February 24

Sunday of the Expulsion

The cycle of Sundays in Great Lent begins this weekend with the Sunday of the Expulsion-a reference to the exile of Adam and Eve from Paradise.

This day reminds us of the loss of man's happiness due to his disobedience. During this day's service the hymn of St. Nersess the Graceful, Vor Zorenes Serpoutian, describes man's fall: how Adam and Eve experienced the bitterness of sin and death, how they first felt "fear" in their hearts, and "hid from the presence of the Lord God among the trees in the garden."

Thereafter, the re-establishment of the friendship between God and man had to await God's entry into our lives. Through this act of grace, man is able to search his heart, perceive his condition as an exile of "paradise lost," and see that God has given human beings the opportunity to regain their former status.

Join us for our 2023 Lenten Series Spiritual Journey Toward Easter on Lenten Wednesdays at 7 pm. 

To see the 2023 Lenten Series flyer click here. 

February 26, 2023

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan 

Usher

Arlin Diratsuyan

Parish Council Members on Duty

Ohannes Sivaslian

Choir

Mrs.Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Isaiah 33.2-22

Romans 12.1-13.10

Matthew 5.17-48

For the Souls of :

The Armenian lives lost during the tragedy of Sumgait (35th anniversary)

Requested by:

Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan and the Parish Council

For the Souls of:

Makrouhi, Mihran and cousins, Armen and Levon Garabedian

    Haroutioun Karaoglanian and his wife, Sirazart (parents)

   Garbis Karaoglanian and his wife, Marie

Requested by:

Makrouhi and Agop Karaoglanian (Marseille/France)

To request a Hokehankist/Requiem Service 

Please contact the Church Office

by 12:00 Noon on Thursday

202-363-1923

or Click here to see the form

Prayer of the Week

Lord, please keep watch over your faithful people, and protect the holy soil of Artsakh and Armenia—now and always. Foil every aggressor against our homeland. Defend the innocent and voiceless, Lord. Console all those who grieve, and remember those who sacrificed their very lives in your Name. Deliver your faithful children from conflict, and bestow your peace on all mankind.

    Christ, the guardian of all creatures, let your right hand be a shadow over me day and night, tarrying at home and traveling, sleeping and rising, that I may never fail. Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me, a great sinner. Amen.

Annual Parish Assembly Sunday - February 19, 2023

St. Mary Annual Parish Assembly took place on February 19th in the Cultural Hall, after Badarak. 50 dues-paying members participated in person.

Annual statements and reports of all of the organizations were presented and approved. The budget for the upcoming year was also approved.

We are thrilled to have the following individuals elected/reelected to fill positions within Parish Council and other committees:

Parish Council: Jack Guiragossian, Shahnur Bostan, Svetlana Hovhanissyan & Catherine Sahakian; Alternate: Rosemary Arkoian. Nominating Committee: Becky Bagdassarian, Zaven Kalayjian & Mark Krikorian; Alternate: Ani Derderian; Auditing Committee: Artur Sivaslian; Alternate Ara Stepanyan; Investment Committee: Michael Sahakian; Alternate: Harout Koseian; WED Scholarship Committee: Mark Krikorian; Alternate: Mania Missirian.

Congratulations to the newly elected members and many thanks to the outgoing members for their service.

Lenten Period Begins 

According to the liturgical calendar of the Armenian Church, the Lenten season has begun on Monday, February 19. This year, at St. Mary Lenten, Services and Discussions will occur every Wednesday. The year's theme is "The Holy Sacraments of the Church and their meaning." We will learn about the Holy Sacraments of the Church and their very real implications on our daily lives. A sacrament is a rite that not only signifies some specific grace but also produces that grace in the soul of the person to whom it is administered. Although everything within the Church is sacramental, there are seven formal sacraments of the Armenian Church which correspond to the different states and situations of a person's life.

The first of the six-week series took place on Wednesday, February 22. Der Hovsep spoke about the first two sacraments, Baptism and Confirmation. He stressed their historical importance as well as their relevance in our lives today. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, we have been born anew and given the Grace of the Holy Spirit, which equips us to face the challenges of this life and triumph over the powers of evil.

Toward the end of the service and presentation, the parishioners enjoyed fellowship with each other and dinner hosted by the Parish Council.

