Pontiff St. James of Nisibis, the patron saint of our church, is one of the most authoritative and most beloved saints of the Universal Church. He is a prominent saint not only in the Armenian Church but also in the Syriac Church. He was born, raised, worked and died in Nisibis, which today is known as the city of Nusbyien in Southeastern Turkey.

St. James deserves the epithet Thaumaturge (Wonderworker) for the numerous miracles attributed to him. According to hagiographical sources, St. James was from the Parthian dynasty and the nephew of St. Gregory the Enlightener. When the family members of Anak the Parthian were killed, nurses secretly fled to Caesaria, taking with them the infant brothers Suren and James. In Caesaria, they were educated in the Christian faith. When they were still children, James and his sister Sakden were taken to Persia and lived for a time in the royal palace. However, when a young man, James rejected his safe and well-to-do life and became a hermit. In his young adulthood he withdrew to the desert to live and pray as an ascetic. He eventually left for Nisibis where he became a disciple of the hermit St. Maruge, famous for leading a life befitting saints. In turn, St. James became the teacher of Ephraem the great patristic Syrian priest and writer.

St. James learned from St. Maruge that many people despite their conversion to the true faith were skeptical about the existence of Noah's Ark. The hermit told James that, "The ark rested here on the nearby Cordoyenes Mountains known to the Armenians as Ararat." Thus, St. James decided to climb the mountain in order to see the Ark himself and bring back a piece of it in order to put to rest people's doubts. Despite his unshakable will power, St. James could not reach the peak of Mount Ararat. However, while taking a short nap to recover from his struggles, an angel visited him in his dreams and put a piece of the Ark under his head. James took the relic with great joy and brought it to Maruge, who upon seeing it was filled with great joy. According to tradition, in the place where St. James had lain down there appeared a cold stream with healing and miraculous qualities. In the future a church bearing the Saint's name would be built nearby the stream. The relic of the Ark given to St. James by one of God's angels is currently in the museum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

After the death of the Bishop of Nisibis, two candidates emerged from two conflicting groups. However, God appeared to St. Maruge and told him that St. James was the most worthy and deserving candidate to become the next Bishop of Nisbis. On the advice of the hermit, everyone switched their focus to St. James and summoned him from the desert. He was ordained bishop in 320 A.D. in Amida.

St. James participated in the Council of Nicaea in 325 at which he enjoyed great respect from the Emperor Constantine and the other attendees. He became one of the great champions of the orthodoxy of the Christian Church against Arius and Arianism, which were condemned at the Council. Two or three times he saved Nisbis from Persian invasions with his prayers.

Although subjected to persecutions and tortures prior to becoming a cleric during the persecution of Maximianos, he nevertheless died peacefully at an old age in 338 A.D. His many relics were taken to Constantinople in 970 A.D. and became the subject of great honor in the imperial city.

Bishop St. Mielitus was born in Melitene, Armenia Minor. In 358 he became the Bishop of Sebastia. In 360 he ascended the throne of Antioch and continued St. James' struggle against the Arians. In 381 he presided over the Second Ecumenical Council convened in Constantinople but unfortunately passed away before its conclusion.

Our new khachkar will be made by an Armenian artist who lives and works in Armenia and who specializes in khachkars and has made several for other Eastern and Western Diocese parishes. Our khachkar will be sized to meet the architectural dimensions of the church building, and to be sure, in keeping with the tradition of khachkars, will be a unique creation with distinctive details that make no two khachkars alike. It will be placed outside in the small garden that adorns the entrance of our church.

Click here to read Der Hovhan's letter

Click here to read Parish Council's letter

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The original name of our was Church North Shore Armenian Apostolic Church of Cook County, IL.

For more information contact Selena Groh.

ST. JAMES ARMENIAN CHURCH

We cordially invite you to 

celebrate the 

NAME DAY

OF ST. JAMES ARMENIAN CHURCH

December 14, 2014

Divine Liturgy begins at 10:00 am

MADAGH will be blessed at the end of the Divine Liturgy and will be distributed during the festive luncheon.