Pilgrimage to St. Vartan Cathedral and Visit to Armenia! Art Exhibit 

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On January 12th and 13th, 48 of our parishioners and friends embarked on an exciting journey to New York City to visit the Armenia! Art Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as pilgrims offer their prayers at St. Vartan Cathedral. 
The bus left early on Saturday morning, January 12 and drove the group straight to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where everyone enjoyed the inspirational and marvelous display of the arts and culture of Armenians from conversion to Christianity in the early fourth century through the  leading role on international trade routes in the 17th century. The exhibition emphasized how Armenians developed a distinctive national identity in their homeland at the base of Mt. Ararat and how they maintained and transformed their traditions as their communities expanded across the globe. More than 140 opulent gilded reliquaries, richly illuminated manuscripts, rare textiles, liturgical furnishings made of precious materials, khachkars (cross stones), church models, and printed books demonstrated Armenia's distinctive imagery in the homeland and other major Armenian sites, from the Kingdom of Cilicia on the Mediterranean to New Julfa, in Safavid Persia. Select comparative works displayed Armenian interaction with other cultures.

After the beautiful and uplifting time at the museum the group enjoyed delicious Armenian food at the Krichian's Grill restaurant in New Jersey.