SUNDAY, June 1, 2014
Second Palm Sunday
Morning Service: 9:15 AM
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM
Bible Readings: Acts 23:12-25; 1 John 5:13-21; John 12:12-23
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Second Palm Sunday
On the Sunday following the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord, the Armenian Church celebrates "Second" Palm Sunday. The name of the feast has been derived from Palm Sunday, which precedes Easter. In the week leading up to His betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection, the "first" Palm Sunday symbolized the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem where people met Him with great joy and glorified His Holy Name. The Second Palm Sunday is the commemoration of the triumphant entry of the Ascended Christ into the Heavenly Jerusalem, where the angels meet him with great happiness and delight.
According to tradition, during St. Gregory the Illuminator's imprisonment in the pit, he was visited every day by the same angel. However one day, the angel did not come. The following morning, St. Gregory inquires to the reason for his absence, to which the angel responds that during the Ascension, Christ had passed through the ranks of the Angels, and they celebrate that feast each year. The angel visiting St. Gregory was from the fourth class of angelic hosts, and thus, on the fourth day following the Ascension, his rank of angels commemorates and celebrates Christ's Ascension to heaven every year.
St. Gregory of Datev, one of the greatest theologians of the Armenian Church, has a famous interpretation of this event. Prior to His Ascension, the ranks of angels, except for the lowest class, who served Christ during His earthly life, were not aware of Christ's incarnation for the salvation of man. St. Gregory's commentary states that when the Lord was passing through the ranks of angels, they were surprised and asked, "Who was that powerful king?" The angels accompanying Christ thus informed them. This dialogue of angels is presented in the Holy Bible, in the book of Psalms:
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."
"Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle."
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."
"Who is this King of glory?"
"The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory."
(Psalms 24:7-10).
The angelic dialogue is exhibited for us, when it is heard during the Divine Liturgy, as the deacon approaches the celebrant priest with the chalice during the Great Entrance (Veraperoom).
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The Topic of the Upcoming Sunday Sermon
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Feast of the Holy Ascension
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Feast of Holy Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Thursday, May 29, 2014
 The Feast of Holy Ascension marks the ascent of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven on the 40th day after His glorious Resurrection. The timing is clearly specified in the Acts of the Apostles, where it is stated that Christ presented himself alive to the Apostles, "appearing to them during forty days and speaking of the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). On the 40th day, after he finished speaking to the Apostles, "as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sigh." (Acts 1:9). The Gospel according to Mark sums up the same story as follows: "So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16: 19). The same account is also in the Gospel according to Luke: "While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven" (Luke 24:51). There are also several references to this event in some of the other books of the New Testament. |
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Catholicos Congratulates Primate
This week, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, sent a congratulatory letter to Archbishop Khajag Barsamian on the occasion of the latter's re-election as Primate of the Eastern Diocese.
"We congratulate you and the Diocesan delegates, and approve your election with our blessings," wrote His Holiness. "We are confident that you will productively continue your important, dutiful mission, for the glory of God and for the prosperity of your Diocese and our holy Apostolic church."
Catholicos Karekin concluded by exhorting continued support of the Primate from "the dedicated clergy and faithful of the Eastern Diocese."
Archbishop Barsamian was re-elected to a seventh term of service as Primate on May 2, during the annual Diocesan Assembly, which met this year in New York City. His Holiness' letter was the final element of the election process: according to the Diocesan Bylaws, the candidate chosen by the Diocesan Assembly becomes the duly constituted Primate upon confirmation by the Catholicos of All Armenians.
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Armenia Prepares to Observe Genocide Centennial
 Preparations are underway in Armenia for the commemoration of the 100 years since the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
This week His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilica, attended a meeting of the committee in Armenia coordinating the commemoration events. Also in attendance at the meeting were Armenia's President Serge Sargsyan, President of Nagorno-Karabagh Bako Sahakyan, and His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church.
"The centennial of the Armenian Genocide is an opportunity for us to come together as a nation, to honor the heroic sacrifices of our martyrs," His Holiness Karekin II said in his address to the committee. "It is an occasion to celebrate our Armenian Christian identity, to reaffirm our commitment to building up a strong and independent Armenia, and to reinforce the bonds of brotherly love that unite all of our communities across the world."
Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the construction of a new Komitas Museum in Yerevan, the renovation of the Dzidzernagapert memorial, and the expansion of the Armenian Genocide Museum.
