar servers, choir members, ladies guild, volunteers and all the faithful of the Montebello parish.
For centuries the Armenian Church has been the guiding light of service in the spiritual lives of our faithful and never has been confined to a physical stone edifice. The Church is the main artery in the body of believers, the fortress of faith to all generations who embraced Her with child-like awe and with spiritual warmth … and by connection have committed to the faith of our fathers and the sacred and devotional values of our ancestors.
It was with this vision, that one hundred years ago, the Armenians of Los Angeles deemed it as a matter of survival …as necessary as air or water…to establish a church in 1922. Over the years and after location changes, in 1984 the present land was purchased and edifice built as a lasting tribute to the foresight and determination of prior generations of our faithful.
Along with the crown jewel cathedral sanctuary and the Baghramian Hall, much credit for the vitality of the Holy Cross parish is due to Mesrobian High School as a foundation with lineage to St. Mesrob Mashdots and as an academy of higher learning, is the pride of the Armenians in Southern California and specifically for the Armenian community of Montebello and East Los Angeles. Considering the historic 100 year span of this venerable church community, with prayers and incense, we hereby honor the memory of the clergy and laity in leadership positions who, with selfless dedication, have shepherded the Holy Cross community over the past ten decades. We also acknowledge, with gratitude, the current and past leaders of Holy Cross who continue to ensure the vibrancy of this historic community.
Standing in the threshold of a new century of service, our ardent prayer is that God increases the faith and dedication of our people to the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Armenian church and conversely that the Church be the resplendent presence in the lives of our nation and coming generations.
Prayerfully,
Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate
Western United States
