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The Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of All Saints, Old and New, