October 13

TOP STORY   

Feast of the Holy Translators

The Invincible Philosopher! The Master of Mystic Poetry! The Wartime Chronicler! The Grace-Filled Patriarch! The Man of a Dozen Tongues!

It could be the line-up of characters for a new super-hero flick. But in fact, each is a saint of the Armenian Church—David, Narek, Yeghishe, Nersess, Mashdots—remembered together (along with others) as a distinctive “team” known as the Holy Translators. This Saturday, October 14, is their annual feast day.

Whether super or not, the Holy Translators were genuine heroes—and powerful ones, at that. Endowed with rare qualities of imagination and vision, they helped to forge a national identity for the Armenian people—using simple words and humble faith as their primary tools.

It’s an identity that has outlasted empires, overcome persecution, and attained the heights of civilization. Most remarkable of all, it has endured to the present day—and is ready to be embraced by all of us.

This Saturday, try to reflect on the great power we’ve inherited—and the great responsibility that goes with it. Learn more about the Holy Translators by clicking here.

October 15, 2023

Morning Service 

10:00 AM

Holy Badarak 

10:30 AM

Celebrant

Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan

Usher

Sara Arabian

Parish Council Members on Duty

Sean McClure

Choir

Mrs. Edita Kalayjian

Organist

Mrs. Karine Muradyan

Bible Readings: 

Isaiah 19:1-11

Galatians 2:1-10

Mark 12:35-44

For the Soul of :

Maria Ghazarian (1st anniversary) 

Requested by:

Kevork Ghazarian & Taleen Ghazarian

For the Souls of :

Nubar Sahakyan (4th anniversary) 

Yervant Missirian (7th anniversary)

Missak Missirian (11th anniversary),

and deceased loved ones of Sahakyan, Missirian, and Joukhian Families

Requested by:

Raffi, Shoghig, Andre and Aram Sahakyan

Hospitality Table is Hosted by:

Sahakyan family

Altar Flowers are donated by:

Kevork Ghazarian

-------------------------------------------

To request a Hokehankist/Requiem Service 

Please contact the Church Office

by 12:00 Noon on Thursday

202-363-1923

or Click here to see the form

Prayer of the Week

Lord, please keep watch over your faithful people, strengthen those fleeing persecution, and protect the holy soil of Armenia—now and always. Foil every aggressor against our homeland. Defend the innocent and voiceless, Lord. Preserve the name and spirit of Artsakh in our hearts, forever. Console all those who grieve, and remember those who sacrificed their very lives in your Name. Deliver your faithful children from conflict, and bestow your peace on all mankind.

    With your peace, Christ our savior, which surpasses all understanding and speech, defends us and keeps us fearless of all evil. Make us equal to your true worshipers, who worship you in spirit and in truth; for to the most - holy Trinity is befitting glory, dominion, and honor, now and always. Amen.

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

75th Food and Culture Event- Together We Can Do Wonders

The 75th Fall Food Festival was held with mixed emotions. In the wake of the ongoing tragedies in Artsakh directly impacting our brothers and sisters, St. Mary Armenian Church community carried on its annual Food and Cultural event.

This year was extra special as we witnessed an overwhelming number of volunteers from all ages who came to participate in the many workshops organized by the Women’s Guild Executive Committee and prepared several dishes from wrapping grape leaves, making triangle and tepsi boreg, several sweets and more. 

In addition, the Bake Table once again was filled with a variety of homemade sweets made by our generous parishioners and served by cheerful volunteers. We are deeply grateful for their tireless efforts and dedication.

This year’s event included a fundraising corner special for our Artsakhtsis to lend a helping hand during these extremely challenging times.  Nayiree Sarkisian, Nicolette Blackwell and Maxine Turner joined forces with Ayo! Ayo (weareayo.org)  a fundraising platform of Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) that emphasizes the power of the Armenian people and their ability to make positive changes in their society. The 3 volunteers sold greeting cards and postcards painted by 14-year-old Tatev Mkrtchyan, a student from Stepanakert. They also sold hand-painted pumpkins with Armenian designs. By the end of the festival, they collected close to $3k . We are indebted to all those who took the initiative, made themselves available and contributed to this drive.

For the first time we offered church sanctuary tours for those who were interested in learning about our faith and place of worship. We are blessed to have Anahit Tevosyan with her heartwarming approach and devotion in answering the call to this service.

Our staple White Elephant Table was decorated with treasures kindly donated by our parishioners. We are indebted to Malvina Brown and all the volunteers who manned and oversaw the operation during the festival.

To the Gift Shop committee of St. Mary Church, and their volunteers, we extend our heartfelt thankfulness for their hospitality and offerings of a variety of beverages and goodies imported from Armenia.

The Food and Culture Festival is one of the main activities the Parish Council of St. Mary Church takes upon themselves to plan and execute. Every member’s efforts (tzerk tzerki dalov) along with the army of volunteers, whether behind the scenes prior to the event, during and after the festival, resulted in the success of the 3-day extravaganza. To mention each name of the workforce behind this event, we would need a few pages to fill. The names are engraved in our Book of St. Mary Church Servants of God!

