February 10

Outnumbered, Defeated—But Never Forgotten

Every year on the Thursday preceding Great Lent, Armenians throughout the world commemorate the Battle of Avarayr (A.D. 451). The armed forces of Armenia confronted the Persian Empire, which aimed to convert the world's first Christian nation to Zoroastrianism.

Armenia’s soldiers fighting under the leadership of St. Vartan Mamigonian are known as the Vartanank, and their day of remembrance is Vartanantz. We’ll mark it next week, on February 16.

On the field of Avarayr, outnumbered Armenian fighters faced a mighty Persian army. St. Vartan and his companions saw a military defeat, but their unyielding commitment to defend their faith ultimately thwarted the Persians, and ensured that Christianity would endure in Armenia.

Click here to read more about the Battle of Avarayr on our website, or download the Diocese’s iBook for an interactive introduction to St. Vartan’s historic campaign.

The Feast of Sts. Vartanantz on Thursday, February 16 will be observed in parishes across the Eastern Diocese. The observance at New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral will be broadcast live on its Facebook page, with badarak in the morning, and a prayer service in the evening, followed by a dinner and program at the Diocesan Center. See below under “Events” for full details.

Three days prior to Vartanantz, the Armenian Church will remember the sacrifice of St. Ghevont (Leontius) the priest, and his companions. St. Ghevont is one of the great exemplars of the Armenian priesthood, remembered for his rare courage and resolution at the Battle of Avarayr. Click here to learn more about St. Ghevont and his companions.

In observance of Ghevontiantz Day, the clergy of the Eastern Diocese will hold regional gatherings at St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ; Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church in Providence, RI; St John the Baptist Church in Milwaukee, WI; and St. John Church in Southfield, MI.

Typically, Ghevontiantz is observed on the Tuesday preceding Vartanantz. But for 2023, in an unusual convergence, that day is occupied by the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation, which always falls on February 14. So for this year, Ghevontiantz is being celebrated on the Monday before Vartanantz, in accordance with the rubrics of the Armenian Church calendar.

Above: A fine modern illustration of Vartan leading his troops across the plain of Avarayr, from Roger Kupelian’s “East of Byzantium” saga.

Prayers and Support for Earthquake Victims

Responding to news of this week's terrible earthquake in the near east, Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan issued a special message on Monday calling for prayers from the public.

“The earthquake cut through the heart of what was once the medieval Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia,” he wrote, “affecting cities and towns that were major Armenian centers for hundreds of years, before the Genocide of our people. Memories of our ancestral cities—Adana, Dikranagert, Malatya, Aintab, Marash, and so many others—echo through the news reports and maps of the disaster zone.

“Several Armenian churches are reported to have been damaged, including severe damage to the Armenian Church of the Forty Martyrs in Iskenderun. The city of Aleppo in Syria was especially hard hit, and I understand that the Armenians of that city are enduring great suffering. May God keep them in His merciful hand.” Read his entire message here.

Fr. Mesrop went on to inform the faithful that His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, had sent a message of condolence to Syria’s president and people and that the Primate himself had reached out to His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak II Mashalian, the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, and to Bishop Armash Nalbandian, the Primate of Damascus, expressing prayerful concern and the willingness of the Eastern Diocese to help our fellow Armenian Christians affected by this calamity.

Accordingly, Diocesan parishes will be holding special collections on the next two Sundays, February 12 and 19, in order to send aid to help ameliorate the suffering. All proceeds will be distributed equally to the Armenian Patriarchate under Patriarch Sahak, and the Armenian Diocese of Damascus under Bishop Armash, so they can utilize the aid directly where our people need it.

Click the following link to make individual donations on the Diocese’s secure online server; please select “Earthquake Special Collection” from the dropdown menu.

In the meantime, please continue to offer prayers for the suffering, especially for our brothers and sisters in the disaster region, alongside the prayers we continue to offer for our people in Armenia and Artsakh.

Above (clockwise from left): Patriarch Sahak II leads an earthquake emergency relief meeting in prayer; the heartbreaking destruction in the earthquake epicenter; the remains of a Catholic monastery, typical of many churches destroyed, including Armenian sanctuaries in Iskenderun and Aleppo.

Upcoming Parish Assembly - February 19, 2023

St. Mary Annual Parish Assembly will take place on February 19th in the Cultural Hall, after Badarak. 

Badarak: 10 am - 11:30 am

Meeting: 12 noon

Light luncheon will be served Prior to Parish Assembly.

February 12, 2023

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan 

Usher

Rouzanna Oganissian

Parish Council Members on Duty

 Sean McClure

Choir

Mrs. Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Isaiah 63:18-64.12

Titus 1:1-11

John 7:37-52

For the Souls of:

Maryam Derderian (8th anniversary),

Harutyun Derderian (1st anniversary), Yercanik Delikahya( 1st anniversary)

Requested by:

Derian & Erdogan Families and Melkon Delikahya

For the Souls of:

The Earthquake Victims in the Near East

Requested by:

Der Hayr and Parish Council

The hospitality table is hosted by:

Derian and Erdogan Families

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.

     My soul is always in your hands and I place my hope in your Holy Cross, O Heavenly King. May the multitude of your saints intercede on my behalf. You who are patient with everyone, do not neglect me who trusts in you, but keep me in peace with your precious and Holy Cross. Amen.

 Thank You For Supporting the ACYOA Jr Bake Sale!



The ACYOA Juniors teen youth group held a bake sale to raise money for Artsakh relief. The teens raised $781 on the day of the event and a generous parishioner pledged to donate another $1000 under the banner of the bake sale, bringing the total to $1781! These funds will go towards the cost of the goods in the containers being sent by the International Red Cross  https://armenianchurch.us/2023/01/12/help-send-humanitarian-supplies-to-artsakh/

Thanks to everyone who participated in this event and to all the parishioners who donated funds at the bake sale.

