August 18

TOP STORY   

Prophet of Sorrow—and Hope

The Armenian Church liturgical calendar designates August 24 as the feast of St. Jeremiah: one of the major prophets of the Bible.

Jeremiah received his prophetic calling in a time of great promise: the reign of the godly king Josiah, during which a lost book of Moses (eventually known as Deuteronomy) was re-discovered, and a movement of spiritual renewal awakened among the Hebrew people.

But the pious king died in battle; his successors were weak and profligate; and Jeremiah’s generation saw its worst fears realized: the conquest of their holy city, Jerusalem, and the bitter exile of a nation from its homeland.

Jeremiah documented his painful experiences in the Old Testament book of his name, as well as in the aptly titled book of Lamentations. As a result, he became known to the ages as the “weeping prophet.”

Yet even in defeat, Jeremiah was something other than a voice of doom. To his people he spoke with the words of God; and they were words of hope, not despair—words that would be recalled by Armenian Christians in their own times of trial, and that resonate with extraordinary power in today’s troubled world. Click here to read more.

August 20, 2023

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan

Usher

Patricia Yeghissian

Parish Council Members on Duty

Vazrik Nishanian

Choir

Dr. Hratch Semerjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Zechariah 2:10-13

2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1

Luke 1:39-56

For the Soul of :

Rose Yeghissian ( 29th anniversary),

 Yervant Bahadurian (64th anniversary)

Uncle George Bahadurian (56thanniversary)

Requested by:

Patricia Yeghissian

For the Soul of :

Badrik Bostan (10th anniversary)

Requested by:

Shahnur Bostan

For the Soul of :

Araxie Prodomidis

Requested by:

Ara and Maggie Avetissian

For the Soul of :

Makruhi Semerjian

Requested by:

Louisa Baghdasarian and Bagrat Bayburtian 

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.

     Dear Lord, you parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River as your people journeyed to the Promised Land. Lift away those things that keep us from you today as we continue the journey. We ask this in your name, and with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

GRAPE DONATIONS 

Our utmost thanks to everyone who contributed to the Grape Blessing.



To see the list of donors, Click Here.

Please tune in to St. Mary YouTube channel for the upcoming services and Badaraks

Join in a Day of Prayer & Fasting for Artsakh, on August 23

In a message to Diocesan leaders this week, Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan directed the faithful to hold a day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, August 23, in solidarity with the Armenians of Artsakh.

“In the annals of Armenian history, there have been moments of profound trial, when the collective spirit and steadfast faith of our people have been tested,” wrote the Primate. “Today, we face such a moment as we bear witness to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Artsakh.”

Echoing the spirit of the Biblical Queen Esther, who called on her people to unite in fasting and prayer in order to avert a looming disaster, Fr. Mesrop wrote: “Today, we seek a similar divine intervention, believing that our unified prayers, combined with tangible acts of love and solidarity, will herald a new time of peace for our brothers and sisters in Artsakh.” Appended to the message was a prayer that can be read in group or private settings.

In his call to action on behalf of Artsakh, the Primate also urged people to make their voices heard in the halls of the U.S. government by utilizing the online resources of Armenian advocacy groups.

Click here to read Fr. Mesrop’s entire message. (Scroll down for the text in Armenian.)

Please join the Day of Prayer and Fasting next Wednesday, August 23. Click here to download the text of a prayer to offer on that day and throughout this time of crisis.

On August 23, St. Mary church will be open for personal prayers from 11 am to 3 pm. A special prayer service for Artsakh will be offered at 7 pm in the sanctuary.

Everyone is welcome to join.

Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God and Name Day of Our Church



On the glorious occasion of the feast of the Assumption, St. Mary Church held a grand celebration and a special blessing of the grape service. The event brought together the faithful and allowed them to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and to rejoice in her assumption into heaven, to partake in the blessing of the grape ceremony, and to celebrate the name day of our beloved church.

The festivities commenced with a solemn Divine Liturgy led by Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan and presided over by H. E. Abp. Vicken Aykazin. The service was filled with prayers, hymns, and readings that highlighted the significance of this holy day. The church was adorned with beautiful flowers and candles, creating a serene and reverent atmosphere.

Following the Badarak, the congregation gathered outside, for the first time in its history, for the blessing of the grape service. This ancient tradition, deeply rooted in the rituals of the Armenian church, calls for the prayer for the fruitful harvest and the abundance of blessings bestowed upon the faithful.

After the blessing, the grapes were distributed among the attendees, who joyfully shared them with one another as a sign of unity and thanksgiving. The celebration continued with a festive gathering where families and friends enjoyed a picnic organized by St. Mary Parish Council.

