When Karen Dardarian received the Sam Nersesian Award last year—an award presented by the ACYOA Central Council to individuals displaying Christian values—she said the honor had a special resonance for her.
Three decades earlier, her mother, Mariann Hovsepian Dardarian, was the first recipient of this award. This passing on of the spirit of love, patience, humility, and understanding through generations of faithful is at the heart of the Armenian Church.
Today Karen serves as the vice chair on the ACYOA Central Council. She has thirteen years of camp experience, and has been involved in chapter workshops, leadership conferences, the Armenia Service Program, as well as Habitat for Humanity.
Most recently, Karen joined 33 other young Armenians on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, led by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, in June.
“I wanted to go to Jerusalem because I wanted to see where Jesus walked and I wanted to learn the Bible in a different way,” Karen explains.
Throughout the 10-day journey, the participants prayed, worshiped, and strengthened their faith together, while exploring the rich history of the Armenian presence in the Holy Land.
For Karen, the most memorable part about the pilgrimage was visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
“Kneeling in front of Christ’s tomb, I had just enough time to say the Hayr Mer; I had a connection, I felt at peace, I felt at home,” she said.
Through this spiritual, inspiring, and meaningful experience, Karen strengthened her understanding of her Armenian identity as well as her Christian faith. Visiting the Holy Land is a physical and spiritual journey Karen believes one must experience to understand.
Karen serves as a role model to other young leaders in her parish—St. John Church of Southfield, Mich.—and she looks forward to sharing her faith with others.
—By Melanie Quinn (This is the third installment of a seven-part series profiling members of the ACYOA Central Council. Melanie Quinn, a senior at the University of New Hampshire, is interning this summer in the Diocesan Department of Youth and Education.)