Armenian Apostolic Church

In the Jan. 6 front page story about the Rocky Cola Cafe sexual harassment lawsuit, the settlement amount discussed was substantially less than $1 million. Also, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charles W. Stoll fined the attorneys representing the plaintiff in the case $15,000, not the plaintiff. The Dec. 31 Page A6 story on the Armenian Christmas should have stated the Armenian Apostolic Church observes Christmas Day on Jan. 6 because it follows the older tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on that day, not that of the Roman Catholic Church, which observes the event on Dec. 25. The memorial day for the dead that follows Christmas is known as Merelots.

The Environmental and Planning Board will meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to discuss construction projects up for review. The board will consider the environmental documents of four projects, including a square-footage addition to a single-family home at 330 Whiting Woods Road, construction of a car wash for the Lexus dealership at 123 W. Palmer Ave., replacement of a telecommunications facility at 1250 Beaudry Blvd....

Karen S. Kim SOUTHWEST GLENDALE -- An open forum regarding immigration laws and regulations will be offered to Glendale residents at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Jane Arellano, assistant director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service Los Angeles District, will host the forum to answer the questions of participants. An Armenian translator will be available for interpretation. Loo Nguyen, director of the Immigration and Refugee Department of the Catholic Charities, Los Angeles, will also discuss low-cost and free health insurance for children and those granted political asylum status in the U.S. at the forum.

Tim Willert SOUTHWEST GLENDALE -- Area legislators will have representatives on hand to assist people with 2001 Homeowner and Renter Assistance forms from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at. St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church Church. The church is at 500 S. Central Ave. . The program provides an annual reimbursement to homeowners and renters who are disabled, blind or over 62. The representatives are from the offices of state Sen. Jack Scott (D-Glendale)

Claudia Peschiutta GLENDALE - Squeezing her way through the standing-room only crowd in St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church, Telnik Zargarian found a small corner to spend a few private moments with God. Standing in front of a sand pit filled with thin, white candles, their flames symbolizing fervent prayers and wishes, Zargarian lit two of her own. With a heavy sigh, a look toward the heavens and some silent ...

Judy Seckler ADAMS HILL -- Catholicos Aram I, spiritual leader of the Armenian Catholic Church, began a round of personal appearances Wednesday in the Southland that will conclude Saturday. More than 1,000 worshipers attended an official Hrashapar service conducted by the pontiff at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church, said Berdj Karapetian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee. The Religious and Executive Council of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and representatives from sister churches -- the Armenian Catholic Church, the Armenian Evangelical Church and the Coptic Church -- also attending the service.

GLENDALE — The united voices of a baritone and a tenor resounded in St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church on Saturday, as the air in the nave sweetened with incense. The morning Mass commemorates the birth and baptism of Jesus, a Christmas celebration that the Armenians hold during the first week of January. The service was officiated by Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, prelate of the Western region of the Armenian Apostolic Church. "Twenty-one centuries later, the 'Great and Marvelous Mystery' of the birth of our savior continues to offer hope, inspiration and meaning to our lives, minds and spirits and guides us towards goodness, love, righteousness and peace," he said.

BURBANK -- Archbishop Hovnan Derderian is the new bishop in town. Derderian, 45, was recently elected as archbishop, or primate, of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America's Western diocese. From his new headquarters in Burbank, he is the leader of a diocese that encompasses 14 Western states. Glendale, with about 55,000 members of the church, is his largest parish, but new church communities are popping up around the region. His goals include helping the new and old sects flourish, and having a stronger presence in the community.

The Blessing of the Grapes, an Armenian tradition as old as Christianity itself, was celebrated at Glendale Adventist Medical Center’s chapel Wednesday with incense, candles, and prayers from Armenian religious leaders. Hospital staff and visitors sat before an altar heaped with bags of grapes as Rev. Muron Aznikian, who is from the prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, talked about the ceremony’s significance. The ritual blessing of the grapes is an annual harvest-time event that began when Armenian pagans offered their first fruit of the season to the gods in hopes of protecting their crops from natural disasters, Aznikian said.

Rodney Tanaka GLENDALE -- Glendale Adventist Medical Center found that more than half of the more than 1,000 Armenians tested at community health fairs in the past 10 years had high cholesterol levels. The hospital, working with the Armenian American Medical Society, created a program that brings healthy eating and living into Armenian homes. "Hearts 'N Health" trains volunteers in health issues and sends them into kitchens to demonstrate healthy cooking.