Special Gift for St. Mary Gift Shop

St. Mary gift shop is offering limited numbers of imported bottles of medieval Armenian health elixirs formulated from ancient manuscripts deciphered at the Matendaran Museum of Ancient Armenian Manuscripts. These elixirs are made in Armenia by Armen Sahakyan, a pharmacologist and botanical scholar who has been working at the Matenadaran Museum for the last several decades. A trained medical doctor ordained a deacon in 1997, Sahakyan has dedicated his life to the maintenance of Armenia’s sacred botanical traditions.

The three different batches available at our gift shop (Royal Elixir, Arates Elixir and Arates Tonic) are made from a codified recipe of medieval Armenian medicine, using a special distillation process. They contain medicinal and aromatic plants, known for their healing properties. Through the distillation and aging process alcohol is created, so think of them as perhaps Armenia’s first (healthy) cognac! 

The supplies are limited and each bottle is numbered, including the batch and year of production. All of the bottles were donated to St Mary Church, so 100% of the proceeds will go to the St Mary Endowment Fund, with a portion also going to support Armenian clergy serving in Artsakh.

"Embrace the Future" Endowment Fund

Dear Parishioners and Friends, 

This year we celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the St. Mary Community and Church with the launch of the new "Embrace the Future" Endowment Fund to help ensure our church has the resources needed to continue serving our beloved community.  

Just as you plan for your future and that of your family, please join us in planning for the future of St. Mary Church. 

We are asking for your support so that St. Mary will be able to continue to fulfill her mission for future generations.  

The link below lists various opportunities for you to make a meaningful gift of lasting significance that will help support our church's long-term security, visibility, and vitality. Please consider making either a one-time gift or pledge, which would allow you to make payments over a five-year period.

Join St. Mary's Prayer Group

We are initiating a new form of ministry at St. Mary Armenian Church. For parishioners who would like to make an electronic prayer request, they can do so by Clicking Here.

A group of volunteers will receive the request and pray at their earliest convenience. Additionally, a new physical prayer request box will be placed at the entrance of St. Mary Armenian Church with blank forms that anyone can fill out and drop in the box. These requests will be retrieved weekly and delivered to the members of the volunteer prayer group. If you would like to become one of the volunteers of the Prayer Group please email us. 

Please click on the link below to present your request. 

White Elephant Sale

Clear out those closets! Get into that garage! Donations are now being accepted for our Second Annual Rummage Sale!

Please donate gently used/new items that are sellable! You can bring your donation (no items of clothing/shoes) to church on Sunday mornings, or arrange a time for drop off with the church office at 202-363-1923. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Armenian Speaking Caregivers Available

For information please contact the church office at 202-363-1923 or  stmarychurchdc@gmail.com

Part-time help needed

Rockville Town Center (a few minutes walk from the Rockville Metro stop on the Red Line), for details, contact Lilit at "Saints Valley" Boutique:   https://www.instagram.com/saintsvalley/?hl=en

Buy a Brick and Leave Your Legacy at

St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church

Bricks can be ordered and purchased by clicking below and

filling out a simple online order form.

You can choose to have a 4" x 8" brick

which includes your preselected

3 lines of 20 characters per line of text.

Or you can choose to have the

Armenian Cross artwork on the 4" x 8" brick

which includes your preselected

3 lines of 15 characters per line of text.

Order Today While Quantities Last!

Payment can be made with PayPal or a Credit Card.

Legacy Brick Donations are Tax Deductible.

The Tragedy of Sumgait: 1988 and Today

This weekend marks the 35th year since the anti-Armenian pogroms in Sumgait. It was in late February of 1988 that Armenians in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan, were targeted for violence, murder, and expulsion by mobs of Azerbaijanis acting with the complicity of the government and police.

The pogroms were unleashed in retaliation for the Karabagh independence movement, then in its earliest stages. Other anti-Armenian atrocities would follow in subsequent months. As a result, nearly the entire Armenian population was forced to flee Azerbaijan over a short period.

After more than a generation, the Armenians who survived those bitter days have overcome great adversity to build their lives anew. Yet the greater tragedy of Sumgait—as well as Baku, Kirovabad, and elsewhere—still continues 35 later, and is still painfully present among our people. We are all bearing witness to that tragedy today, in Artsakh and Armenia.

