Sunday Of The World Church (Green Sunday)

The second Sunday following the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Sunday of the World Church. It commemorates the first Church of Jerusalem, established by Christ. On the first day of the Jewish festival of Passover, Jesus instructs two of the Apostles, Peter and John, to go into Jerusalem and meet a man, who would direct them to a house where Christ and His Apostles could celebrate the Passover Feast. Peter and John are led to the "Upper Room" of a house, where they make the necessary prepa-rations for the meal.

Later that evening, Christ and the Twelve Apostles sit together to eat supper. Christ speaks to them and says, "I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in re-membrance of me." Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." (Lk 22:15-20)

This "Last Supper" was the event where Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Communion, which we celebrate every Sunday during the Divine Liturgy in Armenian Churches throughout the world. The Upper Room in Jerusalem is consid-ered to be the first Church, as founded by Christ.

The Sunday of the World Church is also called "Green" Sunday, which according to Archbishop Malachia Ormanian, is the popular name of the feast and is linked with the awakening of nature in the springtime.

 

Holy Martyrs Day Commemoration

A solemn commemoration of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide took place at St. Mary on April 28. The day began with the Holy Badarak, then a special service commemorating the Holy Martyrs who gave their lives during the Armenian Genocide for their faith and for their homeland followed in front of the Khatchkar on the church plaza.

Following the service, the Shnorhali School dance group presented a musical program which included the recitation of poems, singing songs and performance of traditional Armenian dances, thus commemorating the legacy that our Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide left to us. Special appreciation to the dance instructor Nunik Nishanian for her hard work and dedication to our children and school.

The day's Madagh was hosted by St. Mary Parish Council. A special prayer was also offered for the soul of His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan, 84th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, on the occasion of 40 day of his passing. 

Click here to see more photos.

Welcome Our New Bishop on May 18

On Saturday, May 18, a special Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York, will mark the return of our Primate to the U.S., following his ordination as a bishop of the Armenian Church.

The newly-ordained Bishop Daniel Findikyan will celebrate his first episcopal Divine Liturgy among the faithful of the Eastern Diocese, beginning at 10 a.m. It will be followed by a reception in the Diocesan Center's Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium. Click here to view a flyer.

That evening, St. Nersess Seminary will hold a special tribute event to benefit the seminary and its ongoing mission. The banquet titled "Hope and Gratitude" honors the former and current presidents of the seminary board of directors-Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and Bishop-elect Daniel Findikyan. Click to the St. Nersess Seminary website for details.

23Եւ երբ Յիսուս զատկի տօնին Երուսաղէմում էր գտնւում, շատեր հա¬ւատացին նրան, քանի որ տեսնում էին այն նշանները, որ կատա¬րում էր։ 24Բայց Յիսուս անձամբ վստահութիւն չունէր նրանց նկատ¬մամբ, որովհետեւ ինքն ամենքին ճանաչում էր 25եւ կարիք չկար, որ ո¬րեւէ մէկը վկայէր մարդու մասին, քանի որ ինքն արդէն գիտէր, թէ ինչ կար մարդու հոգու մէջ։ Եւ փարիսեցիների մէջ Նիկոդեմոս անունով մի մարդ կար, որ հրեաների իշխանաւոր էր։ 2Սա գիշերով եկաւ նրա մօտ ու նրան ասաց. «Ռաբբի՛, գիտենք, որ Աստծուց ես եկել որպէս վար¬դապետ, որովհետեւ ոչ ոք չի կարող կատարել այն նշանները, որ դու ես անում, եթէ Աստուած նրա հետ չլինի»։ 3Յիսուս պատասխա¬նեց եւ ասաց նրան. «Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ, եթէ մէկը վե¬րըստին չծնուի, չի կարող Աստծու արքայութիւնը տեսնել»։ 4Նիկոդե¬մո¬սը նրան ասաց. «Ինչպէ՞ս կարող է ծնուել մի մարդ, որ ծեր է. միթէ կարելի՞ է իր մօր որովայնը կրկին անգամ մտնել ու ծնուել»։ 5Յիսուս պատասխան տուեց եւ ասաց. «Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ասում քեզ, ե¬թէ մէկը ջրից ու Հոգուց չծնուի, չի կարող Աստծու արքայութիւնը մտնել. 6որովհետեւ մարմնից ծնուածը մարմին է, իսկ Հոգուց ծնուա¬ծը՝ հոգի։ 7Դու մի՛ զարմացիր, որ քեզ ասացի՝ պէտք է ձեզ վերստին ծնուել. 8որովհետեւ քամին ուր ուզում է՝ փչում է, եւ նրա ձայնը լսում ես, բայց չգիտես որտեղից է գալիս կամ ուր է գնում. այսպէս է եւ ա¬մէն ոք, որ Հոգուց է ծնուած»։ 9Նիկոդեմոսը հարցրեց նրան. «Այդ ինչ¬պէ՞ս կարող է լինել»։ 10Յիսուս պատասխանեց եւ ասաց նրան. «Դո՛ւ ես Իսրայէլի վարդապետ եւ այդ չգիտե՞ս։ 11Ճշմարիտ, ճշմարիտ եմ ա-սում քեզ, խօսում ենք, ինչ որ գիտենք, եւ վկայում ենք, ինչ որ տեսել ենք, եւ մեր վկայութիւնը չէք ընդունում։ 12Իսկ արդ, եթէ երկրաւոր բա¬¬ներ ասացի ձեզ, եւ չէք հաւատում, ապա ինչպէ՞ս պիտի հաւա¬տաք, եթէ երկնաւոր բաներ ասեմ։ 

(Յովհ. 2:23-3:12)

Now he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.' The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can this be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"

(John 2:23-3:12)

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