October 25

TOP STORY   

Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

On Sunday, October 27, the Armenian Church will observe the Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross. The feast day marks the 4th-century “discovery” of the actual cross of the Crucifixion by Queen Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine.

At the advanced age of 80, this pious Christian woman made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to identify places where Christ had walked some 300 years earlier. There, after years of prayer and good works, Helena was witness to a miracle: at the foot of Golgotha—the hill where Christ was crucified—workers under her sponsorship unearthed three wooden crosses.

But which one was the true Cross of Christ? St. Helena came up with an ingenious way to reveal the answer.

Click here to find out what it was—and to learn more about the saintly woman behind the Discovery of the Holy Cross. 

October 27, 2024



SUNDAY

SCHEDULE

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan

Usher

Garbis Chubukian

Parish Council Members on Duty

Ohannes Sivaslian

Choir

Mrs. Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Wisdom 14.1-8

Isaiah 33:22-34:1

1 Corinthians 1:18-24

Matthew 24:27-36

HOKEHANKIST

REQUIEM SERVICE

For the Soul of:

Alfred Khachatryan

Requested by:

Armine Khachatryan

For the Soul of:

Norik Vartanian

Requested by:

Madlen, Yvette and Evelyn Vartanian, Voskan and Anik Galushian, and Family

For the Soul of:

Bercuhi Uslan (40 Days)

Requested by:

Zepur Uslan and Aras Uslanian

Hospitality Table is Hosted by:

The Uslanian, Khachatryan and Galushian Families

Prayer of the Week

By the holy cross let us beseech the Lord, that through it He may deliver us from our sins and save us by the grace of His mercy. Almighty Lord, our God, save us and have mercy on us.

Lord, please keep watch over your faithful people and the holy soil of Artsakh and 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

Presentation on Technological Education Foundation

On October 20, our church had the pleasure of hosting a presentation on the Technological Education Foundation (TEF) Armenia. The presentation focused on the Armenian Code Academy and TEF's inspiring mission to promote sustainable development across Armenia by making high-quality technological education accessible to all. TEF is dedicated to empowering a diverse community of learners by offering excellent educational programs in emerging technologies and digital skills, designed for people of all ages and backgrounds. Their goal is to equip individuals with the skills needed for meaningful careers in the tech industry and to become informed citizens capable of addressing complex challenges.

A key part of their work is the Scholarship Fund, launched in 2022 with the #Tech4All initiative, followed by the #Tech4Artsakh program. Through these efforts, TEF has provided free, high-quality tech education to over 200 individuals from various regions, 500+ beneficiaries from Artsakh, as well as more than 100 war veterans and people with disabilities. Their impact has been significant, helping many to build better futures through technology. To learn more about their work or to support their initiatives, visit tef.am.

A Journey of the Spirit: From Our Mother See to Your Home Parish

In an inspirational new video, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan walks us through the journey of the Holy Muron: from the steps of Holy Etchmiadzin to the streets of New York City—all the way to your local parish.

In late September, His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, led the magnificent “Blessing of Muron” service, sanctifying the holy oil used in the sacraments of every Armenian Church across the globe.

One week later, in a special service at New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral, Bishop Mesrop distributed the newly blessed Holy Muron to the clergy of the Eastern Diocese. By their hands, the Muron has now found a home in every parish. When it anoints us during the sacraments, it is the outward sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.

As Bishop Mesrop says of the Muron blessing: “It is always an event that brings out the best in the Armenian people: raising our eyes to the mystery of the Holy Spirit, and opening our hearts to the love of God.”

Watch “The Holy Muron: A Journey of the Spirit” by clicking here.

Armenian Church to be Focus of 2026 “Week of Christian Prayer”

A delegation of church leaders from the World Council of Churches and the Vatican journeyed to Holy Etchmiadzin on October 12-18, to meet with His Holiness Karekin II about plans for the annual “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity“ in the year 2026.

Plans call for the “Week of Prayer” scheduled for January 18-25, 2026, to be dedicated to the Armenian Church. Christians across the world will pray for Christian unity and solidarity, as well as for Armenia and the beleaguered and displaced Armenians of Artsakh.

