St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, Pastor
Address: 4125 Fessenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20016
Tel: 202-363-1923
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Holy Fathers Saints Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria
Early Christianity was rife with controversy, debate, and strife over the fundamental question, “Who is this person, Jesus Christ?” While St. Peter had declared Jesus to be the Christ, the exact understanding of what that meant had to be worked out. Some of the basic tenets of Christian doctrine, things we now take as obvious about Christianity, were up for debate and argument. From the earliest Apostolic Fathers, a range of ideas about how to answer this ultimate question emerged. Over time, the sources and writers of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, determined to be the true answers formed the canonical tradition of Orthodoxy. Other answers deviated from the true, Orthodox answers and were labeled heretical—a departure from the truth that would lead Christians astray. Many of our earliest Christian sources are the attempts to work out the true and right doctrine and to respond to and refute incorrect—heretical—answers to the question, “Who is this person, Jesus Christ?”
In these formative early centuries of Christian thought and doctrine, there are few defenders of Orthodoxy as celebrated as two Patriarchs of Alexandria, St. Athanasius, who lived between 296 or 298 and 373, and St. Cyril of Alexandria, who lived between 376 and 444.
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HOKEHANKIST
REQUIEM SERVICE
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For the Soul of:
Charles Kumkumian (3rd Anniversary)
Requested by:
Greg and Katie Kumkumian, Roxanne and John Schweitzer, Simon and Lenie Kumkumian, and Kegham Anbarjian.
For the Soul of:
Garo Yeghissian (24th Anniversary)
Requested by:
Patricia Yeghissian and family
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To request a Hokehankist/Requiem Service
Please contact the Church Office
by 12:00 Noon on Thursday
202-363-1923 or
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We thank all of our parishioners and friends
for making their
Yughakin, Poinsettias and In Lieu of Christmas Card Donations
On the Occasion of the Feast of Nativity and Theophany of our Lord
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Morning Service
10:00 AM
Holy Badarak
10:30 AM
Celebrant
Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan
Ushers
Mrs. Anna Seferian
Parish Council Members on Duty
Mr.Vazrik Nishanian
Choir
Mrs. Edita Kalayjian
Organist
Mrs. Karine Muradyan
Bible Readings:
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Prayer of the Week
Lord, please keep watch over your faithful people and the holy soil of Artsakh and Armenia, now and always. Grant them strength, and lead us together through the present time of trial.
Look with love, O merciful Father, on the created works of your hand, and grant the camps of the angels to be guardians of our feeble persons. Deliver us from temptation, from the wandering demons of the night, that by day and by night we may give you glory incessantly. Amen.
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Please tune in to St. Mary YouTube channel for the upcoming services and Badaraks |
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Dear Parishioner and Friends,
It is that time of the year again to remind our dear parishioners and friends of their dues and pledges to St. Mary Armenian Church.
As a reminder, the dues are $250 per person and $500 per family and are due by December 31, 2021.
We depend on our faithful donors and their monetary contributions. Your membership dues not only ensure your voting privileges during our annual assembly but also shows your commitment to your church. Your support enables us to continue our mission in preaching the Word of God, reaching out to our community, and bringing the rich and wonderful blessings of our heritage and identity to all for the glory of God.
We thank you for your generous past support and hope you will continue your commitment to your church.
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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. |
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Join Museum of the Bible on January 29, 2022, for a special day celebrating Armenia, the world's first Christian nation. The Armenian people have one of the richest biblical histories and cultures in the world. Their historic lands include the traditional resting place of Noah’s ark and the garden of Eden. Join us as we explore the sacred traditions, Christian culture, and stories of the Armenian people! And it’s all free with a general admission ticket to the museum.
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LAST CALL
LIMITED QUANTITY REMAINED
St. Mary Armenian Church
Legacy Brick Drive
Buy A Brick ... Leave A Legacy
Buy a brick and leave your legacy at St. Mary Armenian Church.
When you buy a brick, it is then engraved with your specified words or message, installed in front of the church, and becomes a memory to view for years to come.
Laser engraved bricks will replace the existing bricks in our Church plaza,
in front of our beautiful Khatchkar, and can be dedicated to those
you wish to remember, honor Loved Ones, commemorate
a special milestone like a baptism or wedding, or
acknowledge an organization or business.
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Teacher Vacancy Announcement
Dear Parish Community,
St. Mary’s Shnorhali Armenian School is looking for an enthusiastic, self-motivated, and devoted individual who has a love for the Armenian language and a passion for helping to educate our children.
