Abp. Hovnan lectures at St. Mark Coptic Church in LA

(Armenian WD) - Upon the invitation of His Grace Bishop Serapion of the Diocese of Los Angeles, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, delivered a lecture on "The Priest and Contemporary Challenges," during the Southern California Coptic Clergy Assembly at St. Mark Coptic Church in Los Angeles, On October 15, 2009.

Prior to the lecture, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian offered the invocation and blessed the tables at the luncheon. Several dozen Coptic Clergy and Diocesan representatives, including the Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, Vicar General of the Western Diocese participated in the lecture. His Grace Bishop Serapion in his welcoming remarks thanked His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian for accepting the invitation to lecture during the Coptic Clergy Assembly in Los Angeles, and praised him for his dedication to the mission of the Church.

In his lecture, the Primate addressed the challenging issues of the contemporary societies in the light of the Holy Bible, such as materialism, war, sexual perversions, prostitution, divorce, child abuse, drug addictions, abortion, etc. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian called on all Clergymen to be vigilant in their dealings with the issues of today's society and seek guidance from the Holy Bible for answers to these difficult questions.

A Q&A session was held following the lecture segment of the program, wherein the Primate answered all the questions raised by the participating Coptic Clergy regarding various issues discussed in the lecture.