Join us Sundays for worship
Divine Liturgy: 10:00am
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38 Elton Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
617-924-7562
Pastor: Rev. Arch. Antranig Baljian
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E-bulletin- August 13, 2021 |
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Program - Sunday, August 15, 2021
ՏՕՆ ՎԵՐԱՓՈԽՄԱՆ ՍՈՒՐԲ ԱՍՏՈՒԱԾԱԾՆԻ
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION
OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
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Annual Church Picnic - SUNDAY! |
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Bring your blankets and chairs! Bring your dancing shoes!
We look forward to seeing you all as a community for a fun Sunday afternoon while supporting our church.
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Light Your Virtual Candle on Asdvadzadzin |
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On the occasion of Assumption - Asdvadzadzin, consider lighting a virtual candle or offering a prayer.
Lighting a candle is a way of extending one's prayer and showing solidarity with the person on whose behalf the prayer is offered.
Please join our Facebook fundraising campaign
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FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER-OF-GOD |
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The Blessed Virgin Mary holds a high place in the Armenian Church, next to Christ. We begin our Divine Liturgy with these words, “Through the intercession of the holy Mother of God, O Lord, receive our supplications and save us.”
The Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God is a non-variable commemoration and the oldest of all those dedicated to St. Mary. The Armenian Church celebrates this feast day on the nearest Sunday to August 15; a practice adopted at the time of St. Nersess the Graceful.
In every Armenian Church the painting on the main altar is of Mary, holding the infant Savior. The Gospels teach us that Mary was blessed and called by God to fulfill God’s divine plan of salvation. Mary has a primary place of honor because through her and by the Holy Spirit God became incarnate, became human.
This Sunday is the name day for those named Mariam, Maro, Mary, Mari, Makrouhi, Mayrenie, Maroush, Serpouhi, Dirouhi, Takouhi, Lousig, Lousnag, Arousiag, Arpine, Markarid, Nazig, Azniv, Seta, Dzaghig, Verjin, Arshalouys.
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THE BLESSING OF GRAPES | KHAGHOGH ORHNEK |
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On the Feast of the Assumption, the blessing of grapes takes place. The ceremony is rich in symbolism and emphasizes the important role the Virgin Mary assumed in the revelation of God.
The custom of blessing grapes, the first fruits of the harvest, can be traced back to Old Testament times, when farming was a common vocation. Of the vast variety of produce, grapes had a special place of honor and were considered the “first fruits” because they were the first produce of harvest.
Among the Israelites, as among many neighboring cultures, grapes were regarded as belonging in a special way to God since they were the first fruits. It was He who gave the gift of the whole harvest and to offer Him the first fruits was to acknowledge complete dependence on Him. Special services of thanksgiving were conducted by priests in the temple, a tradition that prevailed to the time of Christ.
With the birth of Jesus, these dedications took on a new meaning. Jesus Christ was the first born—or the first fruit—of Mary and, as such, was offered to God in the temple. (Luke 2:25-30)
Armenian Church doctrine teaches that Mary has a primary place of honor because it was of her and by the Holy Spirit that God became incarnate (took human flesh). She is seen as the image of humanity fully obedient to God and ultimately sanctified by doing God’s will. Therefore, on the feast remembering her Dormition (falling asleep in Christ) and Assumption (ascending to heaven), we celebrate the blessing of grapes.
Christ gave His blood to us for eternal life, and in remembrance we bless the grapes, the fruits of the earth.
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URGENT: LET’S STAND FOR THE ARMENIANS OF LEBANON |
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A year of painful silence has followed the explosion at the Beirut port, which devastated a society that was already burdened by an ever deepening socio-economic and political crisis, along with the coronavirus pandemic. With his Pontifical Appeal, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I has reached out to Armenian communities throughout the world, sharing with them the unbearable suffering of our brothers and sisters in Lebanon.
A spiraling depreciation of the Lebanese pound has followed a liquidity crisis, causing the currency to lose more than 90 percent of its value, jumping from 1,500 Lebanese pounds against the dollar to 20,000 pounds. The average income of a family is 100 dollars per month, and that’s only if they are lucky to have a job. With this income, a father or a mother can buy only four cans of milk for their child. The rest is a work of mystery and miracle.
Thanks to our religious and charity organizations in Lebanon, they are doing their utmost to save our valuable families and Institutions from a collapse.
This is the sole reason why we appeal to your generosity, once again, to support those who are in dire need of basic items for their survival.
May God bless you richly and grant you health and success in all your endeavors.
Prelate
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The situation in Lebanon is desire, and our brothers and sisters need our help.
Any amount is welcome and contributions can be me online or sent to Prelacy Offices in New York.
Online
Check
Please make checks payable to:
Armenian Apostolic Church of America
memo "Lebanon"
138 E 39th Street, New York, NY 10016
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It's that time of year again!
Visit our website to learn more about school openings and registration information!
We can't wait to welcome our students back!
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Daily Readings:
Divine Liturgy: Song of Songs 4:9-15, 8.14;
Isa. 7:10-16, Gal. 3:29-4:7, Luke 2:1-7
Blessing of Grapes: Prov. 3:9-10,
Isa. 65:8-10, Heb. 6:16-7, John 15:1-8
The Gospel
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
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MEMBERSHIP DUES:
REORGANIZING AND EXPANDING OUR MISSION
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At the Prelacy we spare no effort to modernize our capabilities to keep pace with the times. We are reorganizing and expanding our mission to strengthen the Church, the house of God and ours. The Membership Dues are one of the means to express your support. Thank you in advance for your contribution. |
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Prelacy Raffle Tickets NOW AVAILABLE |
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For many decades, the Prelacy has sponsored an annual raffle drawing that benefits its educational and religious programs.
The year's Prelacy raffle drawing will take place on September 12. Tickets can be purchased online for $100 each.
1st Prize $5,000.00
2nd Prize $2,000.00
3rd Prize $1,000.00
4th Prize $1,000.00
5th Prize $1,000.00
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WORCESTER PARISH SPONSORS 29 CHILDREN OF WAR MARTYRS; MORE SPONSORS NEEDED
In response to the Prelacy’s appeal to support the families of martyred Armenian soldiers, Rev. Fr. Torkom Chorbajian, Pastor, and the Board of Trustees of Holy Trinity Church of Worcester, Massachusetts, called upon the parish, who has undertaken the sponsorship of 29 children who lost their fathers in the Turkish-Azerbaijani war against Armenia last year. Our thanks to all sponsors, wishing that this example may have followers.
Unfortunately, new names were added this week and we currently have a total of 144 children, orphans of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Artsakh war, waiting for your assistance in the lists of the St. Nerses the Great Organization in Armenia.
Click here for online sponsorship of minors up to the age of 18.
Click here for online sponsorship of orphans who become students at a higher education institution upon turning 18.
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Prelacy Armenia Orphan Summer Camp |
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PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TODAY
and support the efforts to bring some joy and laughter into these children's lives.
Checks may be made payable to
Armenian Apostolic Church of America
Memo: “Summer Camp”
138 E 39th Street, New York, NY 10016
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Community News and Events |
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