We are looking for a vibrant Junior Kindergarten teacher to educate, care for, and inspire the young minds at our Junior Kindergarten group.
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INTEREST SURVEY: St Mary Juniors Online Bible Study for 2022
Are you interested in participating in a Bible Study, but are unable to attend the Sunday morning Youth Bible Study? We have been thinking about forming a teen Bible study group that will meet virtually one evening during the week or on Saturday. If you are interested, please email RebeccaBagdasarian@yahoo.com and include the evenings/times which are good for you to meet.
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Lighting the Way Through Challenging Times
For the second consecutive year, the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus Christ at New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral required navigating the protocols of the ongoing pandemic.
But the joyous service on Thursday, January 6, commemorating God’s gift of salvation to the world, overcame the tribulations of these uncertain times and showed that God’s love and grace can prevail—and illuminate the way before us.
St. Vartan Cathedral Vicar Fr. Davit Karamyan celebrated the Christmas Divine Liturgy. He did so, assisted by deacons, altar servers, and choir members, in place of Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel Findikyan, who had taken ill a few days prior to “Armenian Christmas.” (He is now, following the prescribed quarantine period, in good health once more.)
In a stirring sermon, Fr. Karamyan described how God became incarnate as a human being, in order to bring salvation and “peace on earth among people of goodwill.”
“If we want peace in our lives,” he said, “We must open our hearts to Him; for once Christ is with us, peace reigns and prevails within us.”
During the water blessing (Churohrnek), brothers Nicholas and William Nazarian served as Godfathers of the Cross for the ceremonial remembrance of Christ’s baptism.
Thousands of faithful were able to watch the live broadcast of the badarak on the Eastern Diocese’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, where they received a three-dimensional "virtual" experience of the service.
Click the following links to:
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Catholicos’ Christmas Prayer: Hope and Grace for a Troubled World
His Holiness Karekin II led the Pontifical Divine Liturgy at Yerevan’s cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator, marking the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus Christ, on January 6, 2022.
In a message directed to Armenian faithful throughout the world, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians assured listeners: “With the miraculous mystery of the Nativity of Christ, today once again the hope and grace of salvation descends upon a world troubled by disasters and calamities.”
With fatherly directness, the Catholicos addressed the realities that threaten Armenian society, as it bears the burdens of the pandemic and the 2020 Artsakh war. But he went on to encourage all the faithful to seek a pathway forward, through a mutual embrace of faith and unity.
“We must approach the current difficult situation soberly, rejecting the paths that would draw us away from God, and firmly anchoring our lives in the national and spiritual values that have been passed down through the centuries. These are the guarantors for the survival of our people,” he said. “We all have a sacred duty to the memory of our kinsmen who received the crown of martyrdom for the homeland, to fight altruistically and uncompromisingly, for the sake of our homeland, for the sake of the free life of Artsakh, for the sake of a stable Armenian statehood and the unbroken preservation of our national identity.”
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness led the “Blessing of Water” ceremony. Serving as Godfather of the Cross this year was the distinguished composer and musician David Amalyan.
Click the following links to:
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READ His Holiness’s message in English and Armenian.
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VIEW PHOTOS of the Armenian Christmas badarak in Yerevan.
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WATCH a video digest of the service, including Catholicos Karekin II’s sermon.
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Empowering Armenia’s Scientists
When Dr. Hripsime Mkrtchyan was a child, she would hear from physicians and scholars that the fields of science, and physics, in particular, were not a “woman’s world.” But she didn’t let that stop her. Now 31, Hripsime, holds an advanced degree in physics from Yerevan State University and is a post-doctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She is also involved in cutting-edge projects aimed at improving Armenia’s environment and enhancing education in the sciences. Specifically, she is the founder of Eco Aghb (“Eco Waste”), an enterprise aimed at reducing Yerevan’s waste through recycling—something novel for the city.
Hripsime received a grant from the Fund for Armenian Relief’s Yervant Terzian Armenian Science and Education Fund (ANSEF) to support her research. She applied three times before being accepted in 2020; but now, with financial support from the ANSEF grant, her team continues to explore atmospheric electricity as a way to gauge environmental changes.
ANSEF provides research grants to a select number of scientific groups in Armenia every year, which enables them to continue their research in their home country.
“ANSEF is invaluable to Armenia’s scientific community,” said Dr. Mkrtchyan. “Unfortunately, tangible financial support to those in the scientific field is rare in Armenia. We don’t have mentors either, so we must create empowering systems in science to curb the ‘brain drain’ and encourage the youth to enter technical fields.” Read more on FAR’s blog.
