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There are three classes of Mashdots, called Ձեռաց Մաշտոց (Tserats Mashdots), or “Manual Mashdots”; Մայր Մաշտոց (Mayr Mashdots) օr “Mother Mashdots,” and Հայր Մաշտոց (Hayr Mashdots) or “Father Mashdots.”
The Tserats Mashdots is the one used by priests and contains all texts required for sacraments and other rituals, including prayers for different occasions (home blessing, well blessing, new book blessing, et cetera). The Mayr Mashdots is for the special …
Today, I stood in the sacred space that is the spiritual center of our nation: the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. Though scaffolding lines the walls and dust fills the air, the cathedral remains a beacon of light and guidance for every soul that enters.
As I took pictures, I couldn’t help but think about how the ongoing renovations serve as a poignant metaphor for our spiritual journeys. Just like the Cathedral, we, too are works in progress.
Several years ago, four of our clergy brothers debated which Armenian translation of the Bible was the most effective. One championed the Golden Grabar, a translation from Greek into Classical Armenian, revered as “The Queen of Translations.” Another insisted that the modern Armenian edition published by Etchmiadzin was unparalleled. A third vouched for the new “Ararat” translation. When it was the fourth priest’s turn, he said, “I prefer my mother’s translation.”
Teodor Axentowicz was born on May 13, 1859, in Brasov (Hungary, now Romania), to a family of Polish–Armenian ancestry. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich from 1879-1882. Then he moved to Paris, where he was a student of French painter Carolus-Duran and continued his education until 1895. Meanwhile, he started a long-time cooperation with various journals as an art illustrator and making copies of masters like Titian and Botticelli for magazines.
We’ve all heard, uttered, or thought these words at some point: “No one cares about how I feel, what I think, or what I want.” Life has moments where it feels like no one is listening or paying attention. These times can leave us upset, discouraged, and isolated.
The problems and challenges we face in daily life are very real; they aren’t things we can simply throw away or ignore. However, what we can control is the anxiety these issues generate, the turmoil that unsettles our minds and disrupts the tranquility of our souls.
The Apostle Paul speaks of Abraham’s faith, saying: “Hoping against hope, he believed.” Through this faith, Abraham became the inheritor of God’s promises. Initially, there was no doubt that Abraham was afraid of God’s promises.
God had vowed to bless Abraham and make him the father of many nations, even though he had no children. With each passing year, this promise seemed more and more implausible. Abraham even attempted to address the issue of paternity through human means, seeking to have a child through his servant (Genesis 16).
In ancient times, following sunset, the sole source of illumination came from a torch. This torch consisted of a clay base about the size of a palm, filled with oil, which would burn through the wick.
In this Psalm, the word of God is likened to a torch (or a lamp, as we might say in English). Just as light is indispensable for a nighttime journey, keeping us safe from harm, so too is the word of God an essential beacon in this dark and sinful world, illuminating our path toward salvation.
To Armenians in the United States, “Armenian Cultural Month” has been a feature of community life for as long as they can remember.
“Why?” is a reflection of our human nature. We all pose this question, particularly during times of pain and suffering, seeking an explanation from God. Many of us have the misconception that understanding the cause of our pain will either alleviate it or at least make it more bearable. Scriptures tell us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). All we know about God is thanks to His revelation.
Mgrdich Beshigtashlian, along with Bedros Tourian, was one of the most remarkable names of Armenian poetry in the period of the cultural Zartonk (awakening) of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. He was born in Constantinople on August 18, 1828, in a Catholic family , He lost his parents at an early age due to tuberculosis. He received his education at the Mekhitarist schools of Constantinople and Padua (Italy).
