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The Armenian Church commemorates St. John the Forerunner and Job the Righteous. St. John the Forerunner, also known as John the Baptist (Hovhannes Mgrdich), is an important figure in the Gospels. He is recognized as the “forerunner” (garabed) to the Messiah.
Rechargeable batteries are nothing new. Way back in 1859, a brilliant French physicist named Gaston Plante came up with an early version of them. Now, imagine how surprised Plante would be if he could see our world today, a world so dependent on his invention. Batteries are essential to our modern life—they power our vehicles, devices, computers, children’s toys… These little boxes of energy keep things running smoothly, but they need to be recharged, or they’ll run down and die. And isn’t it always at the worst possible time?
This Sunday, September 1, the second Sunday after Assumption, is the feast of the Discovery of the Belt of the Theotokos. Because there are no relics of the Holy Mother’s earthly body (she was assumed into Heaven), her personal belongings became the object of devotion and veneration.
Tatevik Sazandarian was an operatic mezzo–soprano who became a well-known soloist at the Yerevan Opera Theater and then a longtime teacher at the Komitas Conservatory.
She was born in Khndzoresk, in Siunik, on August 20, 1916. She grew up in Baku, where she sang as a soloist in the school choir from the age of ten. She moved to Moscow in 1932 and sang in several amateur performances. She began performing in concerts in 1933 and studied at the musical and drama studios of the Armenian Cultural House of Moscow…
In his work “Christ,” Ivan Turgenev recounts a mysterious vision he had in December 1878, in which he found himself as a young boy in a ground-level church in his village. He describes the scene vividly: ancient icons lit by thin red candles, each surrounded by a rainbow crown of small flames. It was dark and dim in the church, filled with people, all village folks with blond heads, swaying like ripe wheat in the wind.
Suddenly, a man came and stood next to him. Though Turgenev didn’t turn to see him immediately, he felt it was Christ…
Yesterday, we experienced something truly special at St. Vartan Cathedral; our choir sang without any instruments, just pure voices lifting up in acapella worship. As I stood there, listening to their voices rise and fall in perfect harmony, I was reminded of something profound about our walk with God.
How often do we fall into the trap of thinking we’re not enough? We tell ourselves, “If only I had more time, more resources, more talent—then I could truly serve God, then I could truly make a difference.” We think we need all the bells and whistles—the perfect circumstances, the right tools, the best opportunities—to worship, to serve, to be effective.
Our society is quick to judge. Just turn on the TV, scroll through social media, and you’ll see it everywhere—people tearing each other down, pointing fingers, casting blame. It’s almost like it’s become second nature to us. But that’s not the life God has called us to live.
God has called us to a higher standard. He’s called us to love, to build each other up, and to see the best in one another. That’s not always easy in a world where judgment is so prevalent, but it’s the path that leads to true peace, true joy, and true fulfillment.
Between the 1960s and 1980s, Bella Darbinian was at her peak as one of the most well-known singers of Armenia, with her fame firmly established in the Diaspora.
Bella Darbinian was born on February 10, 1936, in Kirovakan (nowadays Vanadzor). Her actual last name was Kuznetsova (her father was Russian and her mother Armenian). When she started her musical career, she considered more appropriate to use an Armenian name and used the straightforward translation of her surname (Russian kuznets = Armenian darbin-tarpin “blacksmith”).
Sometimes in life, we feel like we’re up against impossible odds. We’ve given it our all, but the breakthrough seems far off. We’re like a baseball player who keeps swinging but can’t seem to hit that home run. It’s in those moments that we need to dig deep, trust in God’s plan, and remember that victory might be just one swing away.
Last Saturday, with the parishioners of Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Armenian Church we had a day out at the ballpark to watch the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are a team that knows something about perseverance…
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been constantly on the move—traveling from New York to Chicago and Racine, then to Canada and Armenia. As I was flying back from Armenia, I found myself with ample time—16 hours, to be exact—to reflect on the journey of life. Isn’t life itself a journey? We’re constantly moving, going from one stage to the next, often unsure of what lies ahead. Yet, we trust that every step is part of a greater purpose.
Today’s Gospel reading gives us a beautiful example of someone also on a journey—Mary, the Mother of our Lord.
