St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, Pastor
Address: 4125 Fessenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20016
Tel: 202-363-1923
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The Twelve Holy Apostles of Christ
On the Feast of the Twelve Holy Apostles of Christ and St. Paul, the Thirteenth Apostle, we honor the lives of these men who worked with Jesus to spread the word of the Lord to people around the world.
The Apostles brought the teachings of Jesus and God's message of salvation from sin and everlasting life to men and women living in countries far from the Holy Land-many of whom had never heard the word of God before. The Apostles' courage, dedication, and deep faith still serve as an example to all of us today.
The Twelve Apostles are Simon Peter, James (son of Zebedee), John, Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot.
The two Apostles who brought Christianity to Armenia are St. Bartholomew and St. Thaddeus.
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Morning Service
10:00 AM
Holy Badarak
10:30 AM
Celebrant
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan
Usher
Patricia Yeghissian
Parish Council Members on Duty
Shoghig Sahakyan
Choir
Dr. Hratch Semerjian
Organist
Mrs. Karine Muradyan
Bible Readings:
Isaiah 3:1-11,
Romans 11:13-24,
Matthew 14:13-21
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HOKEHANKIST
REQUIEM SERVICE
For the Soul of:
Misho Mooshegh Sakian, Ohan and Yeghisa Sakian
Requested by:
Lucy Sakian and Family
Hospitality Table is hosted by:
Sakain Family
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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.
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Please tune in to St. Mary YouTube channel for the upcoming services and Badaraks | |
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On behalf of St. Mary Church, we extend our heartfelt greetings and warm wishes to you this Independence Day.
For generations, Armenians have been privileged to blend our traditions and faith with the American way of life. This nation has provided a sanctuary from adversity, nurturing us as we continue to celebrate our heritage and honor our faith.
In times of strife, discord, or uncertainty, our prayers have been fervent, filled with gratitude for America’s enduring spirit and its capacity to surmount challenges and address injustices.
This Independence Day, we reaffirm those prayers, asking God to bestow His blessings upon this great land and all its inhabitants.
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A New Cross to Grace St. Vartan Cathedral
This Sunday, June 30, will mark an exciting milestone in the restoration of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral.
As readers are aware, our Diocesan cathedral has been undergoing a major renovation this year, to repair its structure and restore it to the cathedral's original, pristine glory. Top architects and artisans are undertaking the project, under the direction of an eminently qualified committee led by our Primate.
This Sunday, following badarak, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan will bless a new cross for the cathedral dome.
The new cross will grace St. Vartan Cathedral for the next era of its existence. Designed in a beautiful, stately Armenian fashion, it will shine proudly atop St. Vartan Cathedral—affirming our undying faith to the Heavens, and our distinctive Armenian Christian identity to the surrounding world.
This milestone in the life of our Diocesan cathedral will take place on Sunday, June 30. The Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop Mesrop will begin at 10 a.m. The cross-blessing ceremony will follow badarak, on the outdoor cathedral plaza.
The public is cordially invited to join in this uplifting event, and the reception that follows—and bear witness to the blessing of the cathedral’s new cross. Click here to view a flyer.
Incidentally, plans call for the cross to be raised by crane to the summit of the cathedral during the night hours of June 30, in accordance with New York City construction ordinances. Once installed, it will be gilded to match the rest of the cathedral dome.
St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral is located at 630 Second Avenue (at 34th Street), in New York City. Learn about the restoration—and contribute to the ongoing project—by visiting the website StVartan.org.
Above: The new cross that will sit atop St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, in its manufacturing workshop, alongside its future “home.”
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Experience the Transfiguration of Christ on July 7
Three disciples come face-to-face with the mind-boggling nature of God. How do they react? And is there a lesson for us in their experience?
That’s the question posed during the Feast of the Transfiguration—also known as Vartavar in the Armenian Church—which will be observed on Sunday, July 7. The feast recalls the miraculous event that occurred on the summit of Mount Tabor.
Click the following links to read St. Matthew’s account—and to read a meditation on the mystery of the Transfiguration, and what it might mean for us.
In anticipation of the feast day, download the Diocese’s interactive Transfiguration iBook. Also, an episode in the Diocese’s Bread & Salt video series teaches about the delightful Armenian customs that have clustered around Vartavar. It’s titled “Make a Splash”—and you can watch it by clicking here.
Above: “Christ’s Transfiguration,” from an Armenian illuminated gospel executed in 1475 by a scribe identified as Aristakes; from the collection of the Walters Art Museum.
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TO READ MORE NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE, CLICK HERE
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A New Family and a New Life, Thanks to FAR
For the past six months, the home of Narine and Tigran has been full of joy, with the addition of their foster son Max.
Married for seven years, the couple had dearly wanted a child. Meanwhile, young Max had been living in the Fund for Armenian Relief’s Child Protection Center in Yerevan, Armenia, following the child’s abandonment in 2022.
When Narine met Max on December 8, 2023, it was love at first sight. “He ran towards me and hugged me tightly, like a son would hug his mom after a long separation,” Narine remembers. “My heart just melted.”
That was the moment Narine knew that she and Tigran would become foster parents, regardless of the challenges it might bring. She received extensive training at the FAR Child Protection Center to qualify and prepare for this monumental step. But once the program was completed, Narine, Tigran, and Max became a family together. “It’s been just several months, but it feels like we’ve been together for our whole lives,” Narine says today.