We would like to extend our utmost gratitude to all our parishioners for their generous contributions in memory of their loved ones. In particular, we acknowledge the Vartanian sisters for the beautifully packaged grapes as well as Mrs. Anahid Nishanian for her magnanimous gesture of also offering packaged grapes. To Deacon Mark Krikorian, thank you for the beautifully shaped candles. In addition, we are filled with gratitude for our volunteers who worked tirelessly serving in the kitchen and outside to ensure all were fed while enjoying visiting with each other. Our profound appreciation is expressed to Boris Ghazarian and his family for providing their signature Gelato and lemonade barkbarbecue.com. Last but not least, delicious Armenian coffee was made on-premises by our very own Duo-Team Beverly and Nadya Sivaslian. We are deeply touched by their continuous generosity and service.

May God continue to grace us all with His blessings and give us the ability to serve our church and community and bring glory to His name.

“The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalms 147

Prayers for Healing

Աղօթք Բժշկութեան

Join us in this ancient Armenian Church tradition:



A brief prayer service, holy Scripture, and blessing of holy water asking God to ease the pains of body, mind, and soul and bestow his peace.

The Bible Discussions on the healing miracles of our Lord will follow the services.

Prayer of Healing and Bible Discussions will be offered every Tuesday at 7: 30 pm.

ALL ARE WELCOME

 THE FIRST SERVICE WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 12th, 2023

"Matt Girardi - one of St. Mary's ACYOA Seniors chapter members - was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, making it difficult to meet with other members of the Church. So St. Mary's ACYOA brought themselves to him. Instead of meeting at the Church for their weekly Tuesday meeting, members came to Matt's apartment and held a potluck. In addition to the gift of their company, attendees brought him cooked food, which saved him time, money, and energy better used for fighting his battle with cancer. If you are willing to cook a meal for Matt please coordinate it on his CaringBridge website.   Of course, please pray for his health and good spirits will continue to improve.

SHNORHALI SCHOOL

Dear Parish Community,

The staff and teachers of Shnorhali Armenian School are delighted to welcome you to the 2023-2024 academic year. The registration is now open. We are only weeks away from the first day of school and looking forward to seeing our school once again be filled with positivity and learning and fueled by kids’ laughter and joy!

The new academic year starts on August 27th with the Celebration of Knowledge and Education. Following our tradition, the school’s staff and teachers will evaluate the students’ knowledge of the Armenian language, history, and culture on the first day of school while students spend a fun day getting to know each other. Students and parents will participate in the Patarak (Badarag) to receive a special blessing during the service. The day will conclude with a meeting with parents.

Please click on the link below for more information.

SHNORHALI SCHOOL - Save the Dates!



Sunday, August 27th - 1st day of school. Registration, and Celebration of Knowledge and Education

• 9:30 am – 12:30 pm - Meet with teachers.
• Assessments conducted for grade Levels 1st -8th.
• Senior and Junior Kindergarteners – Fun activities
• Attending Patarak (Badarag) No pizza lunch will be offered on the first day
• 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm - Parents meeting
• Sunday, September 4th – No School! Labor Day weekend
• Sunday, September 11th 9:30am – 2pm –School resumes its normal schedule.
• Sunday, September 24th - Back to School fun event after school for students and parents, Book Fair, and the School Yearbook sale

Shnorhali School Launches New Website



Dear Community,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our redesigned website. It is now live: https://www.stmaryaac.org/shnorhali-school The new site was designed to be more informative and user-friendly. It is available in Armenian and English.

Some of the new features of this site include:

• School’s History

• Picture Gallery

• Academic Calendar

• Registration

• Our team

• Teachers Portal, where teachers can access and download their lesson plans and worksheets for their classes, etc.

We are proud to announce that the website was designed and developed by Shnorhali School’s 7th grade student Ani Nishanian. Ani has been working tirelessly this summer to create an excellent website. Thank you, dear Ani, for your hard work and dedication to your School. We also extend our gratitude to St. Mary’s Web Designer Oganes Mkrtchyan for all the technical assistance with the website in this process. The site continues to be a work in progress and will be updated with more features and information in the coming months. If you have any questions or have feedback to share, please be sure to reach out!

Shnorhali School is Looking for Armenian Language Teachers



Dear Parish Community,

St. Mary’s Shnorhali Armenian School is looking for enthusiastic, self-motivated, and devoted individuals who love the Armenian language and have a passion for educating our children. Please consider this rewarding opportunity to join our team of qualified and dedicated staff. Your support and commitment will be a great contribution to preserving our language and culture, and our children's discovery of their Armenian heritage, and Christian identity. With God’s blessing, we will work together to make 2023-2024 a year of achievement on all levels.

