April 12

TOP STORY   

Sunday Of the World Church (Green Sunday)

The second Sunday following the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Sunday of the World Church. It commemorates the first Church of Jerusalem, established by Christ. On the first day of the Jewish festival of Passover, Jesus instructs two of the Apostles, Peter, and John, to go into Jerusalem and meet a man, who would direct them to a house where Christ and His Apostles could celebrate the Passover Feast. Peter and John are led to the "Upper Room" of a house, where they make the necessary preparations for the meal.

Later that evening, Christ and the Twelve Apostles sit together to eat supper. Christ speaks to them and says, "I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." (Lk 22:15-20)

This "Last Supper" was the event where Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Communion, which we celebrate every Sunday during the Divine Liturgy in Armenian Churches throughout the world. The Upper Room in Jerusalem is considered to be the first Church, as founded by Christ.

The Sunday of the World Church is also called "Green" Sunday, which according to Archbishop Malachia Ormanian, is the popular name of the feast and is linked with the awakening of nature in the springtime.

Experience the Soul of Armenia: Vahan Artsruni & Nelly Manukyan 

Satutday, April 13th, 2024 at 7:00 PM

Pre-concert reception - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

St. Mary Armenian Church

4125 Fessenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20016

EVENT DETAILS

Poetry and music have been intertwined since time immemorial. In the millennia-old Armenian history, the origin of this rich cultural legacy dates to the fifth century CE and beyond. 



On Saturday, April 13th at 7 p.m., St. Mary Armenian Chruch will host Vahan Artsruni (guitar) and Nelly Manukyan (flute). The event is dedicated to the 155th anniversary of Komitas Vardapet, the great Armenian musicologist, composer, arranger, and choirmaster.

Born in Yerevan, Vahan Artsruni is a renowned Armenian singer and composer known for his innovative approach to music. He is a multifaceted artist known for his contributions to Armenian and Assyrian spiritual music, theater, and cinema (enjoy Vahan's performance here). 

Artsruni explores a wide range of musical styles, from chamber and alt-rock to electronic, symphonic, choir, film, and theater compositions. His notable work includes the Komitas: Ten Revelations song cycle based on Komitas’ poetry, arrangements of sacred Assyrian Church of the East music, and reinterpretations of Armenian monophonic hymns by St. Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist, composer, theologian, statesman and hymnologist, best known for inventing the Armenian alphabet (c. 404-406 CE).

Nelly Manukyan, born in Armenia to a musical family, is a flute player, improviser, and pianist. The range of her improvisational skill has no boundaries, including all known styles of jazz, rock music, and ethno-jazz projects (click here to listen to Nelly's performance).

April 14, 2024

SUNDAY

SCHEDULE

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan 

Usher

Anna Seferian

Parish Council Members on Duty

Svetlana Hovhannisyan

Choir

Mrs. Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings:

Acts 9: 23-31

1 Pt 2:1-10

John 2.23-3.12

HOKEHANKIST

REQUIEM SERVICE

For the Soul of:

Angela Bardizbanian

Requested by:

Son & Daughter-in-law & Grandchildren

Raffie, Maureen, Arthur & Raffie Jr. Bardizbanian



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

I glorify you, God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and give thanks to him who has kept me in peace this night, to him who has led me from darkness to light, from death to life, from ignorance to the knowledge of his truth.

   Lord, please keep watch over your faithful people, strengthen those fleeing persecution, and protect the holy soil of Armenia—now and always. Foil every aggressor against our homeland. Defend the innocent and voiceless, Lord.

   Preserve the name and spirit of Artsakh in our hearts, forever. 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. Amen.

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

WATCH: A Fatherly Letter from Khrimian Hayrig—125 Years Later

“I know the woes you feel in that distant country, so far from the heart of our homeland Armenia; living in a strange land, where the language, the natural surroundings, and the people are foreign. For some mysterious reason, God has willed that our people should live in exile, as settlers in foreign lands. Yet that same God has never forgotten the Armenian people, or Armenia.”

With those words, Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian—Khrimian Hayrig—opened a new chapter for the ancient Armenian Church, by creating its Diocese of America. He wrote them in a letter to our faithful ancestors, in the summer of 1898. Our Diocese was only in its infancy then, but his words still have power to lift the spirit and move the heart—even after 125 years.

As part of its 125th Anniversary celebration, the Diocese released a new video that brings to life the prophetic voice of the man who planted the Armenian Church in the soil of the New World. In keeping with the tender simplicity of Catholicos Khrimian’s words, the video is titled, “Letter from Home.”

Khrimian Hayrig wrote as a father addressing his children, offering encouragement and consolation to people far from their homeland, embarking on a new life in America. In the video, his fatherly advice combines with rare historical film footage of life in our Diocese and its parishes over the past century and a quarter.

