The 45th Anniversary Celebration of Massis Weekly Was Held In a Cheerful Atmosphere

GLENDALE  — On Sunday, November 9, 2025, inside the beautiful hall of the Glendale Armenia Society of Los Angeles, Massis Weekly celebrated its glorious 45th anniversary.

In attendance were the Consul General of the Republic of Armenia, Karen Israelyan; Chairman of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) Central Committee, Dr. Hampik Sarafian; Rev. Fr. Manuk Avak Markaryan, representing His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America; Rev. Serop Mkrtichyan, representing the Armenian Evangelical Church; U.S. Congresswoman Laura Friedman as well as representatives of Armenian media outlets, TV stations, and various organizations who had come to take part in the SDHP-sponsored banquet celebration.

After the national anthems of the U.S.A. and Armenia, master of ceremonies Harut Ter Davtyan delivered remarks on behalf of the Anniversary Organizing. In his opening speech, he said:
“Yesterday, the 2,241st issue of Massis was published. Forty-five years of steady and successful progress. This achievement becomes even more remarkable when we consider that it is the result of the committed and voluntary contributions of journalists and editors, without expectations of financial return. It is worth recalling that Massis became the first Armenian newspaper in America to have its own website—later developing into the bilingual Massis Post, which is updated daily.”

Dinner was then served, during which talented kanun player Nektarin Chileyan and young singer Grigor Mirzayan performed various Armenian songs.

Congresswoman Laura Friedman took the floor next. She expressed that it was a great surprise to discover an Armenian newspaper that has been published for 45 years entirely by volunteers. She emphasized her pride in representing the largest Armenian-populated district outside of Armenia in the UA Congress. In her remarks, she called for the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku and the restoration of the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh.

At the end of her speech, Laura Friedman presented Massis editor Krikor Khodanian with a Congressional Certificate of Recognition.

Next, Armenia’s Consul General in Los Angeles, Mr. Karen Israelyan, delivered remarks. He praised the rich content and healthy patriotic editorial direction of Massis, congratulating its leadership for their dedicated service to the nation.

A video message was sent by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, who was absent due to his travel to Armenia. The Archbishop praised the newspaper’s unwavering path and congratulated its editorial team and staff, wishing them longevity and continued success.

The keynote speaker of the evening was the principal of Hovsepian School and playwright Shahe Mangrian. With his characteristic style and perspective, he reflected on the turbulent developments of the past decade in the Middle East, Lebanon’s unstable situation, and the painful circumstances arising from the Palestinian issue. He noted that amid these phenomena, many institutions have emerged or transformed—among them the media outlets, which has shifted from traditional practices toward artificial intelligence . He emphasized that we, too, must keep pace with such innovations and global informational developments.

Taking the stage next, Krikor Khodanian recalled the names of individuals who, over the years, had contributed to the publication and editorial work of Massis. He announced that on the occasion of the 45th anniversary, five individuals deserved special  appreciation and gratitude for their long-standing contributions to the survival and advancement of Massis.

Accordingly, awards of appreciation and gratitude were presented by SDHP Central Committee Chairman Hampik Sarafian and SDHP Western U.S. Executive Committee Chairman Mihran Khachaturian to Dr. Harutiun Saghrian (posthumously), Dr. Arshak Kazanjian, Gabriel Moloyan, Vahe Atchabahian, and Vazgen Khodnian.

The event concluded with closing remarks delivered by Dr. Hambik Sarafian. He described the occasion in two words—“a day of joy and pride”—and highly praised the guiding, compelling articles of Massis, which has become an interesting and substantive paper. He extended congratulations on behalf of the Central Committee to the editorial team and staff of Massis, wishing them continuity, new achievements, and ongoing progress in their mission of service to the nation.

After the official program ended, the cheerful social atmosphere continued, and attendees left the hall with the best impressions.