Entries by stjohn

DEATH OF MAGHAKIA [MALACHIAH] ORMANIAN

Archbishop Maghakia Ormanian was a remarkable figure of the Armenian Church in turbulent times at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century.

Boghos Ormanian was born on February 23, 1841 in Constantinople. After learning the first letters, in 1851 he was sent to Rome, where he pursued studies at the convent of St. Gregory, belonging to the Antonine Congregation, and then at the Vatican. He returned to Constantinople in 1866 and became secretary of the Antonine Congregation, while a year later he was designated principal of the Antonine School in Rome. In 1868 he obtained a master degree in philosophy, theology, and Church law, and became a member of the Theological Academy of Rome, as well as teacher of Armenian at the College of the Propaganda Fide.

SHARE GOD’S LOVE

On that great day of judgment, a man found himself standing before the Lord. As he waited in line, he started to feel uneasy. He overheard the Lord speaking to those in front of him: “Enter, for I was hungry, and you gave me food.” To another: “Come in, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” And to yet another: “You visited me when I was sick.” Our friend inched forward, growing more and more discouraged. He thought, “I haven’t done any of those things”. His heart sank as he realized his life didn’t seem to measure up to these high standards.

Finally, it was his turn. He looked up at the Lord, expecting disappointment, maybe even judgment. But the Lord’s face shone with kindness, and He looked at the man with a knowing smile and said, “Like you, I was once dejected and downcast, and you lifted my spirit. I was depressed, and you made me laugh.”…

CASTING INTO HOPE

Fishing is hope experienced. A fisherman casts his line into the water, not because he sees the fish, but because he believes they’re there. Even when the waters are calm and the bites are slow, the true fisherman doesn’t pack up and go home. He stays, expectant. If you ask him, “How can you fish all day without catching anything?” he’ll smile and say, “Hold on, I think I felt something.” And even if the line goes slack, his response is, “He’ll be back!” That’s hope. That’s faith in action.

And as Christians, hope isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a confident expectation rooted in the promises of God. Paul said it like this in Romans 8:24-25: “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

KEEP THE TORCH BURNING

In ancient Greece, the runner who won the Olympic race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time, but the man who crossed it in the shortest time with his torch still burning. It was a test not only of speed but of endurance, strength, and focus. The race wasn’t about simply finishing; it was about carrying the flame with you, no matter what you faced along the way.

Friends, life is much like that race. We are moving toward our purpose, striving to cross the finish line. But God isn’t just looking for us to complete the race; He wants us to keep our flame burning. When we start our journey, that torch is lit with passion, faith, and joy. But sometimes, along the way, the winds of life start blowing hard. Maybe it’s the winds of disappointment, or maybe it’s the storm of struggles that seem unending. Sometimes, it’s the simple weariness of carrying that torch day after day.

ST. JOHN CELEBRATES 82 YEARS OF SERVING FAITH AND HERITAGE

“It’s good to be back home,” said Rev. Fr. Tadeos Abdalian, the celebrant and guest speaker for the 82nd anniversary celebration at St. John the Baptist Armenian Church, Greenfield. The November 10 event was a special occasion for Der Tateos and Milwaukee’s Armenian community. St. John was his first parish, the beginning of four decades of service in the Eastern Diocese. His years in Milwaukee were also a turning point for St. John, with Der Tateos taking the lead role in building the sanctuary that continues to be central to Armenian spiritual life in Milwaukee.

Der Tateos’ sermon was a reminder to parishioners who knew him in the ‘80s of his penetrating intelligence grounded in faith. He spoke of the power of silence, referencing the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:7, as a way to hear the voice of God in a world of noise and distraction. It’s a voice, he said,…

THE HOLY APOSTLES ANDREW AND PHILIP

The word apostle refers to the special inner circle of Jesus’ disciples, chosen by Jesus to accompany Him during His ministry, to learn from Him, follow His instructions and continue his work….

GOD’S UNFINISHED MAP

This map, displayed in Veharan at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, is known as Hamatarats Ashkharhatsuyts (World Map). Crafted by Thomas Vanandetsi in 1695 in Amsterdam, it’s the first map ever printed in the Armenian script. It was one of the first printed in Europe to include both geographic details and the stars above.

Crafted with care and incredible precision, it shows us just how skilled and visionary Thomas Vanandetsi was. But there’s something curious about this map—it’s unfinished. The western part of the United States and the eastern part of Australia are missing. Not because Thomas Vanandetsi made a mistake but because, in his time, those lands were still undiscovered! They hadn’t yet come into view.

DEATH OF GRIGORI ARUTINOV

Grigori Arutinov (known as Grigor Harutiunian in Armenian) was the first secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia for sixteen years (1937-1953), the longest tenure in the history of Soviet Armenia, coinciding with the Stalinist repression and World War II.

Arutinov was born in Telavi, in eastern Georgia, on November 7, 1900. He was admitted to the local Russian gymnasium in 1911 and joined the Bolshevik party in 1919.

After the establishment of Soviet power in Georgia (1921), he became the head of the propaganda department of the Telavi district committee of the Communist Party. He studied at the Karl Marx Institute of National Economy in Moscow (1922–1924).

A SACRED CONNECTION

During the recent Bishop’s ordination, I had the blessing, the honor, to wear a special cuff, the pazban, on my right arm. This wasn’t just any cuff. This was the very same one that once adorned the arm of Khrimyan Hayrig (1820-1907), the beloved Catholicos of all Armenians. He was a man after God’s own heart—a true shepherd, a beloved father to our people, a leader of unwavering courage and compassion.

As I placed this pazban on my arm, I felt a rush of reverence. In that moment, it felt like more than just fabric and threads. This cuff had been woven with prayers, with the humility and strength of those who wore it before me. It symbolized the dedication, the tears, and the selfless love of our spiritual ancestors, who witnessed Christ through trials and triumphs.

CARVE YOUR LEGACY OF FAITH

Recently, when I was at the newly renovated Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral, my eyes caught sight of three simple crosses carved into the eastern wall. These weren’t carved by famous artists or important people but by ordinary pilgrims who made their way here many centuries ago.

These crosses, along with several others found throughout the cathedral, are known as Pilgrim’s Crosses. They don’t carry the intricate designs or beauty we might see on our traditional khachkars, those ornate cross-stones. These crosses weren’t about impressing anyone; they were about expression—an outpouring of love, a prayer etched in stone, a hope left in the walls of God’s house.