The video concludes with a message from our Primate, Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan. Debuting at the 125th Anniversary Gala Banquet, on April 6, at the New York Botanical Garden, the video was produced by Christopher Zakian, Artur Petrosyan, and Karine Abalyan.

Day of Remembrance: Honoring the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide

St. Mary Armenian Church invites the community to a solemn commemoration of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide on April 21st. The day will begin with a special Badarak (Divine Liturgy) dedicated to the Holy Martyrs who sacrificed their lives for faith and homeland during the Armenian Genocide. This will be followed by the Service of the Intersesary Prayer at the Khatchkar in St. Mary's courtyard, offering prayers for peace and remembrance.

The commemoration will continue with a program presented by the students of the Shnorhali School. The program is dedicated to the memory of the Holy Martyrs and aims to educate and inspire through speeches, poetry, and music that reflect the enduring spirit of the Armenian people. This event is a profound opportunity for reflection and to honor the legacy of those who endured unimaginable hardships.

All are welcome to join in remembering and paying tribute to the martyrs, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten.

Join Us for the St. Mary Annual Spring Food Festival!

Get ready to feast and have fun at the St. Mary Annual Spring Food Festival, happening this May 16th, 17th, and 18th! This vibrant event is a highlight of our community calendar, bringing together the best of food, fellowship, and fun.

Our dedicated Parish Council, Women's Guild, and numerous volunteers are already hard at work preparing an array of delicious dishes that promise to delight your taste buds. But to make this festival a true success, we need your participation too!

There are many ways to get involved, from making a donation to help cover our festival costs to rolling up your sleeves and joining one of our food preparation workshops. Every bit of help counts and adds to the magic of our gathering.

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to enjoy great food, connect with your community, and support St. Mary in our biggest event of the year.

To donate or sign up to contribute, please visit the links provided below. Your generosity and spirit are what make this festival possible.

Spring is here and Ayo! has just launched its new project "Put Down Roots." In partnership with the Yerevan Botanical Gardens, the project aims to create an educational-therapeutic horticulture space to provide opportunities for forcibly displaced children (and others) to get their hands dirty, destress and learn about the environment! Once built, this special section of the botanical gardens will be available for children and youth for years to come. You can directly support the initiative here: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/ayoisyou/. More good news: the ACYOA Central Council has generously agreed to donate half of the proceeds of their upcoming Bishop's 5k toward the project "Put Down Roots." Register to run/walk either in-person or virtually (as in, participate from wherever you are located) in the 5k here: https://www.acyoa.org/bishops5k

St. Mary Annual Armenian Spring Food Festival

Dear Parishioners,



St. Mary is preparing for its 2024 Spring Food Festival, and we are seeking your participation. 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. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

DIOCESAN & OTHER NEWS

An Elegant Capstone to a Celebration of 125 Years

In a glittering evening of celebration, the Eastern Diocese marked the 125th Anniversary of the Armenian Church’s Diocese of America in memorable fashion, at the New York Botanical Garden.

The gala banquet on Saturday, April 6, was the capstone to a yearlong celebration of the 125th Anniversary milestone, which included a rich variety of liturgical, cultural, and charitable events.

Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan presided over the sold-out gala, which brought together guests from around the Diocese, in a festive atmosphere that combined respect for the honored past with hopeful optimism for the future.

Kristina Ayanian and Aram Sethian were the elegant young Masters of Ceremonies for a program that included contributions from Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Council chair Richard Papalian, and the co-chairs who conceived and led the yearlong 125th Anniversary celebration, Bryan and Maria Stepanian.

Andre, the popular singer from Armenia, thrilled the crowd with his remarkable vocal renditions of uplifting songs.

Keynote speaker Peter Balakian—poet, author, and world-renowned advocate for the Armenian cause—offered a personal perspective on the enduring powers of creative and spiritual energy that have allowed Armenians to overcome struggles, connect with each other, and build throughout their history.

A video presentation, titled “Letter from Home,” brought the words and blessings of the Catholicos who first established the Diocese of America in 1898—Khrimian Hayrig—back to life for the modern descendants of the founding generation of faithful. (See the item below under Diocesan News for a link to watch.)

Bishop Mesrop concluded the gala with his remarks and blessing, expressing thanks to all the program participants, and reflecting on the meaning the Diocese has held in his own ministry.

“From my earliest days,” he said, “as I have strived to answer God’s call, I have envisioned a church that honors the past, but also embraces the future with courage and hope. Here in America, I have seen the embodiment of that dream for our church. And I am blessed to be a part of it, among all of you.”

The Gala Banquet at the New York Botanical Garden was the culminating event of the 125th celebratory year. Banquet co-chairs Karen Nargizian and Nancy Zoraian led a talented organizing committee.

