Dear Parents of St. Sarkis Suzzane and Hovsep Hagopian Saturday School,

 

I hope you and your family are safe and healthy as you read this letter. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding as we have been adjusting, like yourselves, to the drastic changes in life during the last few months.

 

As you know, schools across the nation, including ours, closed to stop the spread of 2019/2020 coronavirus.

 

According to the result of the recent survey that you had responded to, the school executive board has decided to reopen the school until the end of this year 2020 and to have online sessions (via Zoom). These online sessions will be for students in grades 1st and higher.

Unfortunately, we won't be able to resume the Nursery, Pre K and Kindergarten classes at this time, because the feedback has been that the younger students may not be able to concentrate in front of the computer screen for the duration of the class.

We are planning for the online session not to exceed more than 45 minutes. Currently we are finalizing the structure of each Saturday morning session.

 

God willing, we would like to continue the onsite Saturday school classes, with enhanced safety precautions in place, starting January 2021.

 

The school will reopen with online classes only on Saturday, September 26, 2020. Before this date, we will provide an update to all registered families, how and what time students classes will be resuming.

We will email you the lesson plan in advance of the school start date, by the assigned teacher of your kids.

The Lesson plans will be planned according to where we had left off last spring of 2020. The moving up of the grade levels will take place in January 2021, with the exception of last spring's Kindergarten class, they will be moving up to 1st grade starting this coming September.

 

There will be no tuition fees or charges involved until the end of the year 2020.

Please see the attached registration form and fill it out as soon as possible.

 

I'm extremely appreciative of our students, parents, teachers and administrators for their positivity, patience and flexibility during these trying times.

 

Respectfully,

The Principal of Saturday School,

 

Nairy Zohrabian

 

Fr. Nareg asked the members of the Salt & Light group members to be the voice of the suffering and provide help for the Armenian brothers and sisters in Lebanon.

We are grateful that the following donations were made to the Salt & Light Fundraising Drive.   

 

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.   

Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.   

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

       

This Sunday, September 27, is the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak, a holiday that is unique to the Armenian Church and is celebrated two weeks after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. After coming to Armenia, the Hripsimiants Virgins lived near Mount Varak. They had brought with them a fragment of the True Cross. Fleeing persecution, they sought refuge on the mountain where Hripsime hid the cross among the rocks before fleeing to Vagharshapat. In 653, a hermit named Todik found the hidden cross by following a brilliant light that illuminated the mountain and guided him inside the church to the altar where he found the cross. The light shone for twelve days. In memory of this event, Catholicos Nerses the Builder established the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak. He wrote the beautiful hymn, "By the Sign of Your All Powerful Holy Cross," (Nshanav Amenahaght Khachit).

The Monastery of St. Nishan (Varakavank) was built on Mount Varak, which is in the southeastern region of Van. It was home to one of the greatest libraries and museums, filled with ancient and contemporary books and works of art. The Monastery became even more prominent when Khrimian Hayrik established a publishing house and a school there, hoping to make the monastery an educational center. He founded the first newspaper to be published in historic Armenia, Artziv Vaspurakani, (The Eagle of Vaspurakan). The massacres and deportations of 1915 destroyed Hayrik's hopes and plans, as well as so much more. Varakavank was destroyed by the Turkish army on April 30, 1915, during the siege of Van.

By the sign of your all-victorious cross, O Christ, lover of mankind, keep us from the unseen enemy, for you alone are the King of Glory, blessed forever. On it you stretched out your spotless hands and shed your blood for the salvation of the universe for you alone are the King of Glory, blessed forever. At your second coming when the holy sign shall appear, once again make your servants worthy of renewal for you alone are the King of Glory, blessed forever.

May your cross be our refuge by its flame-like radiance; it is named the tree of life; you crushed the enemy and unloosed the sentence of death for the salvation of the universe. Sending up praises the heavens rejoice and the earth rejoices at the discovery of the holy cross like the four-winged rock which enlightened this world by its sun-like rays. Jerusalem rejoiced, believers were glad; they adorned themselves in marvelous garment for they saw the victorious sign; all creation was adorned with its light.

This Saturday, September 26, the Armenian Church commemorates St. George (Kevork) the Commander, a third century Roman general who challenged the Emperor's persecution of Christians by publicly tearing up the Emperor's decree, and urging others to follow his example. To this day he remains a popular saint in the Armenian Church and is the patron saint of soldiers and scouts. As in many other instances, the Armenians have given St. George an Armenian national character. The Feast of St. George is always on the Saturday before the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak.

 

Thursday, September 24, Bishops Barlaam, Anthimus and Irenaeus

Monday, September 28, Saint David of Dvin

Tuesday, September 29, Saint Eustace

- Mrs. SHAKE CHITCHYAN, passed on Thursday, September 17, 2020. A Wake service were held on Monday, September 21, 2020. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, all at St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family. May she rest in peace.

- Mrs. Sonia Givelekian, Mr. & Mrs. Arthur and Annette Givelekian and children Lara and Aris, Mr. & Mrs. Berj and Lucy Kazanjian and children Ariana and Tomas request requiem service for the soul of their beloved husband, father and grandfather BEDROS GIVELEKIAN (7th year memorial service). Also for the souls of beloved parents, grandparents and great grandparents  HARUTIUN and NEVRIG DONIKIAN, KIRKOR and DICRANUHI GIVELEKIAN.   

 

-Տէր եւ Տիկին Մարտիրոս, Մարիա Եփրեմեան եւ զաւակունք Սեւակ եւ Արեւ, Տիկին Անի Ներսէսեան, Տէր եւ Տիկին Վարդգէս Եփրեմեան, Տէր եւ Տիկին Ալէքս եւ Մարիա Պէշիրեան եւ զաւակունք Քրիս,Տէր եւ Տիկին Յակոբ եւ Լիանա Ներսէսեան եւ Տէր եւ Տիկին Անդնի եւ Քրիստին Նաբոլի Հոգեհանգստեան պաշտօն կը խնդրեն իրենց մօր Եւ մեծ մօր Ազնիւ Եփրեմեան ի  մահուան Առաջին տարելիցին առթիւ նոյնպէս իրենց հօր եւ մեծ հօր Սեդրակ Եփրեմեանի մահուան  24րդ տարելիցին առթիւ։

 

-Տէր եւ Տիկին Մարտիրոս , Մարիա Եփրեմեան եւ զաւակունք Սեւակ եւ Արեւ եւ Լենա եւ Անի Շամլեաններ հոգեհանգստեան պաշտօն կը խնդրեն իրենց Մօր եւ  մեծ Մօր Սօնա Շամլեան ի մահուան 15րդ տարելիցին առթիւ ,նոյնպէս իրենց հօր եւ մեծ հօր Վարդգէս Շամլեանի մահուան  29 րդ տարելիցին առթիւ ինչպէս նաեւ իրենց հարազատին Ռօզին Քէչէպաշեանի մահուան 3րդ տարելիցին առթիւ.

 

-Տէր եւ Տիկին Մարտիրոս եւ Մարիա Եփրեմեան եւ ընտանիք հոգեհանգստեան պաշտօն կը խնդրէ իրենց ընկերոջ Վարդան Առաքէլեանի մահուան Քառասունքին առթիւ (Մահացած Հալէպ).

-Յարութիւնեան ընտանիք հոգեհանգստեան արարողութիւն կը խնդրէ իրենց հարազատին՝ ԷՄՄԱ ԱԶԱՐԻԿԵԱՆի հոգւոյն ի հանգիստ (Մահացած՝ Հալէպ-Սուրիա)։