July 14

TOP STORY   

FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

On Sunday, July 16, the Armenian Church observes one of its five major feasts: the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The observance recalls Christ's ascent up Mount Tabor, accompanied by his disciples John, James, and Peter. At the mountain's summit, to the disciples' frightened amazement, Christ was transfigured in a blinding white light; the Old Testament figures Moses and Elijah emerged from the mists of time to confer with the Lord; and the voice of God boomed from out of the heavens to affirm Jesus as his Son.

Jesus urged the disciples not to speak of it. But the gospels recorded it for posterity, and the Armenian Church celebrates it every year.

In a uniquely Armenian part of the celebration, churchgoers sprinkle each other with water on the feast day-which Armenians call "Vartavar." What does water have to do with Christ's Transfiguration? For an answer, watch the latest Bread & Salt video. Click on the link to view "Make a Splash"

To learn more about this feast day, download the Diocese's Transfiguration iBook. It is packed with interactive features, including video, music, photo galleries, and more. A book version is also available for non-iPad users; click on the following links to view it in your browser or download a PDF.

July 16, 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. Ohannes Sivaslian

Choir

Mrs.Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 



Zechariah 14:16-21, 

1 John 1:1-7, 

Matthew 16:13-17:13 

 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 the holy soil of Artsakh and Armenia, now and always. Foil every aggressor against our homeland.

  Defend the innocent and voiceless, Lord. Deliver the world from every conflict, and bestow your peace on all mankind.

    In faith I confess and bow down to you, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, uncreated and immortal nature, creator of angels, of men, and of all things. Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me, a great sinner. Amen

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Morning Service 10:00 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM

Following the Church Service

Please join us for the

Picnic Style Celebration with Mediterranean Menu, Games & More.

Place your order by August 1st.

Special Appeal - Emergency Funding

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Recently, during our Spring Food Festival, some of you might have experienced the unusual rise in temperature at St. Mary's Cultural Hall. That was due to the breakdown in 2 of our Air Conditioning units.

The malfunction of our Air Conditioning Units came at a terrible time with summer heat around the corner. Moreover, the $15,000 was unbudgeted for this fiscal year.

We are reaching out to our faithful and loyal supporters to kindly consider helping us raise the much-needed funds. Regardless of the amount, we are grateful for each and everyone's thoughtfulness and participation.

May God bless you all abundantly.

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. 

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!

Armenia by Armen Sayar

Shushi, Artsakh

Dear Parishioners and Friends!

We want to introduce you to the Armenian Artists Project!

The Armenian Artists Project (AAP) is a non-profit organization founded in San Diego, CA, USA in 2018. The AAP operates an online art gallery to support Armenian artists living and working in the Motherland by providing a platform to exhibit, promote and sell wonderful pieces of Armenian art to a wide international market.

Featuring vivid colors, inspired by Armenian motives, original art pieces will make your space look magnificent. 

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. 

An Update on Paul Murad's Burial Service 

Dear Parishioners, Please join us for a memorial service for Paul Armand Murad on July 18, 2023, at 3:00 pm at Arlington National Cemetery. After, the Murad family will host a reception in Paul Murad’s memory at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBM-HH) starting at 4:15 PM.

For more information about the inurnment service and to RSVP for the reception, please contact Lucy Murad (703.517.6249 or lucyomurad@yahoo.com) or Andrea Murad (917.553.8659 or andrea.murad@yahoo.com).

May the Lord rest Paul Murad’s soul in peace and grant His comforting Holy Spirit to the family members and friends.

HELP NEEDED

Armenian Speaking Caregivers are needed. For information, please contact the church office at 202-363-1923 or stmarychurchdc@gmail.com.

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

“The Lord Has Done Great Things For Us…”

New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral was the site of a special Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 2, celebrating the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.

On that same date in 1898, Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian (known to the ages as “Khrimian Hayrig”) issued the encyclical that officially established the very first Armenian Diocese in the New World.

Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan celebrated the badarak at the cathedral, joined on the altar by Cathedral Vicar Fr. Davit Karamyan, St. Nersess Seminary Dean Fr. Mardiros Chevian, senior priests Fr. Karekin Kasparian and Fr. Aved Terzian, Fr. Gomidas Zohrabian from the Western Diocese, as well as a large company of deacons.

Among the crowd of worshippers was a large group of young parishioners and altar servers from around the Diocese, who were attending the St. Nersess Summer Conference programs.

During his sermon, Fr. Mesrop read a special congratulatory message for the occasion from His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians. (See the item below under World News to read it.) The message was also read in local parishes across the Eastern Diocese, as they marked the anniversary milestone.

