OCTOBER 26                                                                                                                                                                                                       42/2018   
www.stmaryaac.org                                                                                                                                                                                                                E-Newsletter Archive
St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church 
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, Pastor
4125 Fessenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20016 
Tel. 202-363-1923
Email. stmarychurchdc@gmail.com
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018
Morning Service
10:00 AM

Holy Badarak
10:30 AM 

Celebrant
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan
 
Ushers  
Mrs. Sara Arabian
Mr. Garbis Chubukian

Parish Council Members on Duty
Ms. Sarine Zenian 
Mr. Mark Krikorian 
Mr. Garbis Chubukian

Choir
Mrs. Edita Kalayjian
 
Organist
Mrs. Karine Muradyan 
 
Bible Reading
Isaiah 33:22-34:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18-24,
Matthew 24:27-36.
HOKEHANKIST 
REQUIEM SERVICE
HOKEHANKIST
REQUIEM SERVICE

For the Soul of:
Berge A. Kayaian

Requested by:
Elizabeth (Daughter) and Susan (Granddaughter)  Garabedian and  Brig General Albert Kaehn  (Brother-in-law) and Melina Kaehn (Sister)

Hospitality Table is Hosted by:
 Elizabeth Garabedian in memory of 
Berge A. Kayaian

-------------------------------------------------
To request a Hokehankist/Requiem Service
please contact the Church Office
by 12:00 Noon on Thursday
202-363-1923 or E-mail
stmarychurchdc@gmail.com
ST. MARY CHURCH RENOVATION 

UPCOMING EVENTS
Armenian Dance Classes

November 4
Avedis Hadjian Book Presentation 


November 4
Armenian Assembly Holiday Reception


November 4
ACYOA Juniors lunch preparation for the homeless 


November 18
Women's Guild Thanksgiving Lunch


November 20
Advent Bible Study


December 1
Knights and Daughters of Vartan 
Christmas Market and Craft  

 
See Details here

December 9
St. Mary Armenian Church
86th Anniversary Celebration 


December 31
Internationally Acclaimed
Bartev and His Band
New Year's Eve Celebration and DJ
CALENDAR OF FEASTS & EVENTS
October 28
Feast of Discovery of the Holy Cross

November 4
Avedis Hadjian Book Presentation

November 4
Armenian Assembly Holiday Reception

November 18
Women's Guild Thanksgiving

November 20
Advent Bible Study

November 27
Advent Bible Study

December 1
Women's Guild Christmas Party

December 1
Knights and Daughters of Vartan 
Christmas Market and Craft

December 4
Advent Bible Study

December 8
ACYOA Juniors Christmas Party

December 9
86th Anniversary Celebration

December 11
Advent Bible Study

December 15 
Avak Society Luncheon

December 16
Shnorhali School Christmas Hantess

December 18
Advent Bible Study

December 31
Internationally Acclaimed
Bartev and His Band
New Year's Eve Celebration and DJ
TOP STORIES
Finding of the True Cross, by Agnolo Gabbi (1350-96). Basilica di Sainta Croce, Florence, Italy. 
Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

On Sunday, October 28, 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? In an ingenious solution, the workers brought the body of a recently-deceased man to the site. Placing him on the first two crosses produced no result. But when he was placed on the third, the body stirred to life. This, Helena concluded, must be the True Cross-still surging with the miraculous, life-giving power of Christ's Resurrection.

The cross is a source of great pride for Armenians as a khachagir-or "cross-bearing"-nation. Over the centuries, Armenians have borne Christ's cross with faith, hope, and love. What was once an instrument of torture and death would become for Christians the symbol of salvation, and victory over death.

Click here to read more about the significance of the cross.
PARISH NEWS
Women's Guild Cultural Event

As part of the celebration of cultural month in October, St. Mary Women's Guild organized a beautiful afternoon of cherishing the Armenian culture and heritage. Parishioners and friends gathered in the St. Mary church hall on October 21 to enjoy  various delicious dishes prepared by the Women's Guild members. The food included cultural and culinary backgrounds of different regions of historical Armenia and different countries where Armenians have settled.

The day also included a slide presentation by guest speaker and photographer Serli Hacikoglu who spoke about her love and passion of Armenia and the Armenian culture sharing with the audience the many photos that she took during her stay in Armenia.

Our appreciation to St. Mary Women's Guild Executive Committee members for their hard work and generous efforts of putting together such an enjoyable afternoon for our church community. 

