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Vartan Mamigonian was the leader of the Armenians in the decisive battle of Avarayr, and although outnumbered, the Armenians put up a valiant defense. Vartan and many of his soldiers were killed, but the Persians suffered greater casualties and with this battle the Persians recognized the strong commitment the Armenians had for their Christian faith.
After the battle of Vartanants, a number of priests and deacons were abducted by the Persian king and imprisoned, tortured and martyred. Ghevont is revered as the leader of the group because he was an advisor to Vartan Mamigonian, and is remembered for the inspiring message he delivered on the eve of the battle of Avarayr. Ghevont, who was highly educated, assisted …
Commemoration of Saints Mark the Bishop, Pionius the Priest, Cyril and Benjamin the Deacons, and Martyrs Abdelmseh, Ormistan, and Sayen.
During the reign of King Yazdegerd I of Persia (399–420), severe persecutions arose against the Christians living in Persia, forcing them to renounce Christianity and return to fire worship. Among the many martyrs of that time was Deacon Benjamin, who, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, fearlessly preached and evangelized, converting many from sorcery to the worship of the true God.
I recently got my travel statistics from Delta and United—37 trips and 103,000 miles in 2024! That’s a whole lot of packing and unpacking! I actually get excited about packing. There’s something about getting ready, organizing what you need, and making sure you’re prepared for where you’re going.
But here’s what I’ve learned—packing well isn’t just about what you take; it’s about what you leave behind. No one brings their entire closet on a trip. You don’t carry unnecessary weight. You bring what’s essential, what will serve you on the journey.
And life is no different. Each of us is on a journey toward the destiny God has prepared for us. Yet, too often, we’re carrying things that don’t belong—burdens that weigh us down, regrets that linger too long, and fears that steal our joy. We carry anxiety over things beyond our control, bitterness over wounds that should have healed, and past failures that God never asked us to bear.
Mikhail Vartanov is considered an important cinematographer and documentarian of his generation noted for his artistic collaboration with Sergei Parajanov and Artavazd Peleshian.
Vartanov was born on February 21, 1937, in Grozny (Chechnya, Russia). He graduated from the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in Moscow (1965). He had a close relationship with filmmaker Sergei Parajanov. He was first acquainted with Parajanov’s work in 1964, when he was still a student, having watched Parajanov’s Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors and the test footage of the unfinished Kiev Frescoes. They met for the first time in 1967, in Armenia, where they discussed the screenplay of The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova) and struck a lifelong friendship.
Back in 2014, I was serving as the Locum Tenens, the acting Primate of the Armenian Church Diocese of France. I was young, 33 years old, and full of vision, ready to step into the role of Primate. My name was considered for the election, but according to the bylaws, you had to be at least 35 years old to qualify. I was two years too young. It felt like a disappointment. I thought, Lord, why would You put this opportunity in front of me if I wasn’t able to take it?
But if I had been elected there, I would have stayed in France. I would have never come to America. I would have never stepped into the calling I’m living today, serving as bishop of one of the biggest and most vibrant Armenian dioceses in the world. And let me tell you, my time in France was a blessing. I treasure the people and the community. But God had a greater plan. What I once saw as a setback was really God leading me to something greater than I ever imagined!
This Saturday, February 22, the Armenian Church commemorates Catholicos Sahag (Isaac) Bartev, a strong and great leader who is recognized as one of the greatest saints of the Armenian Church. His accomplishments, even under very difficult political situations, secured the survival of the Armenian nation. He was the son of St. Nerses the Great and a descendant of St…
The popular long poems and folkloric short stories by Hovhannes Tumanian [Toumanian] turned him into a beloved author of Armenian literature for the past hundred years.
He was born on February 19, 1869, in the village of Dsegh [Tsegh] (province of Lori). His father, Der Tadeos, was the village priest and an offspring of a branch from the princely house of the Mamikonian. The future poet first attended the parochial school of the village (1877-1879) and then a school in Jalaloghli (nowadays Stepanavan) from 1879-1883. It was there he wrote his first poem at the age of 12.
The Armenian Church remembers the Holy Voskian priests—five men who were sent to Rome as ambassadors by the Armenian king, Sanadrook. On the road to Rome they met the Apostle Thaddeus who converted and baptized them…
Sts. Voskians were five ambassadors sent by the Roman Emperor to the Armenian King Sanatruk in the 1st century. During their time in Armenia, they encountered St. Bartholomew the Apostle and, inspired by his preaching, were baptized and converted to Christianity.
One of them, Khrussi (whose name in Armenian means “Voski pronounced Vosgi” or “Gold”), was ordained into the holy order of priesthood…
