Eastern Diocese

On Sunday, June 23, Bishop Mesrop visited St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Binghamton, NY. "We gathered as one family in Christ to celebrate Badarak and enjoy our Armenian Christian fellowship," he said.

As part of the service, Bishop Mesrop ordained Nishan Dadian as an acolyte. "Nishan's dedication and faith shine brightly,' the Primate said, "and I have no doubt he will serve with a heart full of love and commitment. Let us continue to support and pray for him as he begins this new journey."

St. Gregory the Illuminator is one of the smaller parishes in our Diocese, but it is rich in history and tradition. "The strength and warmth of this community are truly inspiring, and their commitment to preserving our heritage is commendable," Bishop Mesrop observed.

The Primate thanked pastor Fr. Kapriel Mouradjian, the parish council, altar servers, choir, and all the devoted members of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church for their warm welcome and hospitality.

"May God's blessings continue to shower upon you," he said. "May your hearts be filled with His love, your paths be illuminated by His light, and your lives enriched by His grace. Friends, remember that God is always with us, guiding and blessing us. Keep shining your light, and let's continue to build each other up in love and faith within our Diocese."

Bishop Mesrop spent Monday morning (June 24) at this summer's Vacation Bible School hosted by Holy Martyrs Church in Bayside, NY.

"There's something truly special about witnessing children engage with God's Word. Their eyes sparkle with curiosity, and their voices ring out with excitement, creating a sense of heaven here on Earth," the Primate remarked. "It brought to mind Jesus' words in Matthew 19:14: 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'"

He went on: "It's a powerful reminder that our faith should be vibrant and alive, much like that of a child. These young believers aren't just learning stories—they're internalizing profound biblical truths into their young hearts. Shouldn't we all aspire to approach our faith with the same openness and trust?"

Bishop Mesrop thanked Bayside pastor Fr. Abraham Malkhasyan and the dedicated team at Holy Martyrs for their dedication to nurturing the seeds of faith in the students.

"May God abundantly bless each of you, and may these children's pure, joyful faith inspire us all to draw nearer to Him each day," he said.

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will perform at NYC’s Carnegie Hall on Thursday, June 27, at 8 p.m. in Stern Auditorium. The all-Khachaturian program will showcase the composer’s Violin Concerto and pieces from Spartacus and Gayaneh, under the baton of conductor Sergey Smbatyan, with featured soloist Sergey Khachatryan on violin.

Click below to find links to information and tickets details for the NYC Carnegie Hall concert.

The orchestra will tour three of America’s most prestigious concert halls this summer, including Boston’s Symphony Hall (June 26); Carnegie Hall (June 27); and Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall (June 29).

Armenian State Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall (NYC) - The Armenian Church The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will perform at NYC’s Carnegie Hall on Thursday, June 27, at 8 p.m. in Stern Auditorium. The all-Khachaturian program will showcase the composer’s Violin Concerto and pieces from Spartacus and Gayaneh, under the baton of conductor Sergey Smbatyan, with featu...

Here's a request from an Armenian graduate student seeking recent Armenian college grads from the NY/NJ/CT area. See the flyer here for details.

Who was Zechariah--the obscure, Old Testament prophet the Armenian Church honors this week (on June 25)?

Quite likely you've never read his strange prophetic book--but you might be familiar with some of the vivid images and phrases that emerged from it. It was Zechariah who first gave voice to apocalyptic visions like the Four Horsemen. In the gospels he's referenced again and again by the Evangelists and by Jesus himself.

Learn about Zechariah by clicking to the short essay below, which will have you flipping back and forth between the Old Testament and the New in your Bible.

The Man Who Remembered God - The Armenian Church Every year, the Armenian Church reserves a day in its liturgical calendar to remember one of the more obscure figures of the Old Testament: the Prophet Zechariah. This year his saint day falls on June 25. Zechariah’s collection of prophecies and oracles stands among the last books of the canonical...

Thank you to clergy and altar servers in churches across the Eastern Diocese who are praying on behalf of us all.

God bless all who convey and receive the good news of our Lord today.

On this beautiful Sunday, we are deeply grateful for the gifts of consolation and solidarity, of moral and material support, you continue to show to the Eastern Diocese—now and always.