This Sunday, many churches will offer prayers of remembrance for the Armenian souls lost during that dark time. In the days to come, solemnly remember those who perished, and offer a prayer of gratitude for those whom God saved—35 years ago, and down to the present day.

2023 Diocesan Assembly to Meet In-Person in Dallas

The 121st Diocesan Assembly will convene May 4-6, 2023, at the Marriott Hotel in Plano, TX. St. Sarkis Church of Carrollton, TX, will host the Diocesan Assembly and the Clergy Conference (meeting May 2-4), bringing together hundreds of Armenian Church leaders from the Eastern Diocese. Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan will preside.

The Dallas-area church is hosting the assembly for the first time in its history. The parish was originally scheduled to host the 118th Diocesan Assembly in the spring of 2020, but that event was postponed due to the pandemic. In the intervening years, St. Sarkis completed construction and consecrated its magnificent (and award-winning) new facility, which will be the place where the 121st Assembly’s social and liturgical gatherings will go forward.

The annual awards banquet will take place in the parish’s Hall of Lights on Friday, May 5. Mr. and Mrs. Elie and Ela Akilian will be honored as this year’s “Armenian Church Members of the Year,” and architect David Hotson will receive the “Friend of the Armenians” award.

The Divine Liturgy, with the Primate celebrating, will conclude the gathering on Sunday, May 7.

The hotel for the Clergy Conference and Diocesan Assembly, the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy, is within walking distance of restaurants and shops. Online hotel reservations and online assembly registration are now open and can be accessed via St. Sarkis’ Diocesan Assembly website.

The host parish is also publishing a commemorative booklet and invites parishes, clergy, delegates, and the public to extend personal greetings on its pages. Click the link to contribute to the booklet online, but don’t delay: the deadline for inclusion is February 28.

Find additional detailed information, and links to register and reserve, by clicking here.

Diocesan Primates of North America Meet in New York

The three Diocesan Primates of the Armenian Church in North America met on February 17 at the St. Vartan Cathedral Complex in New York City.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western U.S. Diocese and Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan of the Diocese of Canada were welcomed and hosted by Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan of the Eastern U.S. Diocese. It marked the first time that the three churchmen have met formally in these capacities.

The church leaders discussed issues of common concern during three working sessions. The occasion also afforded them a chance to interact with Eastern Diocesan clergy from the New York-New Jersey region.

Topics addressed by the Primates included current and future opportunities for collaboration among the three dioceses, especially in the areas of preparing clergy (and identifying suitable candidates for the priesthood); youth ministry and outreach; Christian and Armenian cultural education, including Sunday and Saturday school programs; enrolling men and women of the laity into the church’s ministries; music ministry; and expanding existing efforts in all three dioceses to use “digital ministry” to its best advantage.

The Primates concluded their meeting by recommitting themselves to supporting one another in their ministries. These meetings will take place on a regular basis and will be preceded by the meeting of the chairs of the three Diocesan councils.

Above: Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, and Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.

Helping Students in Rural Armenia Excel in the Sciences

The latest initiative of the Fund for Armenian Relief—a project called “STEM for Rural Armenia”—raises greater awareness about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education for Armenia’s rural students. FAR implements the project by creating improved learning environments in STEM subjects, for students living in Armenia’s border villages of Berd, Noyemberyan, and Ijevan, in Armenia’s Tavush province.

Scholars working with FAR’s scientific grant-making program, the Armenian National Science and Education Fund (ANSEF), recently met with high schoolers in Berd City, to talk more about their research work and their motivations to work in the sciences. More than 100 schoolchildren attended the two-day event. 

“These schoolchildren are about to choose their academic path, and it’s important to talk to them now,” said ANSEF scholar Hripsime Mkrtchyan. “We discussed our paths in science, the challenges we have gone through, as well as our achievements.”

She added: “I saw a sparkle in their eyes, an interest in STEM subjects. Many of them came to me afterward to ask more.”

FAR’s Education and Science program director Eduard Karapetyan said that such meetings can help high school students understand their prospects in the sciences. “We are planning to hold STEM meetings, seminars, and camps, as well as help students with tuition if they enter a STEM-oriented field at the university,” he said.

The “STEM for Rural Armenia” project is made possible by the generous support of Ara Cherchian from Wisconsin. Read more on FAR’s blog.

