June 9

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The Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin

On Sunday, June 11 the Armenian Church will celebrate the Feast of the Catholic Church of Holy Etchmiadzin (canonically known as Don Sourp Etchmiadzini Gatoghiguh Yegeghetzin).

The cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was built in A.D. 303, after St. Gregory, the Illuminator had a vision in which Christ struck the ground with a golden hammer and instructed Gregory to erect a church on the site.

The feast day commemorates the founding of the Universal Church (the idea that there was one church, founded by Jesus Christ and spread by the Apostles) and St. Gregory's vision. It follows the Feast of St. Gregory the Enlightener (his deliverance from the pit), which will be observed on Saturday, June 18.

On Sunday, all parishes in the Eastern Diocese will conduct the "Special Prayer for the Catholicos and the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin." Click here to download the special prayer.

Click here to read a reflection on the beginnings of the Christian movement and the spiritual meaning of Etchmiadzin.

June 11, 2023

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

H. E. Abp. Vicken Aykazian

Usher

Ms. Arlin Diratsuyan

Parish Council Members on Duty

Mr.Vazrik Nishanian

Choir

Mrs.Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Proverbs 9:1-6,

 Zechariah 3:7-4:9

Hebrews 9:1-10,

 John 10:22-30

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

Our Lord and Savior, you miraculously designed Holy Etchmiadzin in luminous form. You made it a storehouse for your unfading divine grace, so that it may be the parent, teacher, and overseer of all the Armenian churches. Keep her without blemish, firm and bright, for the glory of our churches and children until the end of the world, so that they may always glorify your name.

    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. Amen.

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

SHNORHALI SCHOOL’S END-OF-YEAR HANDES AND GRADUATION CEREMONY

On June 4^th, Shnorhali Armenian School at St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church marked the end of the school year by celebrating its year-end academic accomplishments with our community.

Our Kindergarteners performed beautifully by presenting famous Armenian poems and songs and promised to study and preserve the sacred Armenian language and their ancestral culture and heritage and remain true to the faith of our Church.

Middle and high school students paid tribute to our heroes by reflecting on several intertwined historical episodes that were fundamental to our survival, to the preservation of the nation, and the formation of our identity. The students presented historical fragments of Armenian Christianity, the invention of the Alphabet, as well as staged parts from the battle of Avarayr, which was one of the first heroic hostilities in defense of the Christian faith and the freedom of conscience and morality.

In his remarks, His Excellency Fr. Vigen Archbishop Aykazian, mentioned that our nation will last as long as our children continue to sing "Soorb Astvats" and recite the Lord's Prayer in Armenian and are able to retell their history. The school principal, Nunik Nishanian, and Archbishop Aykazian wrapped up the academic year by announcing the winners and medal recipients of our recent chess tournament, sharing our students’ accomplishments, and recognizing and honoring all our teachers and volunteers. Without our teachers and volunteers, who spared no effort to challenge our students and encouraged them to reach their fullest potential, our academic year would not have been the success that it was. 

We would like to take a moment to congratulate Seline Sivaslian, Eliza Moeni , and Narine Hunanyan, all of whom graduated from Shnorhali School this year. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. It has been a privilege to watch you grow and we hope that you take what you have learned here and serve the Armenian community and our homeland, by any means possible.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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!

There is a wonderful opportunities for our children to participate in Armenian camps and conferences this summer. St. Vartan Camp and St. Nersess Summer Conferences and trainnigs are now oper for registration. If your child is interested please contact the the church office at stmarychurchdc@gmail.com and provide your name, contact information (phone and email) and your student’s name/age. Put "St Vartan Camp," or "St. Nersess" in the subject line.  An interest meeting will be arranged, where parents/students can ask questions and arrange carpools.

This year, through generous donations made to a number of memorial funds, St. Mary will be able to offer a discount for each camper.   

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

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

Young Adult Pilgrims Depart for Jerusalem

On Saturday, June 3, Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan traveled to New York’s JFK Airport to spend time with participants in the Eastern Diocese’s Young Adult Pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The Primate blessed the 31 young adults who had gathered from parishes across the Diocese as they began their spiritual journey to the Holy Land.

