Armenia's Saint of Compassion
On Saturday, June 29, the Armenian Church will remember one of its most remarkable historical figures, during the Feast of St. Nersess the Great.
As the great-grandson of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Nersess possessed all the qualities of a great spiritual leader. He built schools and orphanages, hospitals and shelters for the poor. He instituted reforms in the church that placed Christian charity, moral cleanliness, sincere worship, marriage and childrearing at the heart of religious observance.
But Nersess was also outspoken in defiance of Armenia’s impious leaders, and his unwavering moral integrity came at great cost.
Click here
to read more about the courage and compassion of this great Armenian saint
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Etchmiadzin Brotherhood Meets at Mother See
Beginning June 18, the monastic brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin held its biennial meeting, presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The convocation is held every two years in the week preceding the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin. In all, 66 members of the brotherhood were present, having arrived from their various ministries across the world. The Great House of Cilicia and the Patriarchate of Constantinople also sent representatives.
Participating were several priests from the Eastern Diocese: the Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian, the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, and the Very Rev. Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan-all of whom are members of the brotherhood.
Fr. Gulgulian organized the conference and delivered its opening message. "Being a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin is a high calling," he said: "our sacred covenant is to serve the Armenian Church and our pious people. In terms of service and title, everything else becomes secondary when you realize you are a son of Holy Etchmiadzin, a carrier of its divine Truth."
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The Saints of Summer
By the end of June schools have wound down, summer is gearing up, and many parishioners settle into a more “relaxed” habit of church participation.
But the summer months are anything but a quiet time in the Armenian Church calendar. Nearly every day in June, July, and August has a saint or group of saints associated with it. Some are obscure, others well-known—but all have stories to tell, and are waiting to be discovered by our faithful.
Throughout the summer, visit “CrossTalk”—the blog of our
sister Diocesan site Vemkar
—for inspirational messages from a host of contributors.
And log onto our
Bread and Salt website
for videos about Armenian Church spirituality, practice, and tradition.
Wherever you go this season, the Armenian Saints of Summer are just a click away!
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READ MORE NEWS FROM DIOCESE
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Morning Service
10:00 AM
Holy Badarak
10:30 AM
Celebrant
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan
Ushers
Mrs. Rouzanna Oganissian and Mrs. Anna Seferian
Parish Council Members on Duty
Mr. Ohannes Sivaslian, Dr. Ara Avedisian, Mr. Eric Ashbahian
Choir
Dr. Hratch Semerjian
Organist
Mrs. Karine Muradyan
Bible Reading
Isaiah 1:1-15, Romans 6:12-23, Matthew 12:1-8
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HOKEHANKIST REQUIEM SERVICE
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HOKEHANKIST
REQUIEM SERVICE
There will be no Hokehankist this Sunday
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To request a Hokehankist/Requiem Service
Please contact the Church Office
by 12:00 Noon on Thursday
202-363-1923 or
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Every Tuesday
Bible Study
June 29
Special Tour to the Hillwood Estate,
Museum and Gardens
January 13-22, 2020
Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
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FAR Soup Kitchen Helps One Woman to Make Ends Meet
Lyusya Shmavonyan used to buy her food regularly on credit at a local store near her home. She would then pay off her purchases once she received her pension. Three years ago, she was directed to FAR's local soup kitchen. A pension and monthly poverty allowance are this 69-year-old's main source of income, but it's not enough for her to live on and that makes it especially tough for Lyusya to be able to afford nutritious food. Like many others of her generation, Lyusya had a decent income when she was working as an English teacher during Soviet times. When the system collapsed, she couldn't find a new job, lost all of her savings, and ended up with nothing. She is now forced to live off her pension that totals less than $100 a month. "If not for the soup kitchen, I would have to buy food on loan again," she said. Now she is able to afford her groceries outright because she can buy less.
Read more here
To support projects like FAR's soup kitchens, go to:
LINK
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22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 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."12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." 3 He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread-which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
(Matthew 12:1-8)
1 Յիսուս, շաբաթ օրով, անցաւ արտերի միջով. նրա աշակերտները քաղցած էին եւ սկսեցին հասկ պոկել եւ ուտել: 2 Փարիսեցիները երբ այս տեսան, Յիսուսին ասացին. «Ահա քո աշակերտները անում են մի բան, որ շաբաթ օրն անել օրինաւոր չէ»: 3 Եւ նա նրանց ասաց. «Դուք չէ°ք կարդացել, թէ ինչ արեց Դաւիթը, երբ քաղց զգաց նա եւ նրանք, որ նրա հետ էին: 4 Թէ ինչպէս մտաւ Աստծու տունը եւ կերաւ առաջաւորութեան հացը, որն ուտել օրէնք չէր ո°չ նրա եւ ո°չ էլ նրա հետ եղողների համար, այլ միայն` քահանաների համար: 5 Կամ թէ Օրէնքում չէ°ք կարդացել, որ շաբաթ օրերը տաճարում քահանաները պղծում են շաբաթը եւ անմեղ են: 6 Բայց ասում եմ ձեզ, որ այստեղ տաճարից մեծ մէկը կայ: 7 Եւ եթէ իմանայիք, թէ ի°նչ է` ողորմութիւն եմ կամենում եւ ոչ` զոհ, ապա դուք անպարտներին չէիք դատապարտի. 8 ուրեմն մարդու Որդին շաբաթ օրուայ տէրն է»:
(Մատթեոս 12:1-8)
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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.
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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COME VISIT THE ST. MARY GIFT SHOP
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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 and tapestry icons, children and adult books, T-shirts, hats, bags, Armenian CDs, Armenian artwork, and much more.
The Gift Shop is open every week after Sunday Church services and by appointment.
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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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Sign-up and 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.
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See what's happening on our social sites:
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