February 25 Women's Guild visit to Wesley Theological Seminary@11am

February 26 ACYOA Jr service project to make sack lunches for those in need

March 1,8, 15, 22 & 29 Lenten Service, discussion & dinner @7pm

March 5 Networking with DC young Armenians at 1:30 pm

March 12 Women's Guild Mid-Lenten/Mitchink Luncheon

March 15 Median Day of Lent

March 18 Women's Guild General meeting @ 10 am

April 2 Palm Sunday,ACYOA Day & W.G. Easter Bake Sale after Badarak

April 9 Easter Sunday, W.G. Easter Bake Sale after Badarak

April 24 Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide

May 18 Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

May 19, 20,21 Spring Food Festival

May 28 W.G.Hampartzoom program and lunch

17 Մի՛ կարծէք, թէ օրէնքը կամ մարգարէներին ջնջելու եկայ. չեկայ ջնջելու, այլ՝ լրացնելու: 18 Ճշմարիտ եմ ասում ձեզ. մինչեւ որ երկինք ու երկիր անցնեն, մի յովտ իսկ, որ մի նշանախեց է, օրէնքից եւ մարգարէներից չի անցնի, մինչեւ որ այս բոլորը կատարուի: 19 Ով որ այս պատուիրաններից, փոքրերից անգամ, մի բան ջնջի եւ մարդկանց այդպէս ուսուցանի, երկնքի արքայութեան մէջ փոքր պիտի համարուի. իսկ ով կատարի եւ ուսուցանի, երկնքի արքայութեան մէջ նա մեծ պիտի համարուի: 20 Բայց ասում եմ ձեզ, որ եթէ ձեր արդարութիւնը աւելի չլինի, քան օրէնսգէտներինը եւ փարիսեցիներինը, երկնքի արքայութիւնը չէք մտնի: 21 Լսել էք, թէ ինչ ասուեց նախնիներին. “Մի՛ սպանիր”, որովհետեւ ով որ սպանի, ենթակայ կլինի դատաստանի: 22 Իսկ ես ձեզ ասում եմ, թէ՝ ամէն մարդ, որ զուր տեղը բարկանում է իր եղբօր վրայ, ենթակայ կլինի դատաստանի, եւ ով իր եղբօրն ասի յիմար, ենթակայ կլինի ատեանի, եւ ով իր եղբօրն ասի ապուշ, ենթակայ կլինի գեհենի կրակին: 23 Եթէ սեղանի վրայ քո ընծան մատուցելու լինես եւ այնտեղ յիշես, թէ քո եղբայրը քո դէմ մի ոխ ունի, 24 քո ընծան թող սեղանի առաջ եւ գնա, նախ հաշտուիր քո եղբօր հետ եւ ապա եկ, քո ընծան մատուցիր: 25 Եթէ մէկը քեզ հետ խնդիր ունի եւ քեզ դատի է կանչում, մինչ նրա հետ դեռ ճանապարհին ես, եղիր իրաւախոհ կանխաւ. գուցէ նա քեզ դատաւորին յանձնի, եւ դատաւորը՝ դահճին, ու դու բանտ նետուես: 26 Ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ. այնտեղից դուրս չես գայ, մինչեւ չվճարես վերջին դահեկանը: 27 Լսել էք, թէ ինչ ասուեց. “Մի՛ շնացիր”, 28 իսկ ես ձեզ ասում եմ. ամէն մարդ, որ կնոջը նայում է նրան ցանկանալով, արդէն շնացաւ նրա հետ իր սրտում: 29 Եթէ քո աջ աչքը քեզ գայթակղում է, հանի՛ր այն եւ դէ՛ն գցիր քեզնից. որովհետեւ քեզ համար լաւ է, որ քո անդամներից մէկը կորչի, եւ քո ամբողջ մարմինը չընկնի գեհեն: 30 Եւ եթէ քո աջ ձեռքը քեզ գայթակղում է, կտրի՛ր այն եւ դէ՛ն գցիր քեզնից. որովհետեւ քեզ համար լաւ է, որ քո անդամներից մէկը կորչի, եւ քո ամբողջ մարմինը չընկնի գեհեն:

Մատթեոսի 5:17-48

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.21 “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,[c] you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult[d] a brother or sister,[e] you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell[f] of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister[g] has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first, be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court[i] with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.30 And if your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

Matthew 5:17-48