Entries by stjohn

HOPE FOR TOMORROW, STRENGTH FOR TODAY

Iguazu Falls, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders. It consists of 275 separate waterfalls that span over 1.67 miles along the Iguazu River. The name “Iguazu” comes from the Guarani or Tupi words “y” (water) and “ûasú” (big), meaning “big water.”

Carved into a wall on the Brazilian side of the falls is a verse from the Bible, “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” (Psalm 93:4).

TRUSTING GOD’S STORY

When we are learning to read as children, we quickly discover that the opening chapters of a novel are often a little confusing. New characters would pop up, strange events would unfold, and nothing seemed to make much sense. But we learned something important: to keep reading. Because we knew, deep down, that a good author would eventually weave all those scattered pieces into a beautiful, coherent story.

Our lives of faith are much the same. Sometimes, we encounter people and …

ST. NERSES THE GREAT AND BISHOP KHAT

Khat the Bishop worked closely with St. Nerses the Great. Like Nerses he had great passion for social issues, especially helping the poor. Nerses entrusted most of the benevolent work of the church to Khat. He is so closely associated with St. Nerses that the church honors them on the same day.

BUILDING THE ALTAR OF LIGHT

Over seventeen centuries ago, in the heart of Armenia, a vision changed the course of our faith. St. Gregory saw a brilliant light descending from heaven, marking the very spot where the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin would be built. This was no ordinary light; it was the light of Christ Himself, illuminating the path for a nation and its people.

St. Gregory called out to the Armenian people with a message that resonates with us today: “Come, let us build the Altar of Light, for it is here that the Light has dawned upon us.” …

FEAST OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

The feast of Holy Etchmiadzin commemorates the establishment of the Armenian Church and the eradication of paganism. The cathedral of Etchmiadzin was built by St. Gregory the Illuminator after his deliverance from the pit, to the specifications he saw in a vision and on the place marked by the Lord with a golden hammer.

RISING FROM THE PIT

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Deliverance from the Pit. Over 1,700 years ago, King Trdat threw St. Gregory into a dark pit near Mount Ararat. It was a prison, a place of suffering, meant to break his spirit. St. Gregory endured unimaginable hardship for thirteen long years, but he never lost his faith. He trusted that God had a plan, even in his darkest moments.

This is a powerful story that resonates with each of us because, at some point in our lives, we’ve all found…

THE ILLUMINATOR’S DELIVERANCE FROM THE PIT

Saturday, June 1, is the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s deliverance from the pit Gregory is revered as the patron saint of the Armenian Church. He is recognized and memorialized in both eastern and western hierarchical churches. The Armenian liturgical calendar reserves three feast days in his honor: Entrance into the pit; deliverance from the pit, and discovery of relics.

SAINT JOHN THE FORERUNNER

St. John the Baptist is prominent in each of the four Gospels. He is associated with the beginning of the ministry of Jesus and is considered to be the “forerunner” to Jesus the Messiah. He baptized those who repented their sins, and he preached the coming of one after him who is greater than he and would baptize not with water but with the Spirit.

MAY 28, A GLORIOUS ANNIVERSARY

Almost nine centuries after the fall of the Bakradouni Kingdom in Armenia and six centuries after the collapse of the Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia, the birth of the Republic of Armenia was a miracle. The dimmest moment in our history became the brightest, when the Armenian nation, like the mythological phoenix, rose renewed from its ashes and established a state on the plains of Mount Ararat. With Western Armenia obliterated by the Armenian Genocide, Eastern Armenia forged its own destiny, ready to participate as a sovereign member in the family of nations, leading the Armenian people to new horizons.

THE LONGING FOR A PERFECT HOME

Years ago, John Lennon of the Beatles wrote a very popular song entitled “Imagine.” This song encourages us to envision a world where there is neither heaven nor hell, no countries, and nothing to kill or die for—a world where all people live together as one, without selfishness.

Now, I can understand why this song resonates with so many. The idea of a world united in peace and harmony is truly beautiful. But, my friends, as attractive as this idea is, it overlooks a fundamental truth about human nature. The reality is, no matter how much we imagine, …