Entries by stjohn

TRUSTING GOD’S GREATER PLAN

Back in 2014, I was serving as the Locum Tenens, the acting Primate of the Armenian Church Diocese of France. I was young, 33 years old, and full of vision, ready to step into the role of Primate. My name was considered for the election, but according to the bylaws, you had to be at least 35 years old to qualify. I was two years too young. It felt like a disappointment. I thought, Lord, why would You put this opportunity in front of me if I wasn’t able to take it?

But if I had been elected there, I would have stayed in France. I would have never come to America. I would have never stepped into the calling I’m living today, serving as bishop of one of the biggest and most vibrant Armenian dioceses in the world. And let me tell you, my time in France was a blessing. I treasure the people and the community. But God had a greater plan. What I once saw as a setback was really God leading me to something greater than I ever imagined!

ST. SAHAG BARTEV

This Saturday, February 22, the Armenian Church commemorates Catholicos Sahag (Isaac) Bartev, a strong and great leader who is recognized as one of the greatest saints of the Armenian Church. His accomplishments, even under very difficult political situations, secured the survival of the Armenian nation. He was the son of St. Nerses the Great and a descendant of St…

BIRTH OF HOVHANNES TUMANIAN

The popular long poems and folkloric short stories by Hovhannes Tumanian [Toumanian] turned him into a beloved author of Armenian literature for the past hundred years.

He was born on February 19, 1869, in the village of Dsegh [Tsegh] (province of Lori). His father, Der Tadeos, was the village priest and an offspring of a branch from the princely house of the Mamikonian. The future poet first attended the parochial school of the village (1877-1879) and then a school in Jalaloghli (nowadays Stepanavan) from 1879-1883. It was there he wrote his first poem at the age of 12.

HOLY VOSKIAN PRIESTS

The Armenian Church remembers the Holy Voskian priests—five men who were sent to Rome as ambassadors by the Armenian king, Sanadrook. On the road to Rome they met the Apostle Thaddeus who converted and baptized them…

COMMEMORATION OF STS. VOSKIANS PRIESTS

Sts. Voskians were five ambassadors sent by the Roman Emperor to the Armenian King Sanatruk in the 1st century. During their time in Armenia, they encountered St. Bartholomew the Apostle and, inspired by his preaching, were baptized and converted to Christianity.

One of them, Khrussi (whose name in Armenian means “Voski pronounced Vosgi” or “Gold”), was ordained into the holy order of priesthood…

KEEP YOUR FORK!

Week after week, I have the privilege of visiting our parishes, celebrating Badarak with our beloved communities. After Badarak, we gather together for fellowship where we share a meal. When the dishes from the main course are being cleared away, someone will inevitably lean over and say, “Srpazan, keep your fork.”

Now, whenever I hear those words, I know something good is coming. That means the best part of the meal isn’t over. That means dessert is on its way—maybe a rich, velvety chocolate cake, or a warm kadaif or kunefeh, fresh out of the oven. Keep your fork is a sign that something even sweeter is ahead!

FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

Today, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, the moment when the forty-day-old baby Jesus was brought to the temple by His mother, Mary, and Joseph. They came to fulfill the law, to offer a sacrifice, to do what was expected. But what seemed like an ordinary ritual became an extraordinary revelation!

Because in that temple, there were two people who had been waiting, watching, believing. Simeon, a devout man, and Anna, a prophetess—two people who refused to give up, who held onto hope when it seemed like nothing was changing. And on that day, their faith was rewarded!

BIRTH OF DAVIT HOVHANNESS

Davit Hovhannes (Hovhannisian) was born on February 17, 1945, in Yerevan. He was the son of poet Hrachia Hovhannisian. He graduated from the Krupskaya high school in 1962 and then from the Faculty of Philology at Yerevan State University. He worked in Armenia’s periodical press and “ArmenFilm” studio and also lectured on history of ancient and foreign literature at several universities of Armenia. He was a member of the Writers’ Union of Armenia since 1975. In 1980-1990 he conducted the monthly literary program “Nork” at the first channel of Armenian TV, and the weekly program “Half Hour with Davit Hovhannes” in 2006-2008. He was the chair of the board of “Arevik” Publishing House. He translated works of Russian, Ukrainian, and American classical poets.

The author of around 25 poetry collections, including children’s literature, Hovhannes published his first poem in 1965 and his first collection, Crown of Songs, in 1974.

THE POWER OF FOCUS IN YOUR LIFE

When I was a kid, I loved playing with a magnifying glass. I’d use it to focus sunlight on a piece of paper. At first, the light didn’t seem to do much. But when I held that magnifying glass just right, the light became so focused that it could start a fire! I didn’t fully understand it back then, but it taught me a powerful truth: light, when focused, has incredible power.

Think about it. Diffused light can brighten a room, and that’s good. But focused light? It can start fires. Concentrate it even more, and it becomes a laser that can cut through steel, heal disease, and reach the stars. The same is true about our lives. When we scatter our energy, we may accomplish a little here and there, but we’ll never see the extraordinary. But when we focus, when we fix our attention on what truly matters, there’s no limit to what God can do through us.

FLOURISH LIKE THE PALM TREE

One of the most beautiful promises in the Scriptures is in Psalm 92:12: “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree.” Palm trees are strong and resilient, standing tall no matter what comes their way. The palm tree has a unique ability: it can bend, but it doesn’t break. When the storms come, the winds may howl, and the palm may sway, but when the storm passes, that tree stands back up, tall and strong, as if nothing ever happened.

There are times in life when the winds blow hard against us—winds of disappointment, winds of struggle, winds of change. And we feel like we’re bending under the pressure. We feel the weight of what we’re going through, and it’s pulling us down. But if we’re rooted in God, if our trust is in Him, we’re not going to break, were going to bounce back to stand tall again.