“Our meeting in Armenia was a unique experience of pilgrimage together with our member churches,” said WCC official Rev. Mikie Roberts. “Besides visiting historical Armenian sanctuaries and learning about the history and culture of the Armenian people, we had the opportunity to hear from Artsakh Armenians, who have lost so much, but are not losing their hope.”

The Catholicos of All Armenians blessed the members of the delegation, and emphasized how critical it is for fellow Christian communities to pray for the Armenian Church in these difficult days for its faithful people.

Among the Armenian clergy taking part in the meeting at Holy Etchmiadzin were the Mother See’s director of Inter-Church Relations Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan, and Bishop Daniel Findikyan.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese, and also a high-ranking official of the WCC, was instrumental in arranging the delegation’s trip and the special focus of the 2026 Week of Prayer.

Every year, churches and Christian communities worldwide join the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,” and use the resources prepared to pray together for fellow Christians throughout the year.

Click the following links to read about the meeting at Holy Etchmiadzin, and view photos.

Pray to Release the Captives on Nov. 10

On Sunday, November 10, please join Armenian faithful around the world in a special prayer service for the Artsakh Armenians who are still being held captive in Azerbaijan—one year after the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and four years after the surprise attack and subsequent war against our people there.

At the request of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Armenian churches worldwide—from the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin to every local parish—will conduct prayer services for the liberation of the Armenian captives.

This week, the Eastern Diocese sent pastors information and instructions pertaining to the prayer service to help bring light to the urgent issue of defending the rights of Artsakh Armenians. At St. Mary, this special prayer will take place on November 10, immediately after the Badarak, at 12:30 pm. Click Here to see the flyer.

Please join our worldwide faith community in prayer on Sunday, November 10. And continue to offer personal prayers for our countrymen being held in captivity, and for all our beleaguered people of Artsakh and Armenia.

FAR NEWS

FAR Provides Training for a Nurse from Artsakh

​Lina Chilingaryan (age 42) had enjoyed a rewarding healthcare career in Artsakh’s capital city of Stepanakert. She had been working as Head Nurse at the city’s Center for Maternal and Infant Health—until the dark days of September 2023, when Lina and her family were forcibly displaced from their homeland.

After relocating to Yerevan, however, Lina struggled to find work to support her family of three. Despite her experience, her lack of required professional credits made job hunting in her field difficult.

At last, in April 2024, she secured a position at a Medicine and Beauty Center that was contingent on obtaining those credits. In stepped the Fund for Armenian Relief, whose free “Continuing Professional Development” program for nurses allowed Lina to pursue this opportunity. Lina excitedly enrolled in the FAR program, and completed its two-week head nursing course, earning 48 crucial credits.

“Without FAR’s support, I would have struggled to afford the training,” she reflected. The program not only allowed her to continue working, but also enhanced Lina’s skills in areas like disinfection and antibiotic dosages. Now equipped with updated qualifications, Lina is ready to advance her career and embrace new opportunities as a head nurse.

Read more about Lina’s story on FAR’s blog.

Join the St Mary Teen Youth Group

The ACYOA Juniors, for teens from 13 to 18 years of age (12-year-olds to participate in local events), provides a vehicle through which young people may express themselves and demonstrate their abilities, skills, interests, concerns, and faith; developing programs through which the young people may participate, receive information, experience meaningful relationships, feel a sense of belonging, and gain exposure to the Armenian Christian faith and cultural heritage. 

Typically the group holds a monthly membership meeting (after church with pizza in the office) to plan events, socialize, and hear a brief speaker. Then the teens participate in a service project, party, or activity (bowling, skating, volleyball) once a month. The teens also travel to Eastern Diocese sports weekend events once or twice a year.  

If you have a teen who might be interested please email rebeccaBagdasarian@yahoo.com with your na

Register Now for the ACYOA Seniors National Fall Retreat

Online registration is now open for the ACYOA Seniors National Fall Retreat—scheduled to take place over the weekend of November 8-10, at Camp Washington in Lakeside, CT.