“It was an incredible privilege to bless these young people as they embarked on a life-changing trip to that sacred city,” Fr. Mesrop said.

The Young Adult Pilgrimage to Jerusalem has been an annual excursion undertaken by the Diocese to take young souls to the roots of the Christian faith. While it has been suspended since 2019 due to the pandemic, this year marks the exciting resumption of the trip, which is running June 3 through 12. The pilgrims are being led by Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan (of St. Mary Church, Washington, DC) and Fr. Guregh Hambardzumyan (St. John the Baptist Church, Milwaukee, WI), both of whom have strong ties to Jerusalem’s Armenian community and its centuries-old Patriarchate.

“I was deeply moved by the presence of so many young people from so many parishes, and by their sincere enthusiasm and devotion,” Fr. Mesrop said. “In our heartfelt conversations, I shared words of encouragement, emphasizing the significance of their pilgrimage and the transformative power it holds. We spoke about the rich history of Armenian presence in Jerusalem, tracing back to St. Gregory the Illuminator: the first Armenian pilgrim to the Holy Land. Together, we offered a prayer, invoking blessings for their safe travels, meaningful experiences, and profound spiritual growth.”

Follow the pilgrims via the Young Adult Pilgrimage Facebook page, or check the ACYOA’s Instagram page for updates. And please keep our young pilgrims in your thoughts and prayers during their journey.

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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.

Registration Extended for ACYOA’s Armenia Service Program

Registration is still open for ACYOA’s 2023 Armenia Service Program (ASP), scheduled to run July 1 through 21, 2023.

ASP provides young adults (18 years and older) with a unique opportunity to affirm their faith, discover their homeland, and serve their people in a meaningful way. Participants return home enriched and inspired by their experience, and eager to strengthen their bonds with the homeland and the Armenian Church.

Fr. Hratch Sargsyan will lead this year’s trip, guiding young adults from across our Diocese as they experience the wonders of our homeland. As in the past, ASP service opportunities will be organized with the Fuller Center, the Fund for Armenian Relief, FAR’s Ayo! crowdfunding platform, and Camp Aragats.

Those interested in this year’s ASP trip can still register, with registration now extended beyond the former April 25 deadline. Click here to register online. And find additional information, and a full trip itinerary, on the ACYOA website.

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!

10 June: St. Gregory the Enlightener (Deliverance from the Pit)

11 June: Feast of the Catholic Church of Holy Etchmiadzin

15 June: Holy Princes Sahak and Joseph

17 June: St. Nersess the Great

18 June: Ararat Avac Society Father's Day Carry-Out/Dine in Luncheon

22 Այն ժամանակ Երուսաղէմում տաճարի Նաւակատիքի տօն էր, եւ ձմեռ էր: 23 Եւ Յիսուս շրջում էր տաճարի մէջ, Սողոմոնի սրահում: 24 Հրեաները նրա շուրջը հաւաքուեցին ու ասացին. «Մինչեւ ե°րբ մեր հոգին պիտի հանես. եթէ դու ես Քրիստոսը, համարձակ ասա° մեզ»: 25 Յիսուս պատասխանեց նրանց եւ ասաց. «Ձեզ ասացի, եւ ինձ չէք հաւատում. այն գործերը, որ ես անում եմ իմ Հօր անունով, դրանք վկայում են իմ մասին: 26 Բայց դուք չէք հաւատում, որովհետեւ իմ ոչխարներից չէք. 27 իմ ոչխարներն իմ ձայնը լսում են, եւ ես ճանաչում եմ նրանց. եւ նրանք գալու են իմ յետեւից. 28 եւ ես նրանց կը տամ յաւիտենական կեանք. եւ նրանք չեն կորչի յաւիտեան. եւ ոչ ոք նրանց իմ ձեռքից չի յափշտակի: 29 Իմ Հայրը, որ նրանց ինձ տուեց, ամենքից մեծ է. եւ իմ Հօր ձեռքից ոչ ոք չի կարող ոչինչ յափշտակել: 30 Ես եւ իմ Հայրը մի ենք»:                                                                                                                     

Հովհաննես 10:22-30

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

                                                                                                  John 10:22-30