If it is in your heart, please click on the following link to offer a gift to the Diocese on our secure server:

https://armenianchurch.us/donate/

It's Sunday in the Armenian Church, and we greet you again in the name of Jesus Christ, with love and peace.

In parishes across the Eastern Diocese this morning, our clergy will be offering prayers on behalf of all the faithful. We encourage you to join the faithful in worship and receive the Lord's blessing in person.

Feel free to share this post with others.

New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral is approaching an exciting milestone in its restoration process.

The cathedral is undergoing a major renovation throughout 2024, to repair and restore the structure of the cathedral. Top architects and artisans are undertaking the project.

Sunday, June 30, will be a turning point in the renovation. On that day, following badarak, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan will bless a new cross for the cathedral dome.

This milestone in the life of our Diocesan cathedral will take place on Sunday, June 30. The Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop Mesrop will begin at 10 a.m. The cross-blessing ceremony will follow badarak, on the outdoor cathedral plaza.

The public is cordially invited to join in this uplifting event and the reception that follows—and to bear witness to the blessing of the cathedral’s new cross.

In the photo here, you can see the new cross that in its manufacturing workshop (at left), alongside its future “home” (at right).

Click the link below to read more:
https://armenianchurch.us/a-new-cross-to-grace-st-vartan-cathedral/

Here's a photo of the full entry portal to New York's St. Vartan Cathedral, in honor of Saturday's feast day dedicated to Armenia's 4th-century King Drtad III and Queen Ashkhen.

The bronze relief (installed in 2009) depicts the king and queen on the banks of the Aradzani River (the Eastern Euphrates), receiving the sacrament of Baptism by the hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator, patron saint of Armenia and first Catholicos of its ancestral church.

It's the moment that the Armenians become the world's first Christian nation, in A.D. 301. Our holy Mount Ararat rises behind the figures, and the "dream" of Armenia's mother cathedral, Holy Etchmiadzin--its foundation in A.D. 303 still two years away--hovers in the distance.

The medallion above it all--inspired by a relief on the great Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van--shows the Lord Jesus placing His blessing on all who enter the cathedral.

King Drtad (Tiridates) III and Queen Ashkhen--the Armenian Church saints we'll honor on Saturday, June 22--greet visitors who enter St. Vartan Cathedral in New York.

Portraits of these royal patrons of the church are featured on the magnificent bronze entry doors to the sanctuary. They are shown at the moment of the baptism by the hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Here's a detail of the bronze relief.

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On Saturday (June 22), the Armenian Church remembers King Drtad (Tiridates) and Queen Ashkhen: the Armenian royals at the center of Armenia's conversion to Christianity in A.D. 301.

This fresco dated to 1701, by Naghash Hovnatan, depicts the king and queen along with Drtad's pious sister Khosrovidukht.

CALLING ALL ADULTS AGES 18 AND OLDER!

Do you possess the leadership skills and dedication to serve as a mentor and role model to our campers and make a positive impact on their lives?

St. Vartan Camp is seeking staff members to serve during Session B (July 7-20). For more information, please contact Lerna Lacinian, St. Vartan Camp Administrator, at [email protected] or at (215) 452-8322.

You'll grow in your Armenian Christian faith while you make new friends for life!

This sculpture garden depicting St. Mesrob Mashdots and his revolutionary creation--the Armenian alphabet--stands adjacent to the church consecrated in his name in Oshagan, Armenia.

Today (June 20) is the feast day dedicated to Mashdots, St. Sahag Partev, and the great gift they bestowed on our people. Click below to learn more.

Still Mightier Than the Sword - The Armenian Church It is a rare thing when a national culture is revolutionized by a small group of scholars. But that is exactly what happened in 5th-century Armenia, through the efforts of the Holy Translators. The leaders of the movement—Catholicos Sahag Partev and Mesrob Mashdots—truly gambled when they imagin...

Ordinarily, summer begins a time of relaxed activity in daily life. But in the Armenian Church calendar, the summer months are filled with sacred events and commemorations.

Nearly every day in June, July, and August has a saint or group of saints associated with it. Some are obscure, others well known. But all have stories to tell, and are waiting to be discovered by our faithful.

