Armenian Church

Church to host preparedness fair The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be hosting a Community Emergency Preparedness Fair from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at 4550 Raymond Ave., La Crescenta. For more information, call Bryn at (818) 790-0453 or Ed Lew at (818) 279-3562. ? City set to honor Cesar Chavez The city of Glendale will host its annual Cesar Chavez commemorative event from noon to 2 p.m. March 29 at Pacific Community Gymnasium, 501 S. Pacific Ave. For more information, call (818)

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.

Gretchen Hoffman Area churches are gearing up for what for some residents is the second Christmas celebration of the season. Observing Christmas on Jan. 6, which falls on Monday this year, is a tradition older than that of celebrating on Dec. 25. The Roman Catholic Church changed the date of the celebration in the 4th century to prevent people from worshipping pagan gods. Christmas Day is one of five major feast days in the Armenian Apostolic Church, said Deacon Steven H. Gimian of St. Kevork Armenian Apostolic Church of Glendale.

A new water feature at Glendale Adventist Medical Center was blessed by Archbishop Hovan DerDerian of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America on Thursday. Most of the funding for the new water feature came from J.R. Abbott Construction, which built the hospital's west tower, completed in 2007. PHOTOS: 'Living Waters' waterfall dedication at Glendale Adventist The feature, called “Living Waters,” creates a calming, comforting and healing environment and is designed to help patients and visitors during stressful times, according to hospital officials.

Religious leaders' group to offer service The Glendale Religious Leaders present the 2006 Glendale Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 in Temple Sinai, 1212 N. Pacific Ave. The guest speaker will be Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. For more information, call (818) 246-8101. Opera 'Hansel and Gretel' to be discussed The Brand Library will host a talk on the opera "Hansel and Gretel" by Engelbert Humperdinck at 2 p.m. Saturday.

IN THE NEWS Mural at St. Peter Armenian Church shows the history of religion, church and family. See Page A3 Temple Sinai sits down to Chinese food and movies. See Page A3 WEATHER Christmas Day will be partly cloudy with highs in the 70s. HOLIDAY CLOSURES The following locations will be closed for Christmas: City Hall and other nonemergency city offices are closed today. Courthouse is closed today. Banks are closed today.

As part of his tour of Southern California, the spiritual leader of Armenian Catholics is scheduled to visit the Brand Library in Glendale Wednesday. Hundreds of people are expected to turn up for a chance to meet His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia and spiritual leader of Armenian Diaspora, who will speak during a forum titled "Community Forum entitled “The Armenian Church, Youth, & General Concerns of the Armenian People. " He will also be signing his book, "Taking the Church to the People.