April 21

In the Mystical Company of Our Saints

Monday, April 24, will be observed by the worldwide Armenian Church as the "Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide." In 2015, the centennial year of the Armenian Genocide, the martyrs of 1915 were ceremonially recognized as holy saints. With their canonization, the Genocide martyrs joined other great exemplars of holiness, virtue, and sacrifice, in the "canon" of revered saints from church history.

This year, the Armenian faithful will be able to gather together once again—with each other in person and in the mystical company of our saints.

The Genocide commemoration is traditionally a time of intense activity in the Armenian community; this year, at St. Mary, a special service commemorating the Holy Martyrs who gave their lives during the Armenian Genocide for Faith and the Homeland will follow Badarak on Sunday, April 23 in front of the Khatchkar on the church premises. Afterward, Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, a lecturer in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University and the Armenian and Georgian Area Specialist at the Library of Congress, will present an illustrated talk about the Armenian Genocide and Armenian resilience at the Church Cultural Hall. And on April 30, a performance by St. Mary Shnorhali School students titled "Rescue the Armenians" depicting the efforts of American missionaries and Armenian fedayees will take place at St. Mary Church Hall at 2:00 pm. All are invited.

Prepare for the day by watching a special episode of the Diocese's "Bread and Salt" series, which revisits the April 2015 canonization service and explains how we now regard the Holy Martyrs of 1915. Click here to view the video. For a more in-depth look at the meaning of Christian sainthood and martyrdom, click on the link to watch "A Great Cloud of Witnesses."

April 23, 2023

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan 

Usher

Mrs. Rouzanna Oganissian

Parish Council Members on Duty

Mr. Sean McClure

Choir

Mrs.Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Acts 9: 23-31

1 Pt 2:1-10

John 2.23-3.12

For the Souls of :

the Heroes who were killed in defense of the sovereign territory of our Homeland during the April 11th attack in Tegh, Armenia.

Artur Sahakyan (1999)

Mkrtich Harutyunyan (1989)

Henrikh Kocharyan (1997)

Narek Sargsyan (1994)



Requested by :

Rev. Fr. Hovsep and Yn. Jennifer Karapetyan & the Parish Council

For the Soul of :

 Diramayr Zabel Kalayjian

Requested by :

Yn. Anahid Kalayjian

& 

Zaven and Berj Kalayjian (grandsons)

Altar Flowers are Donated by:

Yn. Jennifer Karapetyan

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

Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and you do the will of all who fear you, looking after your creatures with love and kindness.

  Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially the Holy Martyrs who gave their lives during the Armenian Genocide for faith and for the homeland, whom we commemorate today.

  Hear us Lord, and show us your mercy. Forgive, redeem and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Now and always unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Teen Starts Recycle Education Club for Shnorhali School

Mariam McClure, a senior high school junior, has started a recycling education club for the students of the Shnorhali School.  Once a month she will meet with the children, during the last 15 minutes of their lunch period, to lead them in fun educational activities concerning ecology and recycling.  Mariam will use this service experience, to complete her IB diploma from Washington and Liberty High School in Arlington, Virginia. If anyone is interested in helping Mariam with this project send her an email at mannamcclure2020@gmail.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

WED Educational Fund Scholarship



Application for WED Educational Fund Scholarship is now available at St. Mary's website www.stmaryaac.org. The application deadline for the 2023-2024 academic year is

May 31, 2023.

Click here to access the scholarship application. If you have questions, contact the St. Mary Church office at stmarychurchdc@gmail.com

There is a wonderful opportunities for our children to participate in Armenian camps and conferences this summer. St. Vartan Camp and St. Nersess Summer Conferences and trainnigs are now oper for registration. If your child is interested please contact the the church office at stmarychurchdc@gmail.com and provide your name, contact information (phone and email) and your student’s name/age. Put "St Vartan Camp," or "St. Nersess" in the subject line.  An interest meeting will be arranged, where parents/students can ask questions and arrange carpools.

This year, through generous donations made to a number of memorial funds, St. Mary will be able to offer a discount for each camper.   

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. 

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.

Primate Meets with NYC Mayor’s Faith-Based Director

On April 13, Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan visited New York City Hall to meet with Pastor Gil Monrose of the Mayor’s Office. Pastor Monrose is the Executive Director of Mayor Eric Adams’ Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships.

“Outreach to the larger community, and especially to City Hall and the Mayor, is an important part of my role as Primate,” said Fr. Mesrop. “I welcomed this opportunity to meet with Pastor Monrose and bring him up to date on developments in our community—from events at St. Vartan Cathedral to the 125th anniversary of our Diocese, to the current realities in Armenia and Artsakh.”