Of course, it goes without saying, we are deeply moved by the number of our business and community supporters. Their generosity and participation directly contributed to our achievement.

Once more we extend a heartfelt thank you to Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan for his spiritual guidance, encouragement, and unwavering support. We all came together in the spirit of togetherness working for the same cause without seeking applause.

We look forward to seeing you all in Spring 2024! 

ACYOA Fundraiser



With the heartbreaking news of Artsakh, the time to mobilize aid is now. Already, volunteers from St. Mary's ACYOA chapter raised over $3,000 for bedding kits, heaters, and coats for refugees last weekend. But more help is needed. ACYOA is hosting a fundraiser for the refugees from Artsakh. We encourage people to share the poster on social media and make personal invitations to all friends - especially those who don't have an Armenian heritage or aren't familiar with the situation in Artsakh. We need to educate people outside the Armenian community on the needs of Armenians fleeing violence. The event will be the first Saturday in November (4th) and is from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. You are welcome to bring food if desired. If there are any questions, do not hesitate to ask ACYOA Chairman Alex Madajian: alexmm1112@gmail.com or 805-400-5168

Prayer for Healing Service & Bible Study at St. Mary

On October 10, the St. Mary's Church echoed with prayers and harmonious psalms as the congregation came together for the Prayer for Healing service and Bible study. The essence of the evening was the profound exploration of the passage from Matthew 12:9-14, recounting the healing of the man with a withered hand.

The Bible study delved deep into the narrative, which juxtaposes the values of compassion and legalism. The story begins with Jesus entering the synagogue, where He is challenged by the Pharisees about the act of healing on the Sabbath. Jesus, employing wisdom and tenderness, responds by questioning the moral fabric of their query. “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."



The narrative’s climax is the miraculous moment when Jesus asks the man with the withered hand to stretch it out, and as he does, it's restored, as healthy as the other. This act is a direct challenge to the rigid legalism displayed by the Pharisees.

The evening included reflections and prayers, invoking the same compassion and wisdom that Jesus displayed. Those in attendance were reminded of the significance of placing love, empathy, and understanding above stringent traditions and always seeking the true spirit of God's word.

Prayer of Healing and Bible Discussions will continue to be offered every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. 

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!

DIOCESAN & OTHER NEWS

The Episcopal Consecration of Our Primate

With great joy, the Eastern Diocese is pleased to announce that His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, consecrated the Primate of the Eastern Diocese to the episcopal rank, in a stirring and solemn ceremony at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The service of consecration took place October 8. On October 9, the new Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan celebrated his first Divine Liturgy (antranig badarak) as a bishop, at the historic Church of St. Gayane.

In the wake of these events, Bishop Mesrop sent a special message to the faithful of our Diocese. “I am keenly aware that this isn’t a conclusion,” he wrote. “Instead, it’s a profound beginning. A bishop is not a solitary figure but a shepherd, a guide, a servant-leader in the truest sense. My task now is to nourish my people’s spiritual well-being and advocate for love, justice, and understanding.

“As I move forward in my journey, I carry with me the wisdom of those who came before me and the hopes of those who will come after. I aim to serve with humility, lead with integrity, and love without conditions. I am deeply committed to being a servant-leader, following in the footsteps of Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve.”

Bishop Mesrop concluded: “I am grateful for this calling and the countless blessings shaping my path so far. I ask for your prayers and support as I take this significant step, embracing the opportunities and challenges it brings. May God guide us all in our endeavors to manifest His love in our world.”

Please click the following links to:

• WATCH a short video montage of the ordination service.
• WATCH a recording of the full service.
• VIEW photo galleries of the Episcopal Ordination and its surrounding ceremonies.
• VIEW photos of Bishop Mesrop’s antranig badarak.

Most of all, please join the faithful of our Diocese in praying for the health and prosperity of our Primate. May our risen Lord grant strength and wisdom to our new Bishop Mesrop, and guide him always along the path of holiness.

Reach Out Through the Diocesan-Wide “Artsakh Refugee Fund”

In a message to the Diocesan faithful early this month, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan announced a Diocesan-wide fundraising effort to bring aid to Artsakh refugees now forced to flee the land of their birth.

The “Artsakh Refugee Fund” was announced in all our parishes as a unified effort of the entire Eastern Diocese to respond to this time of grave crisis for the Armenian people.

You can support the Eastern Diocese’s “Artsakh Refugee Fund” by making an online contribution. Please note that all the fundraising proceeds will go to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for direct distribution to the Artsakh refugees.

Click here to donate now, using the Diocese’s secure server. Make sure to select “Artsakh Refugee Fund” from the dropdown menu.

In addition, our Diocese’s Fund for Armenian Relief is doing urgently needed work to help the refugee population, including on-the-ground, person-to-person efforts through its Ayo! crowdfunding platform. (See the FAR item below for links.)