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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING FEASTS AND EVENTS |
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January 29
Armenian Culture Celebration(Bible Museum)
February 13
St. Sarkis carry-out luncheon by Avak Society
February 14
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple
February 20
Annual Parish Assembly
February 28
First day of Great Lent
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PRAYERS FOR SPEEDY RECOVERY FOR |
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Anne Andonian, Aram Andonian, Banous Mary Levon, Hripsime Apkarian, Lucy Badalian, Ellen Boudreau, Mari Dogum, Anahit Greene, Antaram Grigoryan, Susana Grigoryan, Simon Gukasyan, Karen Hatchik, Charles Hoke, Tamara Hramushina, Takvur Hubi, Jo-Anna Jacob, Edward Jamgochian, Yn. Anahid Kalayjian, Meline Kaehn, Michael Kolenick, Jack Kooyoomjian, Anahid Ghazarian Luka, Queen Manoogian, Susanna Mkrtchyan, Virginia (Corkigian) Mule, Paul Murad, Armen Mark Nostrant, Hacik Ozdul, Mary Levon Panossian, Robert Schlee, Tamara Shatvoryan, Bob Semonian, Alyce Tamzarian, Mihran Tavoukjian
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Գալիլիա հասնելու երրորդ օրը Կանա քաղաքում հարսանիք կար։ Եւ Յիսուսի մայրը այնտեղ էր։ 2 Հարսանիքի հրաւիրուեցին նաեւ Յիսուս եւ իր աշակերտները։ 3 Եւ երբ գինին պակասեց, մայրը Յիսուսին ասաց. «Գինի չունեն»։ 4 Եւ Յիսուս նրան ասաց. «Ի՞նչ ես ուզում ինձնից, ո՛վ կին, իմ ժամանակը դեռ չի հասել»։ 5 Նրա մայրը սպասաւորներին ասաց. «Ինչ որ ձեզ ասի, արէ՛ք»։ 6 Այնտեղ կային քարէ վեց թակոյկներ՝ հրեաների սովորութեան համաձայն մաքրուելու համար. նրանցից իւրաքանչիւրը շուրջ հարիւր լիտր տարողութիւն ունէր։ 7 Յիսուս նրանց ասաց. «Լցրէ՛ք այդ թակոյկները ջրով»։ Եւ լցրին բերնէբերան։ 8 Եւ ասաց նրանց. «Հիմա վերցրէ՛ք եւ տարէ՛ք սեղանապետին»։ Եւ նրանք տարան։ 9 Եւ երբ սեղանապետը ճաշակեց գինի դարձած ջուրը ու չէր իմանում, թէ որտեղից է (բայց սպասաւորները, որոնք ջուր լցրին, գիտէին), 10 խօսեց փեսայի հետ ու ասաց. «Ամէն մարդ նախ ընտիր գինին է մատուցում, եւ երբ հարբած են, այն ժամանակ՝ վատը։ Իսկ դու ընտիր գինին մինչեւ հիմա պահել ես»։ 11 Յիսուս այս առաջին նշանն արեց Գալիլիայի Կանա քաղաքում որպէս սկիզբը նշանների եւ յայտնեց իր փառքը, ու նրա աշակերտները հաւատացին նրան։
Հովհաննես 2:1-11
On the third day, a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."4 "Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."They did so, 9, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink, but you have saved the best till now."11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
John 2:1-11
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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.
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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
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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 Sunday after Church services and by appointment, call the church office at 202-363-1923 or send an e-mail to stmarychurchdc@gmail.com
Click here to see the items available for sale in the Gift Store .
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Please check out newly arrived Armenian Souvenirs directly from Artsakh at our Gift Shop. |
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Before COVID 19 and before the 2020 aggression against free and democratic Armenian Artsakh, the number of tourists visiting our second Armenian homeland was nearing 50.000 tourists per year. Today, during the first six months of 2021, the number was less than 1.500. Artsakh’s economy has suffered significantly because of the war. At st Mary’s gift store, we sell souvenirs that arrived directly from Artsakh. By purchasing gifts from Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, we help the people of our homeland; we highlight that our solidarity.
Please visit our store or contact us if interested. We receive coffee-jazzve, souvenir-plates, souvenir magnets, and many more directly from Stepanakert.
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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.
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Signup / Stay Connected with St. Mary Church E-Newsletters and Correspondence.
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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. |
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St. Mary Armenian Church, Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, Pastor
4125 Fessenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20016 | stmarychurchdc@gmail.com
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See what's happening on our social site |
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