The Primate also reflected on the 125-year history of the Diocese by echoing the words of the Bible: “The Lord has done great things for us—and we are filled with joy” (Psalm 126:3). “Those ancient words,” he said, “ring with Truth for us today. And so we joyfully sing the praises of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose hand has been upon this Diocese from the very beginning. He has never let us down. He has never abandoned us. And He will always be leading us forward.”

The Primate made similar observations in a special video message, released to the public on Sunday morning. (Watch the video at the links below.)

A reception in the Diocesan Center’s Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium allowed worshippers and other visitors to greet the Primate and receive his blessing.

The Diocese’s 125th Anniversary is an ongoing series of events, involving special liturgical services, cultural and social gatherings, and charitable outreach activities among our local communities. Learn more about the celebration and its upcoming events by clicking here.

Click the following links to:

• WATCH the Primate’s special video message in English and in Armenian.
• WATCH a recording of the anniversary badarak on Facebook.
• VIEW a gallery of photos by photographer Harout Barsoumian.

Catholicos Congratulates Diocese on 125 Years of Growth and Achievement

To honor the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Armenian Church’s Diocese of America, Catholicos Karekin II issued a special congratulatory message.

“It was in the year 1898 that the Armenian Church’s Diocese of America began its history. This was a time that also saw the massacre of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey; the destruction of age-old monasteries and churches on our native soil; and the depopulation of Armenians from their ancestral lands. So it was an act of remarkable foresight when Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian—“Khrimian Hayrig,” of blessed memory—had a vision that a bright, enduring future awaited the Armenian people on the soil of the United States, where so many faithful Armenians had lately taken refuge. And under that vision he established the Armenian Diocese of North America, to advance the ministry of our Holy Church in the New World.”

After extolling the growth and achievements of the Armenian Church in America, the Catholicos observed: “The jubilee of the Diocese’s establishment is an occasion to remember your fathers and mothers, the pious servants and benefactors of blessed memory, who for more than a century occupied their time and talent to advance Armenian life in America.”

He also expressed thanks for the Diocese’s role in helping other communities—including our homeland of Armenia and Artsakh—to persist and prosper. He concluded with a prayer that “our beneficent Father in Heaven will keep the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America under the protection of His Righteous Hand, and always bless the faithful American Armenians, for the glory of God and for the brightness of our Holy Apostolic Church.”

Read Catholicos Karekin II’s entire message, in English translation, by clicking here.

Join the Eastern Diocese on a Pilgrimage to Armenia!

This September, the Eastern Diocese will lead a pilgrimage to Armenia, to witness the historic events scheduled to take place at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. These include the Blessing of the Holy Muron, and the re-opening of the Mother Cathedral after an extensive restoration process.

Pilgrims will also bear witness as our Primate, Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, is consecrated as a bishop of the church, by the hand of His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians.

The trip—which runs September 27 to October 10—also visits spiritual and cultural sites of our homeland, including Khor Virab, the Genocide Memorial, Noravank, Lake Sevan, Dilijan, Garni, Geghard, and Haghpat.

Click here to view a flyer with further details. The deadline to register is June 25. For information, contact Sima Tours at simatours@gmail.com, or (610) 359-7521.

FAR NEWS

FAR Awards 22 Grants to Advance Science in Armenia

The Fund for Armenian Relief recently awarded grants to 22 of Armenia’s most promising research groups through the "Yervant Terzian Armenian National Science and Education Fund" (ANSEF). Among the 70 scientists recognized, 13 are women, and eight are under the age of 35.

Each team will receive $5,000 in support of their research in various academic fields, including (but not limited to) biotechnology, chemistry, and physics.

Learn more about how FAR’s ANSEF program is fostering innovation in Armenia: click the link to read more on FAR’s blog.

Ayo is the crowdfunding platform of Fund for Armenian Relief, the social arm of the Eastern Diocese. We’re passionate about partnering with Armenians all over the world to promote sustainable development through low-budget, big-impact projects.

This summer, Ayo! is partnering with GOALS (Girls of Armenia Leadership in Sports) to organize a sports camp for kids aged 11-17. It will intertwine learning and fun through games, promoting positive values such as teamwork, leadership, respect, and gender equality. 

The camp will be held in the rural Shirak region for 70 boys and girls from surrounding villages. In addition to soccer, basketball, and tennis, lacrosse will be introduced this year!

It costs $125 to sponsor one village child’s unforgettable week of camp.

Get involved!

