October 23

TOP STORY   

Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

On Sunday, October 25, 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 25, 2026

SUNDAY

SCHEDULE

Morning Service 

9:30 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:00 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan

Usher

Mrs. Rouzanna Oganissian



Parish Council Members on Duty

Mrs. Catherine Sahakian

Choir

Dr. Hratch Semerjian



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 :

George Derderian

Requested by:

Derderian Family

Prayer of the week

O Lord, sanctify those who have greeted in love the beauty of your house. Glorify us with your divine power and forsake not those who put their trust in you. Grant peace to the whole world and to all your people.

   Keep watch over your faithful people, Lord. Remember those who have sacrificed in your name, and bestow your peace on all mankind. Amen.

Please tune in to St. Mary YouTube channel for the upcoming services and Badaraks

St. Mary Armenian Church Participates in “Stand Up Sunday”

On Sunday, October 18, 2026, St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in Washington, DC, joined six other parishes of the Eastern Diocese and faith communities across the nation in observing “Stand Up Sunday,” a nationwide initiative organized by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in partnership with the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate.

The initiative seeks to unite people of different faith traditions in standing against antisemitism, religious hatred, discrimination, and intolerance while promoting mutual respect, understanding, and peace.

In his message to the congregation, Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan reflected on Christ's commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Drawing upon the Armenian people's painful experiences of genocide, persecution, and the recent displacement of Armenians from Artsakh, he emphasized that our history places upon us a special responsibility to stand with others who suffer injustice.

“Because we know what it means to suffer, we must never become indifferent to the suffering of others,” he reminded the faithful.

Through its participation, St. Mary reaffirmed its commitment to the Christian principles of love, compassion, human dignity, and solidarity with people of all faiths.

A Wonderful Evening of Fellowship and Fun at St. Mary Armenian Church

Our Game Night on Saturday, October 17, was filled with laughter, friendly competition, delicious food, and wonderful fellowship! Everyone had a great time learning new games, discovering each other’s favorites, and enjoying a fun evening together. We were especially honored to have His Eminence Archbishop Dr. Vicken Aykazian and Der Hovsep join us for the occasion. Congratulations to our award winner, Fred Poorazar! A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who attended and helped make the evening so special. We look forward to organizing more fun-filled evenings like this one, bringing our church family together through friendship, fellowship, and joy. We can’t wait to do it again!

A Tradition of Reverence: The Blessing of Shnorhali’s Patarag Veils

Some traditions teach before a single word is spoken. A child learns that a moment is sacred by the way we enter a holy space, the way we stand, the way we pray, and the care with which we prepare ourselves to be in the presence of God. This is the spirit in which Shnorhali has introduced veils as part of our female students’ attire when they join the Divine Liturgy.

During a recent Patarag Education session, our beloved pastor, Ter Hovsep, first spoke with the students about the spiritual meaning of the veil and its place within the tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He explained that reverence is expressed in many visible ways throughout the life of our Church. Sacred things are approached with particular care and honor, and the veil likewise carries a message of holiness, humility, dignity, and reverence before God. Following this reflection, Ter Hovsep blessed the veils that our girls will wear during Patarag, marking the beginning of this new Shnorhali tradition with prayer and blessing.

The veil is intended to help our girls recognize that entering Patarag is different from simply moving from one part of the school day to another. Putting it on before entering the sanctuary creates a quiet transition from the familiar rhythm of classrooms and Sunday activities into the sacredness of the Divine Liturgy. It becomes a gentle reminder to enter with greater attentiveness, humility, prayerfulness, and an awareness that they are participating in something holy.

This connection is especially important because Patarag is not something we merely watch; it is something we enter into. In the Divine Liturgy, we stand together before God, hear His Word, pray as one Church, offer thanksgiving, and approach the mystery of Holy Communion. The hymns, incense, vestments, gestures, bows, signs of the Cross, and other traditions of our Church all help prepare us inwardly for that encounter. The veil belongs within that same language of reverence - an outward expression that helps turn the heart and mind toward prayer.

Perhaps most encouraging was seeing how naturally the girls embraced the veils. Their excitement, pride, and sense of belonging were visible, and their attentiveness during Patarag was especially heartwarming. It was a beautiful reminder that children are often more ready to receive the traditions of their Church than we realize - especially when those traditions are introduced with love, understanding, and spiritual purpose.

At Shnorhali, we want our children not only to inherit the Armenian Apostolic faith, but to feel that it is truly theirs. When tradition is understood and lived with faith, it becomes more than something passed down to them, it becomes a bond with the Church that they can carry forward to the next generation.

St. Mary’s Shnorhali School Healthy Heroes: Building Healthy Habits for Life

On Sunday, October 18, St. Mary’s Shnorhali School partnered with One Thriving World, a local Armenian-led global health nonprofit, to bring the Healthy Heroes Challenge to our students. The program was organized and led by Maria Stepanyan, one of our community’s most devoted members and the founder of One Thriving World. Her goal was not simply to make nutrition fun, but to help children understand that everyday choices about food and hydration can shape their energy, focus, health, and well-being.

Students worked in teams led by Shnorhali interns and youth leaders. They began with a Blooket pre-test, then built balanced plates using construction-paper foods, illustrated the “superpowers” of water, and practiced sorting foods into the correct categories. These hands-on activities helped turn nutrition concepts into practical choices children can recognize and use in everyday life.

The program concluded with the same Blooket as a post-test, and scores increased from 82% to 93%, a strong sign of how much students learned in just one afternoon. Students also went home with fruit-themed prizes and fresh fruit to help carry the lesson beyond the classroom.

We are grateful to Maria Stepanyan and One Thriving World for bringing this thoughtful program to Shnorhali, and to our interns and youth leaders for guiding the students throughout the afternoon. Programs like Healthy Heroes remind us that education is also about helping children develop the knowledge and habits that will support them for years to come.

DIOCESAN & OTHER NEWS

20 Years Together: Abp. Aykazian Honored at Ecumenical Forum

Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A. (CCT) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a forum in Birmingham, AL, October 6–9, honoring Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese, as one of its founding leaders.

The gathering united representatives of 34 Christian communions and organizations for prayer, dialogue, and reflection on Christian unity. Archbishop Vicken delivered the Orthodox Family Address, emphasizing the importance of cooperation across Christian traditions. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan of St. Mary Armenian Church in Washington, DC, also participated in the forum.

The Origins of Armenian Cultural Month

To Armenians in the United States, “Armenian Cultural Month” has been a feature of community life for as long as anyone can remember. It arrives every October—and with it a flurry of lectures, readings, exhibits, and sacred celebrations. Surprisingly, Armenian Cultural Month originated in the Eastern Diocese—and this month has marked its 84th anniversary!

Find Out Who Started It! →

Graduate Students: Apply for the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship

The Eastern Diocese is accepting applications for the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Graduate Fellowship, which supports graduate studies in the United States. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens with outstanding academic records, demonstrated financial need, and a bachelor’s degree. Interested candidates should contact Hovannes Khosdeghian at zohrabcenter@armeniandiocese.org to request an application. Application deadline: December 20, 2026.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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!

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.

"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. 

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 25 - Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

October 31 - Feast of All Saints

November 10 - Bible Study Series 7pm

November 17 - Bible Study Series 7pm

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

November 21 Concert at the Church's Cultural Hall at 1 PM

November 24 - Bible Study Series 7pm

November 26 - Thanksgiving Day

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