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On Friday, September 8, the Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God. The birth of the Holy Mother is not recorded in the Bible; the account of this event comes to us from …
Our society is increasingly obsessed with external appearances. While luxury gym memberships, specialized diets, and plastic surgery may all have their place, they are often disproportionately valued. Every year, billions are spent in the industries of beauty and fitness. Don’t get me wrong: a healthy lifestyle and natural beauty are certainly gifts to be cherished. However, it’s worth examining the focus and priorities we set in our lives.
Melikset-Bek was born in Tiflis (nowadays Tbilisi) on September 14, 1890. After two years of private learning, he went to the Royal School of Tiflis from 1899 to 1908. He graduated from the School of Law of the University of Odessa in 1913, where he also followed courses of History and Philology. He was interested in archaeology and traveled to various Armenian communities of Russia to that end. In 1914 he was elected corresponding member of the Society of History and Antiquities of Odessa.
Today marks a very special day for me; it’s been 20 years since I was ordained as a celibate priest at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
As I stand here today, back in the spiritual cradle of our ancient and beautiful Armenian Church, I’m filled with gratitude, awe, and a sense of wonder at the journey God has laid out for me.
My heart swells when I think back to the young man I was, taking my vows on this hallowed ground, entirely unaware of the incredible tapestry God would weave through my ministry.
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).