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

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Shining a Spotlight on Artsakh at Religious Freedom Summit

Last week, the Eastern and Western Dioceses participated in the 2023 International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit, in Washington, DC. The gathering brought together religious leaders, scholars, journalists, government officials, and others who promote religious freedom across the world.

Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director Archbishop Vicken Aykazian (of the Eastern Diocese) and Artsakh Heritage Committee Chair Simon Maghakyan (Western Diocese), who also serves on the board of Save Armenian Monuments, led a series of discussions on the denial of religious freedom and other human rights violations in post-war Artsakh, particularly in light of Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of Artsakh’s corridor with Armenia. They were joined by other Armenian community leaders.

Concurrent with the summit, Archbishop Aykazian and Prof. Maghakyan also moderated a high-level private discussion among various stakeholder organizations, on supporting religious freedoms and other human rights in Artsakh.

“The IRF Summit and the stakeholder discussion demonstrated, yet again, that coalition-building is important for defending Armenian rights,” said Archbishop Aykazian. “We are grateful to the many partners that discussed with us the present and future of religious freedom protections concerning all threatened communities, including the Armenian community, and for expressing solidarity with Artsakh amid the ongoing blockade. We look forward to tangible actions on this front.”

Click the following links to read more and view photos.

CASP Helps a Single Mother Make Ends Meet

“It’s hard to be a single mom and the only feeding hand for a family of five,” says Lilit Shahbazyan. “There are so many difficulties, but I do my best.”

Last year, Lilit’s twin daughters, Ruzanna and Suzanna, 16, were accepted into the Fund for Armenian Relief’s“Children of Armenian Sponsorship Program” (CASP), which supports orphans and children of single mothers with cash assistance until the children turn 18.

The additional money is an immense help to Lilit, who works as a nurse at a Gyumri orphanage and whose 17-year-old son Miakyel, has disabilities.

The financial stipends from CASP help Lilit purchase food, clothing, school supplies, and firewood, and even enable her to afford some extracurricular activities for her twins, who are learning piano and pottery. Read more on FAR’s blog.

February 11 Ararat Avak Society St. Sarkis Luncheon

February 12 Shnorhali School Boon Barekendan event

February 14 Presentation of the Lord to the Temple

February 19 Great Barekendan

February 19 Annual Parish Assembly

February 22 Lenten Service, discussion & dinner @7pm

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

April 2 Palm Sunday, 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

37 Մեծ տօնի վերջին օրը Յիսուս կանգնած էր եւ աղաղակում էր՝ ասելով. «Եթէ մէկը ծարաւ է, թող ինձ մօտ գայ եւ խմի: 38 Ով ինձ հաւատում է, ինչպէս Գիրքն է ասում, նրա ներսից կենդանի ջրերի գետեր պիտի բխեն»: 39 Նա այս ասում էր Հոգու մասին, որին ընդունելու էին իրեն հաւատացողները. քանի որ Հոգին դեռեւս չկար, որովհետեւ Յիսուս դեռ փառաւորուած չէր: 40 Ժողովրդից ոմանք, երբ լսում էին այս խօսքերը, ասում էին. «Սա է ճշմարիտ մարգարէն». 41 ուրիշներն ասում էին. «Սա է Քրիստոսը». իսկ դեռ ուրիշներ ասում էին. «Մի՞թէ Քրիստոս Գալիլիայից է գալու. 42 չէ՞ որ Գիրքն ասում է, թէ Քրիստոս գալու է Դաւթի սերնդից եւ Բեթղեհէմ գիւղից, որտեղից Դաւիթն էր»: 43 Եւ ժողովրդի մէջ նրա պատճառով պառակտում եղաւ: 44 Եւ նրանցից ոմանք ուզեցին բռնել նրան, բայց ոչ ոք նրա վրայ ձեռք չդրեց: 45 Իսկ սպասաւորները վերադարձան քահանայապետների եւ փարիսեցիների մօտ. եւ սրանք նրանց ասացին. «Ինչո՞ւ նրան այստեղ չբերեցիք»: 46 Սպասաւորները պատասխանեցին ու ասացին. «Ոչ մի մարդ երբեք այնպէս չի խօսել, ինչպէս այն մարդը»: 47 Փարիսեցիներն ասացին. «Մի՞թէ դուք էլ էք մոլորուել: 48 Մի՞թէ իշխանաւորներից կամ փարիսեցիներից որեւէ մէկը հաւատաց նրան, 49 բացի այն խաժամուժ ամբոխից, որ օրէնք չգիտէ եւ նզովեալ է»: 50 Նիկոդեմոսը, որ նախապէս գիշերով եկել էր նրա մօտ եւ նրանցից մէկն էր, նրանց ասաց. 51 «Մի՞թէ մեր օրէնքը դատապարտում է մարդուն, եթէ նախ նրանից լսած եւ կամ իմացած չլինի, թէ ինչ է գործել նա»: 52 Նրան պատասխանեցին ու ասացին. «Մի՞թէ դու էլ Գալիլիայից ես. քննի՛ր ու տե՛ս, որ Գալիլիայից մարգարէ դուրս չի գալիս»: Հովհաննես 7:37-52

37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38 and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit because Jesus was not yet glorified.40 When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, “This is really the prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.”But some asked, “Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? 42 Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.45 Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” 46 The police answered, “Never has anyone spoken like this!” 47 Then the Pharisees replied, “Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, 51 “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” 52 They replied, “Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.” John 7:37-52