At the same meeting, he expressed appreciation to the Mayor’s Office for renewing the permit for the Knights of Vartan Genocide commemoration in Times Square, slated for Sunday, April 23. He also pointed to New York City’s long history of official acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide, represented in proclamations issued by the City Council and earlier mayoral administrations dating back to the 1970s.

Accompanying the Primate was Van Krikorian of the Armenian Assembly. The cordial and productive meeting concluded with an invitation to Mayor Adams and Pastor Monrose to visit St. Vartan Cathedral during a future Armenian community function.

FAR is Hiring a Development Director

The Fund for Armenian Relief is searching for a “Director of Institutional Marketing and Development.” The position will be responsible for the overall strategic development and management of the set of communications that FAR deploys to reach its audience.

The Development Director is expected to contribute to strengthening FAR’s image in the market and to further developing trust among the diaspora and make it the foundation of choice for individuals to consider when planning their charitable giving efforts. This position will report to Garnik Nanagoulian, Executive Director.

For complete information, click here.

April 23 An illustrated talk about the Armenian Genocide and Armenian resilience by Khatchig Mouradian immediately after Badark

April 24 Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide

April 30 'Rescue the Armenians' Shnorhali School Students' performance

May 12 90^th Anniversary Endowment Fundraising Garden Reception @ 7 pm 

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

23Եւ երբ Յիսուս զատկի տօնին Երուսաղէմում էր գտնւում, շատեր հաւատացին նրան, քանի որ տեսնում էին այն նշանները, որ կատարում էր։ 24Բայց Յիսուս անձամբ վստահութիւն չունէր նրանց նկատմամբ, որովհետեւ ինքն ամենքին ճանաչում էր 25եւ կարիք չկար, որ որեւէ մէկը վկայէր մարդու մասին, քանի որ ինքն արդէն գիտէր, թէ ինչ կար մարդու հոգու մէջ։ Եւ փարիսեցիների մէջ Նիկոդեմոս անունով մի մարդ կար, որ հրեաների իշխանաւոր էր։ 2Սա գիշերով եկաւ նրա մօտ ու նրան ասաց. «Ռաբբի՛, գիտենք, որ Աստծուց ես եկել որպէս վարդապետ, որովհետեւ ոչ ոք չի կարող կատարել այն նշանները, որ դու ես անում, եթէ Աստուած նրա հետ չլինի»։ 3Յիսուս պատասխանեց եւ ասաց նրան. «Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ, եթէ մէկը վերըստին չծնուի, չի կարող Աստծու արքայութիւնը տեսնել»։ 4Նիկոդեմոսը նրան ասաց. «Ինչպէ՞ս կարող է ծնուել մի մարդ, որ ծեր է. միթէ կարելի՞ է իր մօր որովայնը կրկին անգամ մտնել ու ծնուել»։ 5Յիսուս պատասխան տուեց եւ ասաց. «Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ, եթէ մէկը ջրից ու Հոգուց չծնուի, չի կարող Աստծու արքայութիւնը մտնել. 6որովհետեւ մարմնից ծնուածը մարմին է, իսկ Հոգուց ծնուածը՝ հոգի։ 7Դու մի՛ զարմացիր, որ քեզ ասացի՝ պէտք է ձեզ վերստին ծնուել. 8որովհետեւ քամին ուր ուզում է՝ փչում է, եւ նրա ձայնը լսում ես, բայց չգիտես որտեղից է գալիս կամ ուր է գնում. այսպէս է եւ ամէն ոք, որ Հոգուց է ծնուած»։ 9Նիկոդեմոսը հարցրեց նրան. «Այդ ինչպէ՞ս կարող է լինել»։ 10Յիսուս պատասխանեց եւ ասաց նրան. «Դո՛ւ ես Իսրայէլի վարդապետ եւ այդ չգիտե՞ս։ 11Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ, խօսում ենք, ինչ որ գիտենք, եւ վկայում ենք, ինչ որ տեսել ենք, եւ մեր վկայութիւնը չէք ընդունում։ 12Իսկ արդ, եթէ երկրաւոր բաներ ասացի ձեզ, եւ չէք հաւատում, ապա ինչպէ՞ս պիտի հաւա¬տաք, եթէ երկնաւոր բաներ ասեմ։

(Յովհ. 2:23-3:12)

Now he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.' The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can this be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"

(John 2:23-3:12)