For more information, please contact Shnorhali School’s Principal Nunik Nishanian at (703) 835-1181 or shnorhalischool@gmail.com

NEW RECYCLING PROGRAM AT ST. MARY'S



There is now a blue recycling bin in the hall at St. Mary Church. Please only deposit empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans in the container. We are looking for volunteers to sign up about once a month to take the recyclables home with them after church or during the Food Festival. It involves sorting through what's in the clear recycling bag and discarding any trash that might have been put in the bag. Then, you replace the clear bag with one from the box in the kitchen marked "Recycling Bags, Not for Trash". I have created a SignUp Genius link to sign up for a slot. Please see St Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church: St. Mary's Recycling Committee (signupgenius.com). If you have any questions, please email me at rangerrox@msn.com. Thanks for your help in keeping God's good earth cleaner!

Special Appeal covered!

A Word of Gratitude to all our parishioners and community supporters. As a result of everyone's generous contribution, we were able to cover the cost of replacing 2 Air Conditioning units in the church's cultural hall. 

Prayerfully,

Der Hovsep and St. Mary Parish Council

UPCOMING EVENTS

St. Nersess to Honor 12 Priests and Lay Alumni on Nov. 4



St. Nersess Armenian Seminary will highlight the vocations of 12 alumni priests and lay ministers, with a gala banquet on Saturday, November 4, 2023.

This will be the second in a series of tribute events featuring alumni of St. Nersess who serve the Armenian Church in various capacities. The first celebration took place in November 2021 and established the “12 Vocations” theme. The upcoming event will build on that idea, under the title: “12 Vocations: Broadening the Call.”

This year, the event will honor a seminary graduate who became a hierarch of the Armenian Church: Archbishop Avak Asadourian (priestly ordination in 1977, episcopal consecration in 1982), who recently retired after a long tenure as Primate of the Diocese of Iraq.

He will be honored along with seven clergymen and four lay ministers—listed here by ordination or graduation date: Fr. Krikor Sabounjian (ordained 1998); Fr. Sarkis Petoyan (ordained 1998); Fr. Abraham Ohanessian (ordained 1999); Fr. Mikael Devejian (ordained 2000); Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan (ordained 2004); Fr. Aren Jebejian (ordained 2004); Fr. Bedros Kadehjian (ordained 2005); Mka. Valerie Goekjian Zahirsky (graduated 1974); Yn. Sirarpi Feredjian Aivazian (graduated 1978); Nancy Basmajian (graduated 1979); and Shaké Ajamian Derderian (graduated 1989).

Invitations and further details on the November 4 banquet will be coming soon. Contact event co-chair Lynn Beylerian at lynnbeylerian@gmail.com or access the seminary website: www.stnersess.edu. 

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. 

Dear Parishioner,



St Mary’s is preparing for its FY 2023 Fall Food Festival, and we are seeking your participation. The Woman’s Guild makes excellent traditional food and dishes. The workshops are an opportunity to learn how to make traditional Armenian food and learn from our culinary experts in these classic dishes. Please click on the link below to complete the volunteer form, if you would like to participate in any of the workshops. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4DA4A82FA6F5C25-fall 



We look forward to hearing from you.

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.

DIOCESAN & OTHER NEWS

Explore the World of St. Nersess Shnorhali

In a Pontifical Encyclical issued earlier this year, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, called on the worldwide Armenian Church to honor St. Nerses Shnorhali throughout 2023, which marks the 850th anniversary of the saint’s death.

“Shnorhali’s entire life was focused on the glorification of God, and the urgent mission of leading the hearts of the people to Him,” the Catholicos wrote. “We invite our entire church to commemorate Shnorhali’s eternal memory during this 850th anniversary year.”

To help honor the legacy of St. Nersess—and deepen understanding of his contributions to Armenian and global Christian spirituality—the Eastern Diocese’s digital ministries platform, VEMKAR, will present an online discussion series, under the title: “Entering the World, Mind, and Soul of St. Nersess Shnorhali.”

On Tuesday evenings from late August through late September, experts on the history, spirituality, and artistry of St. Nersess Shnorhali will present online lectures, and entertain questions from viewers, on a variety of topics that bring this medieval Armenian saint to life for the modern world.

Click the following links to view a flyer with details, and to register in advance for the sessions that will take place over the Zoom conference platform, from August 22 through September 26.

Relatedly, see the item below under Events, to learn about the Diocese’s Sacred Music Festival scheduled for September, which is dedicated to the musical legacy of St. Nersess Shnorhali.

NATIONWIDE THEATRICAL RUN: Aurora’s Sunrise Animated Film

An extraordinary animated feature film on the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath, titled Aurora’s Sunrise, opened in theaters nationwide last week. In New York City, the award-winning film is still playing for a few days more at Village East Cinema (click here for info and showtimes)—with a possibility of an extended run if viewership supports it. See below for a link to screenings elsewhere.