Click here to see more photos

ACYOA Jrs. Trophy Presentation

On Sunday, October 21, at the conclusion of Badarak, Der Hovsep officially presented a trophy to the group of the Sport's Weekend participants, who represented our ACYOA Jrs. team winning second place in basketball. Over the Columbus Day weekend, more then 200 teenagers gathered at the St. Peter Church of Watervliet, NY to participate in this annual event. Our church was represented by 16 teens and 4 chaperones.

Over the next few months the ACYOA Jrs. will be holding a number of interesting events. On Sunday, November 4, the St. Mary ACYOA Jrs. (ages 12-17)  will put their faith into action and prepare lunches for over 200 homeless in our community.  On Saturday, December 8, they will be celebrating the holiday season with their annual Christmas Party. 

If you would like more information about St. Mary ACYOA activities, please contact Ms. Becky Baghdasarian or Yn. Jennifer Karapetyan at stmaryyouthdc@gmail.com.

Click here to see more photos 

Avedis Hadjian's Secret Nation to be Presented at St. Mary

One of the important publications on contemporary Armenian issues this year is Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey, by Avedis Hadjian, released by I. B. Tauris a few months ago. The widely reviewed book, characterized in the Times Literary Supplement as "intrepid, eccentric and grimly fascinating," is the result of a painstaking investigation that took the author, a freelance journalist, to seek the traces of Islamized Armenians throughout towns and villages of Anatolia and Western Armenia, record stories of survival and discovery, and condense his findings into an absorbing account.

Avedis Hadjian will present Secret Nation at St. Mary on November 4, at 1:00 pm.  The author has worked for CNN and Bloomberg News, among others, and his writing in English and Spanish has appeared in major international news outlets. His work as a correspondent has taken him to Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, China, the Caucasus, Turkey, and Latin America.   Avedis Hadjian has travelled to the towns and villages once densely populated by Armenians, recording stories of survival and discovery from those who remain in a region that is deemed unsafe for the people who once lived there. 

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event. 

Click hereto see the flyer

Armenian Folk Dance Classes

We are excited to announce that our Armenian Folk Dance Classes are back to our schedule in October! The official start day for the classes will be October 28 right after school and will last about 1.5 hours. Minimum age is 7 (some exclusions may apply), and the class is open to both boys and girls. Students will get an opportunity to learn about Armenian culture through the folk music, songs and dances.

We had a great, but short year last year and the participants had a beautiful performance during the final recital.

There will be an  information session held for all interested parents this Sunday, October 7 right after the Badarak, 12:30pm in the Kindergarten classroom to answer to all your questions and talk about the requirements.

To see the flyer  click here
DIOCESAN AND OTHER NEWS

Benvenuto, Vehapar!

This week His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, embarked on a Pontifical Visit to the Armenians of Italy, stopping in the cities of Milan and Rome, and meeting with Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church.

In Milan he presided over the 60th anniversary celebration of the Armenian Church of the Forty Martyrs, where the Catholicos commended the community for its religious zeal and loyalty to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. He exhorted them to "stay strong in your national consciousness," and to "keep lit the lantern of St. Gregory the Illuminator," before praying for peace and the wellbeing of the people.

At the Church of St. Blaise in Rome, His Holiness was greeted in a hrashapar service attended by the Eternal City's Armenian inhabitants, members of the diplomatic guild, and dignitaries from the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.

He held a brotherly meeting with Pope Francis on October 24, at the Vatican, wherein the two noted the hardships of the Armenian people, while exalting the patience and persistence that allowed them to recreate national and ecclesiastical life.

To view photos and read more in Armenian, click here.

Welcoming Catholicos Karekin II to Rome was Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, former Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and currently the Legate of the Armenian Church in Western Europe and Pontifical Envoy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to the Vatican. Click here to read an interview he gave on the occasion of the Pontifical Visit.
FAR Renovates Six School Science Labs

Six schools have brand-new science labs, outfitted with new equipment and furniture, as a result of the Fund for Armenian Relief's "Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Program." The labs were ready at the start of the school year for the teachers and students of Berd City's School #3, as well as the villages of Paravakar, Tavush, Aygedzor, Artsvaberd, and Movses.

Intensive training helped bring chemistry and physics teachers up-to-date on how to incorporate the equipment into their lessons.

During the opening ceremony for the labs, FAR Education and Science Programs director Eduard Karapetyan highlighted the importance of the labs in igniting the students' interest in the natural sciences-and in helping teachers transfer their knowledge through hands-on example.

MEMBERSHIP AND DUES 

 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
READ MORE NEWS FROM DIOCESE 
 
  BIBLE READING
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)
COME VISIT THE ST. MARY GIFT SHOP

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.
    
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.

Sign-up and Stay Connected  with  St. Mary Church E-Newsletters and Correspondence.
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.