Sunday, September 15, was a remarkable day in the history of Holy Martyrs. It was a day full of celebration and joy, as the community gathered together to witness the ribbon-cutting and dedication of our new church plaza on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The festivities began at the conclusion of Badarak, as the choir and altar servers led a procession of Sunday School students and parishioners onto the newly paved granite plaza adorned with tri-colored balloons. At the top of the stairs, outside the church doors, Fr. Abraham and Michelle Blandenburgo, niece of the major donors of the plaza (the late Nazaret and Lillian Der Kazarian), ceremonially cut the red ribbon signifying the dedication of the plaza. The traditional antasdan service of the blessing of the four corners of the world followed, with special emphasis on the new “four corners” of our beautiful plaza. The Sunday School students holding their basil plants, surrounded Fr. Abraham during the antasdan and watched intently as the corners of the world were incensed and blessed.