Merrimack Valley

'The future is here': Armenians break ground on new church

Armenians break ground on new church

By Jim Sullivan
Correspondent
Published: September 28, 2008

HAVERHILL, Mass. — The driving rain didn't stop parishioners from officially breaking ground on the new Armenian Church at Hye Pointe yesterday.

In fact, it added to the ceremony. As he sank a shovel into the softening earth beneath his feet, the Rev. Kevork Arakelian described the rain as the "Tears of God, in joy and celebration."

The new church, the culmination of a merger between St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Haverhill and Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church in Lawrence, marks the first time in United States history that two Armenian congregations have come together.

"I knew I was going to be in for a ride," said Arakelian, who arrived from California in March to oversee the church. "But the ride was well worth it. Two communities have come together to build a new church. In a sense, it's a new creation."

"It's been a wonderful ride," echoed parishioner Scott Sahagian. "Even better than the ones at Canobie Lake Park."

"The church is an important part of our cultural identity," added Sahagian's wife, Nancy. "This is where our children can worship, as well as us."

"We're thrilled," Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said of the 22,000-square-foot building that will be built at 1280 Boston Road (Route 125) on the Bradford/North Andover line. "The Armenian community provides a lot to (the city). I'd like to keep that tradition alive."

Jerry Diorio, director of operations for Channel Building Company of Wilmington, said the building, with a projected cost of up to $5 million, will have "special meaning and purpose. This is one we'll look back at and will stay in our minds for a long time."

While the ground-breaking represents the beginning of the project's first phase, it also marks the end of a search for a site that Sub Deacon Mark Kazanjian has been working toward since 1993.

"We've been talking about this for 15 years," he said. "Today's the day when it's officially real.

"In a span of 24 hours, we had two sacraments and a ground-breaking," added Kazanjian, who performed a baptism yesterday morning after presiding over a wedding Friday night. "It's almost like a sign that the future is here. As the winter begins, something new starts."