• Donate tax-deductible through Ayo’s website here:

www.weareayo.org/donate

• One day of camp, including meals, costs $25/month

Click Here to DONATE!

We’re turning 10 this year!

With the support of Hilton, we’re organizing a special all-expenses paid trip to Armenia for one lucky person (chosen at random).

Enter here!

July 16 Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord (Vartavar/ Վարդավառ)

August 13 Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother- of- God (Picnic)

September 17 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

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

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

December 9    Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Manis?"14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the proph ets."15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."10 The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"11 Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. 

 (Matthew 16:13-17:13)

13 Եւ Յիսուս Փիլիպպեան Կեսարիայի կողմերը գնալով` հարցրեց աշակերտներին ու ասաց. «Մարդիկ իմ մասին ի°նչ են ասում, ո°վ է մարդու Որդին»: 14 Եւ նրանք ասացին. «Մէկը, թէ` Յովհաննէս Մկրտիչը, եւ ուրիշներ` Եղիան, իսկ ոմանք, թէ` Երեմիան, կամ մարգարէներից մէկը»: 15 Յիսուս նրանց ասաց. «Իսկ դուք իմ մասին ի°նչ էք ասում, ո°վ եմ ես»: 16 Սիմոն Պետրոսը պատասխանեց ու ասաց. «Դու ես Քրիստոսը` կենդանի Աստծու Որդին»: 17 Յիսուս պատասխանեց եւ նրան ասաց. «Երանի¯ է քեզ, Սիմո°ն, Յովնանի° որդի, որովհետեւ մարմինը եւ արիւնը չէ, որ յայտնեց քեզ, այլ` իմ Հայրը, որ երկնքում է: 18 Եւ ես քեզ ասում եմ, որ դու վէմ ես, եւ այդ վէմի վրայ պիտի շինեմ իմ եկեղեցին, ու դժոխքի դռները այն չպիտի յաղթահարեն: 1 Եւ վեց օր յետոյ Յիսուս իր հետ վերցրեց Պետրոսին, Յակոբոսին եւ նրա եղբօրը` Յովհաննէսին եւ նրանց հանեց, առանձին, մի բարձր լեռ 2 եւ նրանց առաջ պայծառակերպուեց. եւ նրա դէմքը փայլեց ինչպէս արեգակը. եւ նրա զգեստները դարձան սպիտակ ինչպէս լոյսը: 3 Եւ ահա նրանց երեւացին Մովսէսն ու Եղիան, որ խօսում էին նրա հետ: 4 Պետրոսը պատասխան տուեց եւ ասաց Յիսուսին. «Տէ°ր, լաւ է, որ մենք այստեղ ենք. եթէ կամենաս, երեք տաղաւարներ շինենք, մէկը` քեզ համար, մէկը` Մովսէսի, մէկն էլ` Եղիայի»: 5 Եւ մինչ նա դեռ խօսում էր, ահա մի լուսաւոր ամպ նրանց վրայ հովանի եղաւ. ամպից մի ձայն եկաւ ու ասաց. «Դա° է իմ սիրելի Որդին, որին հաւանեցի, դրա°ն լսեցէք»: 6 Երբ աշակերտները այս լսեցին, իրենց երեսի վրայ ընկան եւ սաստիկ վախեցան: 7 Եւ Յիսուս, մօտենալով, դիպաւ նրանց ու ասաց. «Ոտքի° ելէք եւ մի° վախեցէք»: 8 Նրանք աչքները բարձրացրին եւ Յիսուսից բացի ոչ ոքի չտեսան: 9 Եւ մինչ լեռից իջնում էին, Յիսուս նրանց պատուիրեց ու ասաց. «Այդ տեսիլքը մարդու չասէք, մինչեւ որ մարդու Որդին մեռելներից յարութիւն առնի»: 10 Աշակերտները նրան հարցրին եւ ասացին. «Հապա ինչո°ւ օրէնսգէտներն ասում են, թէ նախ Եղիան պիտի գայ»: 11 Յիսուս պատասխանեց եւ ասաց նրանց. «Եղիան կը գայ եւ կը վերահաստատի ամէն ինչ. 12 բայց ձեզ ասում եմ, որ Եղիան արդէն իսկ եկել է. բայց նրան չճանաչեցին, այլ, ինչ որ կամեցան, արեցին նրան. նոյնպէս եւ մարդու Որդին նրանց ձեռքով չարչարուելու է»: 13 Այն ժամանակ աշակերտները հասկացան, թէ Յովհաննէս Մկրտչի մասին էր ասել իրենց: 

 (Մատթեոս 16:13-17:13)