On Sunday, August 5 during its 10 a.m. Eucharist, Christ Church Episcopal in Babylon welcomed Bishop Guregh Kapikian from the Armenian Orthodox Monastery of Sts. James in Jerusalem. Bishop Kapikian, who presided over the liturgy, is one of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s most senior bishops. He came to the parish as part of a personal visit to interim rector Stephen I. Woods and his wife Roberta, formerly of Jerusalem.

A lifelong resident of the Holy City, Bishop Kapikian has been for 45 years Armenian overseer of the "Status Quo," the regulations which make it possible for the various churches - Protestant, Roman Catholic, Armenian, Greek, Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox - to use the Holy Places of Jerusalem in peace and harmony.

In addition to this complex responsibility, Bishop Kapikian was for 25 years in charge of renovation to the Holy Sepulchre Church on behalf of the Armenian community. Donations collected by him from Armenian communities throughout the United States and South America made the restoration of the church possible.

It was during archaeological work in the Holy Sepulchre that His Grace made the discovery of ancient graffiti supporting the church’s traditional claim to house the places of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

The bishop also served as principal of the Armenian community of Jerusalem’s school and has at various times been patriarchal vicar.

Following the Eucharist a reception of His Grace’s honor was held on the church lawn. On this special occasion, the congregation was also happy to welcome Armenian visitors from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Islip.