Thanksgiving Service At Providence St. Joseph Medical Center

Thanksgiving was celebrated in various forms throughout the country, but perhaps one of the more unique expressions of the holiday was at the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.

By arrangement of hospital Chaplain Deacon Sevan Palanjian Sankrim, a special Armenian-Church Thanksgiving service was held and broadcast to all of the patient rooms. The service provided a special opportunity for reflection by hospital staff and personnel as well.

Fr. Vazken Movsesian officiated at this Thanksgiving service, which combined Armenian hymns, prayers and Psalms. In his message to the patients, Fr. Vazken reflected on the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector and spoke of the need to build praise on the merits of our own individual blessings rather than in comparison to others. At the conclusion of the service, wheat was blessed, to symbolize the abundance of our lives. Deacon Sevan serves as the chaplain of the St. Joseph Providence hospital as an outreach of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.