Click the link below to learn more about the Saints of Summer.

The Saints of Summer - The Armenian Church By the end of June, schools are winding down, summer is gearing up, and many parishioners settle into a more “relaxed” habit of church participation. But in the Armenian Church calendar, the summer months have never been uneventful. Nearly every day in June, July, and August has a saint or group...

The Biblical story of the prophet Daniel--which the Armenian Church remembers with a special feast today (June 18)--has inspired so many imaginative works of art. It's the story of man in mortal crisis, abandoned by the powers of the world--who relies on God alone for his rescue and salvation.

That idea has resonated with Armenians and others through history. Here's a section of the classic 1614 painting of the prophet in the lion's den, by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens.

In the Old Testament story the Armenian Church remembers today (June 18), three youths are forced to choose between fidelity to God and the cruel forces of worldly authority.

Shown here is Toros Roslin's striking 13th-century depiction of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace--and the mysterious fourth figure who guided and protected them.

Learn more about the Feast of St. Daniel and His Companions here:

https://armenianchurch.us/saintly-defiance-5/

In the remarkable Old Testament story we remember today (June 18), three youths are forced to choose between fidelity to God and the cruel forces of worldly authority. It happened in the time of King Nebuchadnezzar (shown below, in a striking illustration by William Blake). But the theme has resonated with Christians--especially Armenians--for centuries, and remains relevant today.

Learn more about the Feast of St. Daniel and His Companions by clicking below.

Saintly Defiance - The Armenian Church This week’s Feast of St. Daniel and His Companions (June 18) is a lesson in fidelity to God over submission to worldly forces. * * * The king ruled over an empire of many nations, and held a great opinion of himself. He had his own image sculpted in a statue of gold, 90 feetRead More

While in Armenia for the Supreme Spiritual Council meeting at Holy Etchmiadzin, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan was blessed to be able to ordain seven new priests to serve the Armenian Church.

The ordination service took place on Sunday, June 16, at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan. Each of these seven young men who knelt before the altar embodied a unique calling, a divine purpose that God had planted in their hearts.

The day was especially meaningful to Bishop Mesrop as it coincided with Father's Day. "Father’s Day is a celebration of fatherhood," he reflected, "and this year, it took on a new meaning for me. I became the spiritual father to these seven new priests, consecrating them and dedicating them to the Lord. As I laid my hands on each candidate, I felt a profound sense of responsibility and joy."

He went on: "This Father’s Day, I am reminded of the ultimate Father, our Heavenly Father, who loves us unconditionally and calls us to follow Him. He is our guide, our protector, and our source of strength. As we honor our earthly fathers today, let us also give thanks to God for His boundless love and grace."

Bishop Mesrop expressed gratitude to the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, "for the opportunity to serve in this sacred role and to witness the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of these newly ordained priests."

Of the new priests, the Primate said: "May they be blessed in their ministry, and may they always feel the presence of God guiding their steps. As they embark on this journey, let us keep them in our prayers, asking the Lord to fill them with His wisdom and love, so they may faithfully shepherd their flocks."

"I encourage all of us to reflect on the fathers and father figures in our lives, both earthly and spiritual," Bishop Mesrop concluded. "Let us honor them with our love and gratitude, and let us strive to be beacons of Christ’s light in our own lives, following the example of those who have guided us in faith. May the Lord bless all fathers and spiritual fathers today and always."

God bless our precious hayrigs on this beautiful Father's Day. Let's keep them in our hearts, and in our prayers.

PLEASE PRAY: On this Sunday, and throughout the days to follow, please pray to our risen Lord to place his protective blessing over Armenia and Artsakh. Pray for the security and well-being of our people, in this difficult time. And pray, too, for the sustenance of our own society in America.

Lord Jesus, please keep watch over your faithful people and the holy soil of Arstakh and Armenia, now and always; grant them strength and lead them through this time of trial. Console all those who grieve, and remember those who sacrificed their very lives in your name. Amen.

On this beautiful Father's Day, we are deeply grateful for the gifts of consolation and solidarity, of moral and material support, you continue to show to the Eastern Diocese—now and always.

If it is in your heart, please click on the following link to offer a gift to the Diocese on our secure server:

https://armenianchurch.us/donate/