The film by director Inna Sahakyan tells the story of Aurora Mardiganian, who lost everything as a 14-year-old enduring the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. Two years later, through luck and courage, she escaped to New York, where her story became a media sensation. Starring as herself in “Auction of Souls,” an early Hollywood blockbuster, Aurora became the face of one of the largest charity campaigns in American history. With a blend of vivid animation, interviews with Aurora herself, and 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic, Aurora’s Sunrise revives a forgotten story of survival.

Click the following links to view the trailer on YouTube; to read about the production in Animation Magazine; and to find theaters in your area showing the film.

FAR NEWS

FAR Plants Seeds of Survival for a Mother and Child in Artsakh

A handful of seeds and a small plot of land provided by the Fund for Armenian Relief have become a lifeline for 21-year-old single mother Elina and her baby, Luse. Based in Artsakh’s capital city of Stepanakert, Elina received supplies and support from FAR’s “Social Workers for Artsakh” team, allowing her to establish and cultivate her garden.

That was during the early days of the cruel blockade against Artsakh. But now, Elina’s land thrives with an array of vegetables, sustaining her family and her neighbors—even as the eight-month blockade causes other food supplies to dwindle.

Elina is involved in a community barter system, swapping her home-grown produce for commodities like eggs or milk. She also supports neighbors with free food as needed. She credits her survival to the land and seeds provided by FAR—and remains grateful to be able to share in a collective support network through this grueling time for her country.

August 27 First Day of Shnorhali School

August 27 Volunteer/Service Opportunities Discussion

September 17 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

September 24 Shnorhali School Back to School Night

October 1       Feast of Holy Cross of Varak

October 6-7-8 Fall Food Festival

October 29     Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

October 29 Shnorhali School Talent Show

November 21 Presentation of the Holy Mother-of-God to the Temple

December 9    Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary

December 10 Celebration Of the 91st Anniversary of the Church

December 24 Shnorhali School Christmas Celebration

At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice, she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.                     

                                                                                                       (Luke 1:39-56)

Այդ օրերին Մարիամը վեր կացաւ եւ շտապով գնաց Յուդայի լեռնային շրջանի քաղաքներից մէկը, մտաւ Զաքարիայի տունը ու Եղիսաբեթին ողջոյն տուեց։ Եւ երբ Եղիսաբեթը Մարիամի ողջոյնը լսեց, մանուկը խաղաց նրա որովայնում, եւ Եղիսաբեթը լցուեց Սուրբ Հոգով եւ բարձր ձայնով աղաղակեց ու ասաց. «Օրհնեա՜լ ես դու կանանց մէջ, եւ օրհնեա՜լ է քո որովայնի պտուղը։ Որտեղի՞ց ինձ այս ուրախութիւնը, որ իմ Տիրոջ մայրը ինձ մօտ գայ. որովհետեւ ահաւասիկ, երբ քո ողջոյնի ձայնը հասաւ իմ ականջին, մանուկը ցնծալով խաղաց իմ որովայնում։ Եւ երանի՜նրան, որ կը հաւատայ, թէ Տիրոջ կողմից իրեն ասուածները կը կատարուեն»։ Եւ Մարիամն ասաց.«Իմ անձը կը փառաւորի Տիրոջը, եւ իմ հոգին ցնծաց իմ Փրկիչ Աստուծով, որովհետեւ նա իր հայեացքը դարձրեց իր աղախնի խոնարհութեան վրայ։Եւ ահա, այսուհետեւ բոլոր սերունդները ինձ երանի կը տան, որովհետեւ ամենազօր Աստուած մեծամեծ գործեր արեց ինձ համար,եւ նրա անունը սուրբ է։ Նրա ողորմութիւնը սերնդից սերունդ իր երկիւղածների վրայ է։ Նա իր բազուկով զօրութիւն ի գործ դրեց,ցրեց ամբարտաւաններին իրենց սրտի խորհուրդներով. հզօրներին տապալեց իրենց աթոռներից եւ բարձրացրեց խոնարհներին։ Քաղցածներին լիացրեց բարիքներով եւ մեծահարուստներին ձեռնունայն արձակեց։ Նա պաշտպան կանգնեց իր ծառային՝ Իսրայէլին, յիշելով իր ողորմութիւնները, ինչպէս ասել էր մեր հայրերին՝ Աբրահամին եւ նրա սերնդին, յաւիտեան»։ Մարիամը գրեթէ երեք ամիս մնաց Եղիսաբեթի մօտ եւ դարձաւ իր տունը։                  

                                                                                                   (Ղուկաս 1:39-56)

Our gift shop is furnished with distinctive and unique items from Armenians all over the world. Some of the items are Armenian crosses, jewelry, paintings, religious tiles, tapestry icons, children's and adult books, T-shirts, hats, bags, Armenian CDs, Armenian artwork, and much more. 

The Gift Shop is open every Sunday after Church service and by appointment, call the church office at 202-363-1923 or send an e-mail to stmarychurchdc@gmail.com