Contributions to FAR’s Child Protection Center ensure that Armenia’s most vulnerable children—including those abused and abandoned—can have a safe place to live and thrive. The center is one of the leading players in the foster movement, actively vetting and training couples as parents.
Click here to learn more about this important and uplifting effort of the Fund for Armenian Relief.
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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!
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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.
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"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.
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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.
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St. Mary Armenian Church
Legacy Brick Drive
Honor your loved ones with
a memorial that will last a lifetime
Buy a brick and leave your legacy at St. Mary Armenian Church.
When you buy a brick, it is then engraved with your specified words or message, installed in front of the church, and becomes
a memory to view for years to come.
Laser engraved bricks will be displayed in our Church plaza,
on both sides of our beautiful Khatchkar, and can be dedicated to those
you wish to remember, honor Loved Ones, commemorate a
a special milestone like a baptism or wedding, or
acknowledge an organization or business.
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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.
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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING FEASTS AND EVENTS | |
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June 30 ACYOA meet and greet
July 7 Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord
August 18 Feast of Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God
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PRAYERS FOR SPEEDY RECOVERY FOR | |
Anne Andonian, Aram Andonian, Hripsime Apkarian, Lucy Badalian, Allison Bajger, Ellen Boudreau, Karen Calabrese, Mrs. Coleman, Mari Dogum, Fitzgerald Ryan, Matt Girardi, Anahit Greene, Antaram Grigoryan, Susana Grigoryan, Simon Gukasyan, Karen Hatchik, Charles Hoke, Tamara Hramushina, Takvur Hubi, Jo-Anna Jacob, Edward Jamgochian, Yn. Anahid Kalayjian, Michael Kolenick, Nancy Kolenick, Jack Kooyoomjian, Queen Manoogian, Toros Mermer, Susanna Mkrtchyan, Haik Naltchayan, Armen Mark Nostrant, Mikael Ovanesov, Zaven Ovian, Hacik Ozdul, Kamer Ozkayan, Margaret Rustemian, Sakayan Victoria, Robert Schlee, Tamara Shatvoryan, Bob Semonian, Mihran Tavoukjian, David Tonyan, Kristin Chakarian Turza, Rahmin Vaziri | |
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13Երբ Յիսուս այդ լսեց, այնտեղից նաւակով առանձին գնաց մի ամայի տեղ։ Երբ ժողովրդի բազմութիւնը լսեց այս, քաղաքներից հետիոտն նրա յետեւից գնաց։ 14Եւ երբ նա ցամաք ելաւ, տեսաւ բազում ժողովուրդ, գթաց նրանց եւ բժշկեց նրանց հիւանդներին։ 15Երեկոյեան դէմ, աշակերտները մօտեցան նրան եւ ասացին. «Այս տեղը ամայի է, եւ օրը տարաժամել է. արձակի՛ր այդ ժողովրդի բազմութիւնը,որպէսզի գնայ շրջակայ գիւղերը իր համար ուտելիք գնի»։ 16Եւ Յիսուս ասաց. «Հարկ չկայ, որ նրանք գնան, դո՛ւք նրանց ուտելու բան տուէք»։17Եւ նրանք ասացին նրան. «Այստեղ ուրիշ բան չունենք, բացի հինգ նկա¬նակից եւ երկու ձկից»։ 18Եւ նրանց ասաց. «Այստե՛ղ բերէք այդ»։ 19Եւ հրամայեց ժողովրդի բազմութիւնը նստեցնել խոտի վրայ. եւ վերց¬նելով հինգ նկանակն ու երկու ձկները՝ նայեց դէպի երկինք,օրհնեց, կտրեց եւ նկանակները աշակերտներին տուեց. իսկ աշակերտները՝ ժողովրդին։ 20Բոլորը կերան ու յագեցան։ Եւ տասներկու սակառ լիքը կտորտանքների մնացորդներ վերցրին։
(Մատթեոս 14:13-21)
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns. As he went ashore he saw a great throng, and he had compassion for them and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fishes." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
(Mathew 14:13-21)
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Please Stay Current with Your Membership
St. Mary Church brings us together to worship, educate, and serve, yet we need your help to sustain this mission. We call upon you to renew, or become a new member, because dues are the largest part of our church income to help keep our beloved parish doors open.
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Your Membership
MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Help us fulfill our mission to sustain and grow our ministries, worship programs and activities to strengthen our church family for generations to come. Thank you for your generosity and support. To Learn More About Membership
To Become A Member
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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
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St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church
Serves the Greater Washington, DC and Baltimore communities. Our mission is to proclaim and grow together in our Apostolic Faith in Christ Jesus and to sustain our Christian Armenian identity. We celebrate our long and enduring legacy,
the beautiful traditions of our religious and national heritage, with Christian servitude, and with love and reverence towards our Church.
We invite you and welcome you to be a part of our church,worship with us, and experience the true love of Christ as we grow together as a community.
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Signup / Stay Connected with St. Mary Church E-Newsletters and Correspondence.
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St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church relies on the generosity of individual donors so that it may continue ensuring service to God and fellowship to the Armenian Community. Your support is deeply appreciated. | |
St. Mary Armenian Church, Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, Pastor
4125 Fessenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20016 | stmarychurchdc@gmail.com
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