Earlier in the week, His Holiness Karekin II welcomed His Holiness Aram I to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, where they led a prayer service. On May 28, the 96th anniversary of the establishment of Armenia's first republic, they visited the Sardarabad monument, where the Armenian forces stopped the advance of the Ottoman army in 1918. They were joined by Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX, President Sargsyan, and President Sahakyan. A requiem service was held for those who fell in the great battle.
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Let's Learn Armenian
Did You Know That...
The Badarak, not counting the priest's prayers, is about 4,700 words long, but has only 1,400 different roots, of which 200 constitute approximately 80% of the text. Եւ (Yev = and) is the most common word; it occurs 438 times and constitutes nearly 10% of the text. This means that if you knew only the word եւ , you'd already understand 1 out of every 10 words of the Mass. Moreover, if you knew only 200 words and their variants you would understand 8 out of every 10 words in the Mass.
Every week you can learn two of the 50 most commonly used words in the Badarak here:
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Armenian
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Phonetic
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English
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ես, է
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es, e
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you are, is
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իմ
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im
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my
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Here are the words you have already learned:
եւ (yev), սուրբ (soorp), ի (ee),Տէր (der), Աստուած (Asdvadz), օրհնեա, օրհնեալ (Orhnya, orhnyal).
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2014 Membership Dues
 If you are not already a 2014 dues-paid member, please consider becoming one. New members must pay dues by JUNE 30 in order to be eligible to vote during the Parish Assembly on January 2015.
Do you know that now you can pay your dues with your credit card? Ask Vahan Janjigian or Debbie DerAsadourian or make a secure payment on our website (click here)
Forms are available in the church office or here.
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Photo of the Week
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His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilica pray in front of the Altar of Descent in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
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Altar Guild's Wish List
1. Two jajanch radiances (ostensorium). $300-600 each . Pledged.
2. Painting of St. James of Nisibis. $1000. Donated.
3. Painting of St. Stephen the Protodeacon. $1000. Not pledged.
4. Priest's 'half-vestments'. $500. Not pledged.
5. Censer stand. $400. Pledged
Sunday School's Wish List
1. Cabinet for storage of books and supplies. Not pledged.
2. Room furniture for students and teachers. Not pledged.
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Prayer of the Week
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Son of God, true God, who descended from the bosom of the Father, and took flesh of the Holy Virgin Mary for our salvation, who was crucified and buried, and rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before You; remember me like the robber, when You come in Your kingdom.
Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner.
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ST. JAMES PARISH
TOWN HALL MEETING
Updates from the recent Diocesan Assembly
SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014
after Divine Liturgy
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WOMEN'S GUILD DAY
Sunday, June 22, 2014
after Divine Liturgy
Join us in honoring the members
of St. James Women's Guild
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ST. JAMES ARMENIAN CHURCH
INVITES YOU
TO DER HOVHAN'S PRESENTATION
"ARMENIAN CHURCH IN
THE UNITED STATES"
(In Armenian)
Saturday, June 28, 2014
at 6 PM
followed by Potluck Dinner
Click here for see the flyer.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
Mother Teresa
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CLASS OF 2014 GRADUATES
If you have a graduate in your family or know of someone who is graduating, please send us their information.
If you are a graduate, please submit the school you are graduating from , the school you will be attending (if applicable), course of study (if applicable), degree earned and future plans.
We are planning to host a reception to honor our graduates on June 29.
Call or e-mail the Church office before June 25.
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HYE CAMP EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Register by June 1 and receive early registration discount.
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YOUTH ISSUE OF E-BULLETIN
Click here to access our special E-Bulletin featuring numerous programs (camps, retreats, training, scholarships, etc) made available to you by our parish, the Diocese, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, AGBU, Armenian Assembly of America and the RA Ministry of Diaspora.
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"JOURNEY TO ARMENIA"
Lincoln Trio's
Concert of Armenian music
Sunday, June 8 at 3:00 PM
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The Chicago Affiliate of the
ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION
An evening with JACKIE KAZARIAN Musical performance by Sima Cunningham Saturday June 28, 5:00 - 8:00 PM At Kazarian Studio 122 W. Kinzie St. 2nd floor, Chicago $20 per person Questions? Call Greta Doumanian-Harley (312)213-3765 |
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E-BULLETIN ARCHIVE IS NOW AVAILABLE
Missed or accidentally deleted any of the previous E-Bulletins?
You can read all our previous issues in the archive here.
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PARKING
Parking is FREE on Sundays at the parking garage on Maple street. Main entrance on Maple Avenue & Clark Street.
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