Click the following links to:

• READ an extensive article on the 125th Anniversary Gala.
• VIEW a gallery of nearly 200 photos by photographer Diran Jebejian.

A Social Worker Among Refugees from Artsakh

As a social worker active among Artsakh refugees, 35-year-old Zarine Petrosyan provides vital support to displaced families. Zarine currently serves 150 families—90 of them displaced from Artsakh—in Armenia’s Ararat province.

Interestingly, Zarineh is herself one of those displaced Artsakhtsis. Directly after the 2020 war, Zarine took part in the Fund for Armenian Relief’s “Social Workers for Artsakh” project—after which she found work at the psychosocial center in Martuni, Artsakh, supporting her local countrymen. But the renewed Azeri attacks in September 2023 drove her and her family from their home, along with countless other Artsakh Armenians.

Now, based in Masis (where many displaced families have resettled), Zarine is working once again as a social worker. Every day, she builds hope and resilience, giving counseling on how to access learning opportunities, new skills, and training.

“FAR’s social workers training program, which we underwent in Artsakh and Armenia, helped me overcome the crisis of war and displacement,” Zarine shares. “Otherwise, I would have lost my identity as a human being, and would never have been able to help my family.”

Click here to learn more about how the Fund for Armenian Relief is supporting Armenians from Artsakh. There, you can also learn how you can help to make a difference in their lives.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RECYCLING PROGRAM NEWS

Thanks to our Recycling Committee for their work in sorting and bringing home the recyclables every Sunday, especially during our recent Food Festival. What has been discouraging, though, is that people continue to throw half-full coffee cups and food into the container, which makes it very messy for us. Please put only the following in the container:

Empty plastic bottles

Empty aluminum cans

Empty glass bottles

Nothing else!!

No paper, no plastic silverware, no coffee cups, no paper plates, no food. We are trying to keep things simple.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email Roxanne Paul at rangerrox@msn.com. Thank you for being so supportive in helping keep our planet cleaner!

UPCOMING EVENTS

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 92nd Anniversary of the St. Mary Community and Church. "Embrace the Future" Endowment Fund was established on the occasion of the 90th anniversary and continues 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. 

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.

April 13 Vahan Artsruni Duo Concert (see flyer for details)

April 19 ACYOA Juniors Annual Lock-in Retreat

April 21 Martyrs' Day Commemoration - Shnorhali School Program

April 24 Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide

May 1, 8 Backgammon Tournament (see flyer for details)

May 9 Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

May 17, 18,19 Spring Food Festival

June 8 Dinner Dance with Bartev (see flyer for details)

ST. MARY ARMENIAN CHURCH WED EDUCATIONAL

FUND SCHOLARSHIP

Application for the WED Educational Fund Scholarship is now available at St. Mary's website www.stmaryaac.org. The application deadline for the 2024-2025 academic year is

May 31, 2024.

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

23Եւ երբ Յիսուս զատկի տօնին Երուսաղէմում էր գտնւում, շատեր հա¬ւատացին նրան, քանի որ տեսնում էին այն նշանները, որ կատա¬րում էր։ 24Բայց Յիսուս անձամբ վստահութիւն չունէր նրանց նկատ¬մամբ, որովհետեւ ինքն ամենքին ճանաչում էր 25եւ կարիք չկար, որ ո¬րեւէ 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 վար¬դապետ, որովհետեւ ոչ ոք չի կարող կատարել այն նշանները, որ դու ես անում, եթէ Աստուած նրա հետ չլինի»։ 3Յիսուս պատասխա¬նեց եւ ասաց նրան. «Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ, եթէ մէկը վե¬րըստին չծնուի, չի կարող Աստծու արքայութիւնը տեսնել»։ 4Նիկոդե¬մո¬սը 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, ե¬թէ մէկը ջրից ու Հոգուց չծնուի, չի կարող Աստծու արքայութիւնը մտնել. 6որովհետեւ մարմնից ծնուածը մարմին է, իսկ Հոգուց ծնուա¬ծը՝ 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 ա¬մէն ոք, որ Հոգուց է ծնուած»։ 9Նիկոդեմոսը հարցրեց նրան. «Այդ ինչ¬պէ՞ս կարող է լինել»։ 10Յիսուս պատասխանեց եւ ասաց նրան. «Դո՛ւ ես Իսրայէլի վարդապետ եւ այդ չգիտե՞ս։ 11Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ա-սում քեզ, խօսում ենք, ինչ որ գիտենք, եւ վկայում ենք, ինչ որ տեսել ենք, եւ մեր վկայութիւնը չէք ընդունում։ 12Իսկ արդ, եթէ երկրաւոր բա¬¬ներ 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)

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