Armenian Patriarch to Visit Southland

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, will make his first pontifical visit to Los Angeles next week.

Karekin II was enthroned in the Armenian city of Echmiadzin in November 1999 as head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He succeeded Karekin I, who died in June that year.

The presence of the Armenian church’s highest leader will add luster to celebrations by an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 Armenians in Southern California of the 1,700-year anniversary of the Armenian homeland’s conversion to Christianity. It was the first nation to convert. Not all Armenians are members of the church.

The catholicos will be at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, 17231 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, at 7 p.m. Thursday. He will visit an Armenian school in Pasadena on Friday and later that day attend a 7 p.m. concert at Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Road. His visit will be capped by a pontifical banquet May 13 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

EVENTS

“The New Dead Sea Scrolls” and an upcoming summer excavation he will join is the subject of a lecture by Richard Freund, director of the Dead Sea Cave of Letters Archeological Project. He will speak at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Cal State Long Beach, Lecture Hall 151, near parking lot 5, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach. Free.

* A Renaissance festival with minstrels, Shakespearean players and magicians sponsored by the First Christian Church of North Hollywood will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the church, 4390 Colfax Ave. (818) 763-8218.

* Religious faith and its connection with the California energy crisis is the subject of a conference today featuring John Cobb Jr., professor emeritus at the Claremont School of Theology, and state Sen. Debra Bowen (D-Marina del Rey), chairwoman of the Senate Energy Committee, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Seaside Community Church, 22940 Ocean Ave., Torrance. Lunch included with $15 fee. (310) 375-4441.

* Buddha’s birthday will be celebrated with a dharma talk, ceremony and lunch Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. at the Los Angeles Buddhist Union, 7833 Emerson Place, Rosemead. Free. (626) 280-1213.

MUSIC

British organ virtuoso Jane Parker-Smith will perform the works of Bedrich Wiedermann, Franz Liszt and others at 4 p.m. Sunday in the 32nd annual Organ Concert Series at First Congregational Church, 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles. $11; $7 seniors and students. (213) 385-1345.

* John Rutter’s “Requiem” will be performed by St. Andrew’s Chancel Choir and the El Camino College Community Choir under the direction of James Hurd and Leslie Back tonight at 8 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 301 Avenue D, Redondo Beach. Offering. 310 540-5252.

* J.S. Bach’s cantata “Christ Lag in Todesbanden” will be performed at 5 p.m. Sunday by the All Saints Choir under the direction of Thomas Foster and members of Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra at All Saints Episcopal Church, 504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills. Offering. (310) 275-2910.

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