Entries by stjohn

EMPEROR ST. THEODOSIUS II’S

Emperor Theodosius II, who started his rule over the Roman Empire in 408 at the tender age of seven, succeeded his father, Arcadius. Known as “the Younger” to differentiate him from his grandfather, Emperor Theodosius I the Great, his reign is notable for two major accomplishments: the promulgation of the Theodosian law code and the construction of the Theodosian Walls in Constantinople. His sister, Pulcheria, played a crucial role in his life, instilling in him a deep Christian piety and a strong devotion to the Orthodox Faith.

DEATH OF JAMES BRYCE

The first visit of Bryce to historical Armenia was in 1876 to climb Mount Ararat, after which he published the book Transcaucasia and Ararat (1877), a narrative of travel notes with several political observations and conclusions. After his trip to Armenia, in 1878 Bryce established the Anglo-Armenian Association, with Lord Carnarvon as president and Bryce as secretary. In 1880 he traveled to historical Armenia for the second time, visiting also Smyrna and Constantinople. In 1893, Bryce initiated the formation of the new Anglo-Armenian …

IN THE NAME OF JESUS

When growing up, did your family ever tell you to “uphold the family name?” “uphold the honor of your family name.”? Indeed, dear friends, we are called to uphold our Lord’s name to reflect how God loves, honors, and saves us. We are called to uphold our Lord’s name with our orthodox faith and righteous living. In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Holy be your name.” How do we make God’s name holy? It’s through our lives. We honor God’s name by what we do and how we live. But, our actions can also …

THE NAMING OF OUR LORD

In our lives, names hold a profound importance. Most of us carry names that embody meaning and history. We often name our children after our ancestors or influential figures, underscoring the value we place on names. Throughout history, names like Alexander the Great, Tigran the Great, Socrates, Julius Ceasar, Isaac Newton… have etched themselves deeply in our collective memory. Their impact was like stars shining bright, yet their legacy, in many cases, faded into darkness, leaving behind …

DEATH OF HAIK ASATRIAN

Haik Asatrian was an Armenian political theorist and an associate and close friend of Garegin Nzhdeh who became a victim of Stalinism.

He was born in the village of Yerits, in the district of Alashkert (Western Armenia) on February 5, 1900. His father was the head of the village and passed away when he was eight. He remained under his mother’s care along with his siblings…

BIRTH OF ST. JOHN THE FORERUNNER

January 14th of each year, the Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of the Birth of St. John the Forerunner (also known as St. John the Baptist). The elderly couple Zechariah and Elizabeth welcomed with great joy the birth of their son who they named John just as the angel Gabriel had instructed. Neighbors and relatives, who had gathered to celebrate the birth of this special child…

FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU!

Years ago, there was a ship caught in a severe storm. Everyone on board the ship was filled with fear. A sailor on board had his son with him. Someone noticed the calm the young boy was while everyone around him panicked. So, they walked over to the boy and asked, “Son, how can you be so calm in this storm? Aren’t you afraid of what might happen?”

ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS CELEBRATED AT ST. JOHN

St. John the Baptist Armenian Church celebrated the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord (“Armenian Christmas”) on January 7, in keeping with the community’s longstanding custom of observing the holiday on the Sunday closest to January 6. In his Nativity homily, St. John’s parish priest, Rev. Fr. Guregh Hambardzumyan, spoke of the mystery of the Incarnation: Why did God become human? One answer is that through his birth in Bethlehem, Jesus, the Son of God, lowered Himself to …

HOLY NATIVITY 2024 MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II

Today, on the feast of Holy Nativity and Epiphany, our Armenian nation, although grieving and heartbroken, but with unshaken faith, unbreakable in will and full of hope, bows down before Christ the child, who from the cave of Bethlehem shines as light and salvation to the entire world. With beautiful words of praise, the soul-stirring canticle conveys to us the wonder of the Holy Nativity. “O Birth-giver of God, tabernacle of light, you became the dawn of the Sun of righteousness and gave light to those of us who sit in darkness.”

DEATH OF ARMENAG SALMASLIAN

Armenag Salmaslian was born on December 10, 1888, in Mkhalich, a village near Brusa (Bursa), in Turkey. He studied at the Berberian College in Constantinople between 1900 and 1906, followed by his studies at the Robert College (1906–1911).
He pursued higher education at the School of Law of the University of Paris and graduated in 1914. He published his book The Clause of the Most Favored Nation (1921, in French) and obtained a doctorate in jurisprudence in 1922.