Tribute Paid to Hagop Piandarian for His Service to Community
Fromleft, Bedros Piandarian, Ann Piandarian,Hagop Piandarian, Ani Kartalian and Parsegh Kartalian
25/10/2010
LOS ANGELES — Hagop Piandarian, a longtime community activist, was honored on Sunday, October 3. His community involvement began almost 60 years ago in Alexandria, Egypt and later extended to the US, his adopted country.
Karekin II, Catholicos of all the Armenians, bestowed upon him the medal of St. Mesrob Mashdots with an encyclical, which was read at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church in Pasadena. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, pinned the medal on his chest and praised him for serving God through the Armenian Church, the Armenian General Benevolent Union and Tekeyan Cultural Association.
Immediately following the Divine Liturgy, a reception was held at the Boyadjian Hall of the Manoogian Complex in Pasadena. It was organized by the Glendale-Pasadena Chapter of the Armenian General Benevolent Union. Parsegh Kartalian, a longtime acquaintance of the honoree, served as the master of ceremonies. He invited Rev. Zaven Arzoumanian for the invocation and the blessing of the food. Arzoumanian was representing the Primate.
After the meal, Kartalian gave a biographical sketch of the honoree, depicting him as a humble servant of his community throughout his life. He then read AGBU President Berge Setrakian’s congratulatory remarks and well wishes.
A slide presentation of the honoree’s life followed. Among the photos were some with the late Catholicos of all the Armenians Vazken I, who had visited Egypt, back in the early 1960s, as well as with the late Alec Manoogian of the AGBU, who had come to Pasadena for the inauguration of the new complex.
Shahe Soylemezian, chairman of the Glendale-Pasadena Chapter of AGBU, delivered the opening remarks. Nanor Babian, a student of Vatche and Tamar Manougian High School in Pasadena rendered a poetic recitation, and Khatchig Nahabedian of TCA’s Glendale- Pasadena Chapter sang a moving song.
George Mandossian, vice chairman of the Central Board of Directors of Tekeyan Cultural Association, gave his testimony of the honoree, painting him as a hard working, grateful, happy man who has dedicated his life to serving his community. He then read Dr. Haroutune Arzoumanian’s congratulatory remarks, wishing the honoree a continued legacy of service to the Armenian Community. Arzoumanian is the chairman of TCA’s Central Board of Directors.
Other heart-felt speeches were delivered by the honoree’s brother, Bedros Piandarian of New Jersey, who had come to Pasadena with his wife, Anne, for the occasion, Panos Titizian of the AGBU and Hagop Mardirossian of Nor Or weekly. The honoree took to the podium and thanked Catholicos Karekin II, Derderian, the Armenian General Benevolent Union and everyone in attendance for their support and appreciation.
Piandarian has been chairman of the Parish Council of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in East Los Angeles for 12 years, chairman of the Glendale-Pasadena Chapter of AGBU for 16 years and a member of the TCA Beshgeturian Center’s Board of Directors since its inception in 1985.
— Kevork Keushkerian