Please lend a helping hand to this effort and keep our sisters and brothers of Artsakh in your prayers during these urgent times. May God support and protect our people.

UPCOMING EVENTS

“The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalms 147

Prayers for Healing

Աղօթք Բժշկութեան

Join us in this ancient Armenian Church tradition:

A brief prayer service, holy Scripture, and blessing of holy water asking God to ease the pains of body, mind, and soul and bestow his peace.

The Bible Discussions on the healing miracles of our Lord will follow the services.

Prayer of Healing and Bible Discussions will be offered every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

ALL ARE WELCOME

St. Nersess to Honor 12 Priests and Lay Alumni on Nov. 4



St. Nersess Armenian Seminary will highlight the vocations of 12 alumni priests and lay ministers, with a gala banquet on Saturday, November 4, 2023.

This will be the second in a series of tribute events featuring alumni of St. Nersess who serve the Armenian Church in various capacities. The first celebration took place in November 2021 and established the “12 Vocations” theme. The upcoming event will build on that idea, under the title: “12 Vocations: Broadening the Call.”

This year, the event will honor a seminary graduate who became a hierarch of the Armenian Church: Archbishop Avak Asadourian (priestly ordination in 1977, episcopal consecration in 1982), who recently retired after a long tenure as Primate of the Diocese of Iraq.

He will be honored along with seven clergymen and four lay ministers—listed here by ordination or graduation date: Fr. Krikor Sabounjian (ordained 1998); Fr. Sarkis Petoyan (ordained 1998); Fr. Abraham Ohanessian (ordained 1999); Fr. Mikael Devejian (ordained 2000); Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan (ordained 2004); Fr. Aren Jebejian (ordained 2004); Fr. Bedros Kadehjian (ordained 2005); Mka. Valerie Goekjian Zahirsky (graduated 1974); Yn. Sirarpi Feredjian Aivazian (graduated 1978); Nancy Basmajian (graduated 1979); and Shaké Ajamian Derderian (graduated 1989).

Invitations and further details on the November 4 banquet will be coming soon. Contact event co-chair Lynn Beylerian at lynnbeylerian@gmail.com or access the seminary website: www.stnersess.edu. 

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 15 Lecture on St. Nerses Shnorhali by Dr. Jesse S. Arlen -Director of Zohrab Center

October 28 Gift Shop 12th Anniversary Celebration POSTPONED Date TBD

October 29  Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross

October 29 Family Worship Sunday (Babysitting will be provided)

October 29 Shnorhali School Talent Show

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

December 9   Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary

December 10 Celebration Of the 91st Anniversary of the Church

December 24 Shnorhali School Christmas Celebration

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:" 'The Lord said to my Lord:"Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."' 37 David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight. 38 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely." 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on."

Mark 12:35-44

35 Մինչ Յիսուս ուսուցանում էր տաճարում, հարց տուեց ժողովրդին ու ասաց. «Ինչպէ՞ս են ասում օրէնսգէտները, թէ Քրիստոս Դաւթի Որդի է, 36 մինչ Դաւիթն ինքը Սուրբ Հոգով ասում է. "Տէրն իմ Տիրոջն ասաց. նստի՛ր իմ աջում, մինչեւ որ քո թշնամիներին քո ոտքերի համար պատուանդան դնեմ"։ 37 Արդ, եթէ Դաւիթն ինքն իսկ նրան Տէր է կոչում, ինչպէ՞ս նրա Որդին կը լինի»։ Եւ շատ ժողովուրդ նրան լսում էր սիրով։ 38 Եւ սովորեցնելով՝ նա իր ուսուցման ընթացքում ասում էր. «Զգո՛յշ եղէք այդ օրէնսգէտներից, որ ուզում են աչքի զարնող զգեստներով ման գալ, հրապարակներում յարգանքի ողջոյններ որոնել, 39 ժողովարաններում՝ առաջին աթոռները եւ ընթրիքների ժամանակ՝ պատուոյ տեղերը։ 40 Նրանք ուտում են այրիների տները, ցուցադրաբար երկարացնում են աղօթքները, որպէսզի աւելի խիստ դատաստան ընդունեն»։ 41 Յիսուս կանգնած էր գանձանակի դիմաց. դիտում էր, թէ ինչպէս ժողովուրդը պղինձ դրամ է գցում գանձանակի մէջ։ Եւ շատ մեծահարուստներ շատ բան գցեցին։ 42 Մի այրի կին եկաւ եւ երկու լումայ գցեց, որ մի գրոշ է։ 43 Եւ Յիսուս իր մօտ կանչելով իր աշակերտներին՝ նրանց ասաց. «Ճշմարիտ եմ ասում ձեզ, որ այդ չքաւոր այրին աւելի շատ գցեց, քան գանձանակի մէջ միւս բոլոր դրամ գցողները, 44 քանի որ ամէնքը իրենց աւելորդից գցեցին, իսկ նա, իր չքաւորութիւնից, գցեց ամէն ինչ, որ ունէր՝ իր ամբողջ ապրուստը»։

Մարկոս 12:35-44

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