Entries by stjohn

EVERY SEASON COUNTS

In 2007, after graduating from the University of Strasbourg, I returned to Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness appointed me as Deputy Chancellor. I found myself working in the Divanatun, at the chancellery, surrounded by letters, documents, and speeches. My days were filled with writing, editing, revising—again and again. Each word had to be chosen carefully. Each sentence had to be refined until it carried the right meaning.

To be honest, I was not happy in those days. I wondered, Is this really what God has called me to do? I did not see purpose in the endless hours of rewriting and polishing. I thought perhaps my gifts were meant for something else.

WORDS THAT MATTER

We often wonder if our words matter, if our small efforts of kindness, encouragement, or truth-telling make any real difference in this noisy, crowded world. And the answer is: yes, it does! In Isaiah 50:4, the prophet says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.”

God desires to speak through us. Not just through prophets, priests or bishops, but through you. Through your quiet words of comfort to a grieving friend. Through your choice to bless rather than curse. Through your decision to speak hope when others are only speaking fear. Every time you do this, you are echoing heaven.

FEAST OF SAINTS FEBRONIA, MARIANA, AND SHOUSHAN

On Tuesday, September 23, the Armenian Church remembers Febronia, Mariana, and Shoushan. The best known of the three is Shoushan, daughter of Vartan Mamigonian and great-granddaughter of Sahag Bartev. She was educated under the tutelage of St. Sahag and her …

ST. JOHN ARMENIAN CHURCH OF MILWAUKEE TO HOST 2026 ARMENIAN CHURCH DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY

St. John the Baptist Armenian Church of Milwaukee is honored to announce that it will serve as the host parish for the 2026 Diocesan Assembly of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America. The Assembly will bring together clergy, delegates, and lay leaders from Armenian parishes across the Eastern United States for several days of worship, governance, and fellowship.

The 2026 Diocesan Assembly will take place in Spring 2026, with dates, program details, and registration information to be made available in December 2025.

TASTE AND SEE

When I was a teenager serving on the altar at St. Sarkis Church, one of my favorite moments in the Badarak was just before communion, when we sang the hymn “Blessed is God.” I especially loved the line, “Taste and see that the Lord is good, Alleluia.” At that age, my joy was simple but profound—I loved the taste of the Holy Communion. It was sweet, unforgettable, and even today, when I sit down to write, I can still recall that taste as though it happened yesterday.

But as I grew older and entered seminary, I began to see that these words point to something much deeper than bread and wine. They are an invitation, a call from God Himself, to be in communion with Him, so that we don’t simply know about His goodness, but truly experience it.

DEATH OF QUEEN MELISENDE

Melisende was the first queen of Jerusalem, and her rule represented the apogee of royal power in the Latin kingdom during the twelfth century.

Melisende, the eldest of four sisters, was born around 1105. Her father Baldwin of Bourcq, Count of Edessa, had married Morphia, a daughter of the Armenian prince Gabriel of Melitene, a Greek Orthodox Armenian. Although the reasons for the marriage were political – Baldwin benefited greatly from the support of the Armenian nobility and the great dowry Morphia brought with her – the spouses became close allies over time.

When Baldwin became king of Jerusalem as Baldwin II in 1118, he moved his wife and four daughters to the holy city. He campaigned …

BACK ON TRACK

One of the very first words I picked up when I moved to New York City back in 2017 was the word “commuter.” If you’ve lived in or around this city, you know exactly what it means. A commuter is someone who’s always on the move. They wake up early, grab their coffee, and head to the train, bus, or subway. Rain or shine, snow or summer—they’re going. They have somewhere to be.

I remember one morning, in my early days in the city, I got on the wrong train. I was supposed to be going downtown, but the train started heading uptown. For a moment, I panicked. I felt confused and disoriented. But then it hit me: there’s always a way back. I simply got off at the next stop, crossed the platform, and caught the train going the right way.

EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Khachverats), last of the five Tabernacle Feasts, is observed on Sunday closest to September 14, in the Armenian Orthodox Church.

KEEP PUSHING

Have you ever noticed how the first part of a workout feels easy, almost effortless? For me, it’s like that with push-ups. At the beginning, I feel strong. But when I get to the last two or three, that’s when the struggle kicks in. My arms are shaking, my mind is telling me, “Stop. This is painful. You can’t go any further.”

But here’s the truth: those last painful ones are the ones that make me stronger. The discomfort and pressure are temporary, but the results—the strength, the growth—last for a long time.

Life works the same way. The breakthrough rarely comes at a time when everything feels comfortable. It comes when you press through the pain, when you keep going even though it hurts. That’s the moment when God is stretching you, enlarging your capacity, preparing you for the next level of your journey.

THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF NICAEA

The Nicean Council called to convene by Emperor Constantine the Great upon the recommendation of church leaders. Constantine invited 1,800 bishops of the Christian Church within the vast Roman Empire. The number attending varies, but the number 318 has come to be the agreed official number of delegates.