All young adults, 18 years and older, are encouraged to participate in this weekend-long program hosted by the ACYOA Central Council. Click the following links to download a Fact Sheet with background on the retreat (including arrival and departure information), and to view a flyer.

To field remaining questions, feel free to contact Jennifer Morris at jenniferm@armeniandiocese.org, or the ACYOA Central Council at acyoacc@gmail.com.

Click here to register online now. A confirmation e-mail containing further details will be sent to all registrants. The registration deadline is Friday, October 25.

Graduate Students: Apply for the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship

Beginning in 2022, the Eastern Diocese became one of a few Armenian institutions authorized to nominate one candidate per year for the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Graduate Fellowship.

Through a generous bequest at her death, Mrs. Liebmann—daughter of the great early 20th-century Armenian writer and statesman Krikor Zohrab—created a perpetual charitable trust for the purpose of funding advanced education and graduate study grants in the United States of America.

Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Graduate Fellowships are to be awarded only to candidates who have outstanding undergraduate records, have demonstrated a need for financial assistance, are citizens of the United States of America, are enrolled in accredited colleges and universities in the United States, and have received baccalaureate degrees. The trustees welcome applications from students of all national origins who are U.S. citizens.

Qualified applicants should send materials to Dr. Jesse Arlen, director of the Eastern Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center. Click the link (and scroll down) for information and to download application forms.

The application deadline is December 15, 2024. Applicants will be notified of decisions in June 2025. Please direct any and all inquiries to Dr. Arlen at zohrabcenter@armeniandiocese.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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.

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.

October 27 Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

October 27 "Parallel Faiths and Fates: Armenians and Syriacs in their Ancestral Lands, Past and Present" Lecture by Julia Hintlian

November 10 Prayer for the release of the Artsakh captives

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

December 7 and 8 St. Mary Church Anniversary

Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Der Hovsep's Ordination

December 9    Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary

27Որովհետեւ ինչպէս փայլակը, որ ելնում է արեւելքից եւ երեւում է մինչեւ արեւմուտք, մարդու Որդու գալուստը այնպէս կը լինի։ 28Ուր որ դիակն է, այնտե՛ղ կը հաւաքուեն արծիւները»։29«Այդ օրերի նեղութիւնից անմիջապէս յետոյ, արեգակը պիտի խաւարի, եւ լուսինը իր լոյսը չպիտի տայ, եւ աստղերը երկնքից պիտի ընկնեն,ու երկնքի զօրութիւններ պիտի շարժուեն։ 30Եւ ապա երկնքի վրայ մարդու Որդու նշանը պիտի երեւայ, ու այդ ժամանակ երկրի բոլոր ազգերը լացուկոծ պիտի անեն եւ պիտի տեսնեն մարդու Որդուն, որ գա¬լիս է երկնքի ամպերի վրայով՝ զօրութեամբ եւ բազում փառքով։ 31Եւ նա պիտի ուղարկի իր հրեշտակներին մեծ շեփորով, ու պիտի հաւաքեն նրա ընտրեալներին չորս կողմերից՝ երկընքի ծագերից մինչեւ միւս ծագերը»։32«Թզենո՛ւց սովորեցէք առակը. որովհետեւ, երբ նրա ոստերը կակղեն, եւ տերեւը ցըցուի, կ՚իմանաք, որ ամառը մօտ է։ 33Նոյնպէս եւ դուք՝ երբ այս բոլորը տեսնէք, իմացէ՛ք, թէ մօտ է Նա, դռների առաջ։ 34Ճշմա¬րիտ եմ ասում ձեզ, որ այս սերունդը չպիտի անցնի, մինչեւ որ այս ամէնը կատարուի։ 35Երկինք եւ երկիր պիտի անցնեն, բայց իմ խօսքերը չպիտի անցնեն»։36«Բայց այդ օրուայ եւ ժամուայ մասին ոչ ոք չգիտէ. ո՛չ երկնքի հրեշտակները եւ ո՛չ էլ Որդին, այլ՝ միայն Հայրը։ 

(Մատթէոս 24:27-36)

27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29 "Immediately after the distress of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 30 "Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 

(Matthew 24:27-36)

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