Entries by stjohn

BIRTH OF ARSEN DERDERIAN

Arsen Derderian [Terteryan, Soviet spelling] was a prolific literary scholar who dominated the field of Armenian literature in Soviet Armenia until the mid-twentieth century.

He was born on December 22, 1882, in the village of Shosh, near Shushi (Artsakh). He studied at the Seminary of Shushi (1892-1902) and then graduated from the Gevorgian Lyceum of Holy Echmiadzin in 1905. He taught for two years at the Seminary of Shushi and in 1907-1909 he studied at the Psycho-Neurological Institute of St. Petersburg. Afterwards, he shifted to literature and taught history and theory of literature at the Diocesan School of Yerevan in 1909-1920.

DECEMBER IS STEWARDSHIP MONTH AT ST. JOHN

On three Sundays during the month of December, presentations were made after Badarak regarding year two of St. John’s successful stewardship program.

On December 1, Dr. Gary Seabrook spoke of stewardship in terms of “Time, Talent and Treasure.” He focused on Treasure, reviewing St. John’s budget and explaining the parish’s multiple sources of income. In 2024 the largest dollar amount came from the Armenian Church Endowment Fund, followed by proceeds from Milwaukee Armenian Fest, the most profitable year for our festival to date. Running a close third was the money pledged by our members through the stewardship program, trailed by income from sacraments, candles and the Sunday collection plates. Gary noted that since we went to the “Stewardship System” there has been a growth in voting membership and that as of December 1, only a few people hadn’t yet fulfilled their pledges.

BIRTH OF HOVHANNESS BADALIAN

Badalian was born on December 15, 1924, in the village of Shavarin, near Hamadan (Iran). His parents were from the Armenian village of Gardabad near Urmia and had become refugees when the Ottoman army invaded northwestern Iran during World War I.

He attended the Armenian school in Baghdad, and in 1936 he returned to Iran, and started singing in composer Nicol Galanderian’s choir in Tehran. In the Iranian capital, he studied and performed with Hambardzum Grigorian. During the repatriation of post-World War II, Badalian left Iran and settled in Soviet Armenia to study music. He attended the Romanos Melikian Music College in Yerevan. In 1949 he joined the Tatoul Altunian Folk Dance and Song Ensemble (1949-1954) as soloist and in 1954 he went to the Folk Music Instruments Ensemble of the Public Radio, where he would perform as a soloist until the end of his life. He also taught at Gomidas State Conservatory (1982-2001).

THE HELMET OF SALVATION

The head is one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. Whether it’s a soldier in battle, a motorcyclist on the road, or a construction worker on a job site, they all know the importance of a helmet. Why? Because that helmet gives them confidence. It is their assurance that their head—their most vital and exposed part—is protected.

That’s exactly what the Psalmist is talking about when he says, “O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer, you have covered my head in the day of battle.” (Psalm 140:7). In the spiritual lives, our “head,” representing our mind and thoughts, is a primary target of the enemy. Most of the battles we face start in the mind. The enemy knows that if he can discourage you, distract you, or fill your mind with fear, he’s already halfway to winning the fight.

COURAGE THROUGH FAITH

Fear is a universal human experience. It whispers lies into our hearts, telling us that we’re all alone, that the challenges are bigger than us, and that we’ll fail. The only weapon against fear is faith. Faith doesn’t mean you’ll never feel fear; it means you don’t have to let fear control you.

Courage, my friends, is not the absence of fear—it’s the presence of faith. Faith in a God who is always with you. Faith in His promises that He will never leave you, never forsake you, as the Holy Scriptures remind us: “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God, he himself will go before you, in your midst. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

DEATH OF ARTEM MIKOYAN

Both brothers were famous for different reasons. Artem Mikoyan was a famous aircraft designer and the younger brother of Anastas Mikoyan, the statesman whose career encompassed fifty years of the Soviet regime.

Artem (Anoushavan) Mikoyan was born in the village of Sanahin (Lori, in Eastern Armenia), on August 5, 1905. He also had one other brother and two sisters. He started his elementary studies at the village school, and, after his father’s death, his mother sent him to Tiflis, where he graduated from a local Armenian school.

In 1923 he moved to Rostov-on-the Don, along his elder brother Anastas. He took a work as a machine tool-operator, but a year later he moved to Moscow, working in a similar position in the “Dynamo” factory until 1928 before being conscripted into military service.

DEATH OF ABRAHAM ALIKHANIAN

Abraham Alikhanian is widely recognized as one of the leading Soviet physicists who specialized in particle and nuclear physics. He also joined the atomic bomb project and led the development of heavy water reactors.

Alikhanian (Abram Alikhanov in Russian) was born on March 4, 1904, in Elizavetpol, the historical Armenian city of Gandzak (today Ganja, in Azerbaijan). His father was a railroad engineer in the Transcaucasus Railway. His younger brother Artem (1908-1978) was also a noted physicist. They had two sisters. His family lived in Alexandropol (today Gyumri) in 1912–13, where Alikhanian attended a commercial college. Then they moved to Tiflis (today Tbilisi), where they stayed until 1918, and returned to Alexandropol until the Turkish-Armenian war of 1920. After another move to Tiflis, he graduated from a commercial college in 1921.

YOU ARE OF GOD

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

This verse from the first letter of St. John is a reminder of who we are and whose we are. We are not defined by the opinions of others. We are not defined by our past mistakes, our weaknesses, or our challenges. We belong to the Creator of the universe. The Almighty God has placed His Spirit inside us, and the One who is in us is far greater than anything we’ll ever face in this world.

EVERY BREATH IS A GIFT

During the [COVID 19] pandemic, a story went viral that touched millions of hearts. A 93-year-old Italian man recovered from Covid-19 and was given a hospital bill, including 500 euros for a day on a ventilator. As he read the amount, tears streamed down his face. The doctors rushed to comfort him, saying, “Sir, if this is too much, we can work something out.” But the man shook his head and said, “No, I’m not crying because I can’t pay the bill. I’m crying because for 93 years, I’ve breathed the air God gave me—free of charge. And I’ve never stopped to thank Him.”

How often do we pause to thank God for the things we don’t even notice? The air we breathe, the beauty of a sunrise, the laughter of a loved one—all of it is a gift. Genesis 2:7 says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” …

OVERCOMING DOUBT

When we face challenges, there’s always that temptation to doubt, to hesitate, to second-guess ourselves. We make decisions, and right afterward, we start asking ourselves, “Did I make the right choice? Is this the right thing to do? Did I hear from God clearly?” And sometimes, even when we pray, we wonder, “Is God really listening? Will He answer me? Can I trust that He will fulfill His promises?”

In the New Testament, the apostle James tells us, “Ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-8).