The 5th grade students of the St. Gregory A & M Hovsepian School of Pasadena on June 1 visited St. Gregory the Iluminator Church in Fowler. The students were greeted by Rev. Fr. Gomidas Zohrabian, Pastor, who welcomed the students, parents and staff to the parish.
Fr. Gomidas answered questions about the parish and Armenian community of greater Fresno. He also explained how the church was erected by parishioners in 1910, making it the second oldest Armenian Church sanctuary still in continuous use in the United States. The group was led by Principal Shahe Mankerian, 5th grade instructor Hagop Kalaidjian, and Coach Sako Karaoghlanian.
Following lunch in the church hall, Principal Mankerian thanked Fr. Gomidas and the parish for their hospitality.
The group then visited the Armenian cemetery in Fresno, where they stopped at the graves of playwright William Saroyan and Armenian national hero Soghomon Tehlirian. They also visited the grave of the unknown Armenian martyred during the genocide and the grave of the Seropian family, who are considered to be the first Armenians in Fresno. The students also visited the monument dedicated to Armenian national hero Monte Melkonian, as well as the grave of Very Rev. Fr. Dirair Marcarian (1876-1932) whom Fr. Gomidas had noted played a key role as pastor of St. Gregory the Iluminator Church in Fowler.
At the end of their trip to Fowler and Fresno, the 5th grade students, parents, and staff spent the next three days at Hye Camp where they had a wonderful experience in an idyllic rural setting.
