Entries by stjohn

BISHOP MESROP’S LENTEN MESSAGE 2025

We have entered the Season of Lent, and I want you to know that I will be praying for each and every one of you as you take this journey of reflection and preparation for the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ at Easter.
Great Lent is a time of many rich traditions in our Armenian Apostolic Church. It’s a time to engage in prayer, fasting, and giving—practices that open the door to God’s grace. I encourage you to take part in them and to be enriched in your spiritual life. Open yourself to the great love that God has for you. Listen for His voice and where it calls you.

Lent also reminds us of our need for repentance and the honest recognition that we are sinners who fall short of God’s glory. To many in the modern world, the very concept of sin seems old-fashioned. Yet, sin is part of our human nature; brokenness is our human condition.

DEATH OF SAMVEL KARAPETIAN

Samvel Karapetian was a researcher and expert of Armenian medieval architecture who specialized in the study of Armenian historical monuments in Armenia, Artsakh, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Iran.

He was born in Yerevan on July 30, 1961. He graduated from the Missak Manouchian School in 1978 and threw himself into the work of surveying and cataloging artifacts of Armenian history and architecture for the next decades. Karapetian surveyed and catalogued thousands of artifacts of Armenian history and architecture during the course of more than two decades.

When he conducted his initial fieldwork in Artsakh in 1979, he discovered that the authorities of Azerbaijan considered the Armenian sites and monuments in this region as belonging to their own Christian Caucasian Albanian ancestors and that Armenian visitors were discouraged.

A NEW SHEPHERD FOR GOD’S FLOCK

Last Saturday was a powerful, unforgettable day. My heart is still overflowing with joy and gratitude because I had the honor of performing my first priestly ordination in our Diocese at St. Sahag Armenian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. We’ve been blessed to witness a divine mystery unfolding right before our eyes: Deacon Serop Krajekian has been transformed into a new creation in the Lord, Father Nersess.

A new priest means a new chapter, a new outpouring of grace, a fresh wind of the Spirit. Just as a baptism fills a family with joy, just as a wedding brings celebration, the St. Sahag community, our Eastern Diocese, and the entire Armenian Church rejoice because God has raised up a shepherd to lead His flock.

A LEGACY OF FAITH AND COURAGE

Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Ghevont, the priest, and his clergy brothers. In the fifth century, when our people faced one of the greatest threats in their history and the Persian Empire sought to erase Armenia’s Christian identity, St. Ghevont and his clergy brothers stood boldly with the Armenian army for their faith and their nation, defying impossible odds.

On the eve of the Battle of Avarayr, May 24, AD 451, when the enemy was closing in, St. Ghevont gathered the soldiers, celebrated Badarak, administered Holy Communion, and even baptized those who had not yet been received into the church. And with his words, he reminded them about the love of God and that no battle, no hardship, not even death itself, could separate them from His love.

BIRTH OF RUPEN SEVAG

Rupen Chilingirian was born on February 28, 1885, in the village of Silivri (Eastern Thrace), near Constantinople. He received his elementary education at the Askanazian school and then at the lyceum of Bardizag until 1901, when he moved to Constantinople. He graduated from the prestigious Berberian School in 1905, when he published his first poem, “Parting Words,” and adopted the pen name Rupen Sevag (sevag meaning “black eyes”). He would become mostly known as a lyrical poet, characterized by freshness and precision of language. He contributed to many publications in the Ottoman capital and abroad.

Sevag pursued medical studies at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). The double massacre of Adana, with 30,000 victims in April 1909, influenced the work of the young poet, who also issued warnings about the impending danger over his compatriots. In 1910, he published his first collection of poetry, aptly entitled The Red Book, where he also touched upon the themes of social injustice, complaint, and rebellion.

VARTAN MAMIGONIAN

Vartan Mamigonian was the leader of the Armenians in the decisive battle of Avarayr, and although outnumbered, the Armenians put up a valiant defense. Vartan and many of his soldiers were killed, but the Persians suffered greater casualties and with this battle the Persians recognized the strong commitment the Armenians had for their Christian faith.

STS. GHEVONT AND PRIESTS

After the battle of Vartanants, a number of priests and deacons were abducted by the Persian king and imprisoned, tortured and martyred. Ghevont is revered as the leader of the group because he was an advisor to Vartan Mamigonian, and is remembered for the inspiring message he delivered on the eve of the battle of Avarayr. Ghevont, who was highly educated, assisted …

SAINTS MARK THE BISHOP, PIONIUS THE PRIEST, CYRIL AND BENJAMIN THE DEACONS

Commemoration of Saints Mark the Bishop, Pionius the Priest, Cyril and Benjamin the Deacons, and Martyrs Abdelmseh, Ormistan, and Sayen.

During the reign of King Yazdegerd I of Persia (399–420), severe persecutions arose against the Christians living in Persia, forcing them to renounce Christianity and return to fire worship. Among the many martyrs of that time was Deacon Benjamin, who, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, fearlessly preached and evangelized, converting many from sorcery to the worship of the true God.

TRAVEL LIGHT

I recently got my travel statistics from Delta and United—37 trips and 103,000 miles in 2024! That’s a whole lot of packing and unpacking! I actually get excited about packing. There’s something about getting ready, organizing what you need, and making sure you’re prepared for where you’re going.

But here’s what I’ve learned—packing well isn’t just about what you take; it’s about what you leave behind. No one brings their entire closet on a trip. You don’t carry unnecessary weight. You bring what’s essential, what will serve you on the journey.

And life is no different. Each of us is on a journey toward the destiny God has prepared for us. Yet, too often, we’re carrying things that don’t belong—burdens that weigh us down, regrets that linger too long, and fears that steal our joy. We carry anxiety over things beyond our control, bitterness over wounds that should have healed, and past failures that God never asked us to bear.

BIRTH OF MIKHAIL VARTANOV

Mikhail Vartanov is considered an important cinematographer and documentarian of his generation noted for his artistic collaboration with Sergei Parajanov and Artavazd Peleshian.
Vartanov was born on February 21, 1937, in Grozny (Chechnya, Russia). He graduated from the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in Moscow (1965). He had a close relationship with filmmaker Sergei Parajanov. He was first acquainted with Parajanov’s work in 1964, when he was still a student, having watched Parajanov’s Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors and the test footage of the unfinished Kiev Frescoes. They met for the first time in 1967, in Armenia, where they discussed the screenplay of The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova) and struck a lifelong friendship.