Entries by stjohn

DEATH OF LUTHER SIMJIAN

Լuther Simjian was born in Aintab (Cilicia) on January 28, 1905. He lost his mother when he was only a few months old; his father later remarried and had two daughters. The family fled to Aleppo during the Genocide and only returned to Aintab in 1920 during the brief French mandate over Cilicia. Simjian’s stepmother and half-sisters were killed in Marash. Eventually he escaped to Beirut and then came to the United States via France at the end of 1920. He first settled in New Haven, Connecticut, where he lived with an uncle and graduated from Booth Preparatory School.

Simjian began working as a technician at the photography lab of the Yale School of Medicine. In 1928 he founded and became the first director of the photography department, which he headed until 1934.

STOP GOING IN CIRCLES

A man who was on a diet decided to pray for guidance. He said, “Lord, if You don’t want me to get donuts this morning, let there be no parking spots in front of the donut shop.” But he had to give in to the donuts because, sure enough, after his 20th time around the block, there was a parking spot right in front of the door.

Isn’t that how we can be sometimes? We pray for direction, for God to help us make the right decisions, but if we’re honest, sometimes we already have our minds made up. We circle the same situations, looking for a way to justify doing what we want, rather than what’s best for us.

THE HOLY EVANGELISTS

On Saturday, October 19, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors of the four Gospels…

COMMEMORATION OF ST. DIONYSIUS OF AREOPAGUS, THE APOSTLES TIMOTHY & TITUS

According to the tradition Dionysius of Areopagus (Areopagite) is the disciple of the Apostle Peter. He is the first Bishop of the newly founded Church of Athens. He has converted to Christianity after listening to the sermon of the Apostle Peter He has witnessed the Assumption of St. Mary, the Holy Mother of God. He has preached the Word of God in Rome, Germany, Spain, Galia (France). He is considered to be the author of many theological works.

THE FEAST OF THE HOLY TRANSLATORS

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Translators. When we hear the word “translator,” we might think of someone who takes words from one language and turns them into another, making sure the message is clear. But the work of our Holy Translators goes much deeper than that. It’s not just about words on a page—it’s about taking the living, breathing Word of God and making it come alive, making it real and relevant in the hearts and lives of people.

We remember and honor giants like Sts. Sahag, Mesrop Mashdots, Yeghishé, Movses the Grammarian, and David the Invincible, these heroes from the 5th century who gave us the Armenian alphabet.

BIRTH OF ZAREH KHRAKHOUNI

Zareh Khrakhouni (pen name of Arto Jumbushian) was born in Constantinople on October 16, 1926. After starting his education at Kapamajian School, in 1935 he continued his studies at the Mekhitarian Secondary College of the Viennese Mekhitarists, from which he graduated in 1945. He studied philosophy, law, and literature at Istanbul University, graduating in 1951. He followed a course in literature and art history in Paris.

He published his first poem in 1948. From 1952-1958, he taught philosophy, psychology, and Armenian language at Esayan School in Constantinople. He also taught at the Getronagan Lyceum, where he was also the vice principal.

HOLY MURON: SIGN OF OUR UNION IN CHRIST

Last Friday, [October 4, 2024] I had the great honor of bringing the newly blessed Holy Muron from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to our beloved Eastern Diocese. In a special service at St. Vartan Cathedral, I gathered with our clergy to distribute this sacred anointing oil, which will be shared with parishes across the diocese. This was a powerful reminder of the unity of our worldwide Armenian Church.

Think about this: all the different kinds of perfumes, incenses, and flowers gathered from the four corners of the world in Holy Etchmiadzin, blessed by our Catholicos…

DON’T MISS THE MELODY OF HOPE

Back in 2007, right in the heart of Washington, D.C., a busy subway station buzzed with life. It was a chilly January morning, and commuters rushed by, eager to get on with their day. There, against a wall, stood a man with a violin. For 45 minutes, he played six beautiful, intricate classical pieces. Over 1,000 people passed by him, but only a handful stopped to listen. At the end of his performance, this man had collected just $32 in his violin case.

What those commuters didn’t know is that this wasn’t just any violinist. This was Joshua Bell, a world-renowned classical violinist. He was playing a violin worth $3.5 million, and the pieces he performed are considered some of the most challenging and beautiful ever composed.

FEAST OF THE HOLY TRANSLATORS

The October commemoration of the Feast of the Holy Translators focuses on the creation of the Armenian alphabet (406) and on the accomplishments of the Holy Translators. Mesrob Mashdots, the founder of the alphabet, and Catholicos Sahag, together with some of their students…

THE HEAVEN ON EARTH

Every Sunday, when we come to the Lord’s Table and receive the Holy Communion, we step into something that goes beyond this world. God invites us to step out of our daily routines, out of our worries and concerns, and into something that transcends everything else. We step into a divine mystery where heaven meets earth.

In our Badarak, we hear these incredible words: “Having come down from heaven, He is distributed among us.” What a beautiful reminder! We are receiving heaven itself right here on earth. The bread we take isn’t just bread—it’s the very body of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the wine? It’s His precious blood. It’s not just a reminder of something that happened 2,000 years ago. It is the living presence of Jesus Christ with us.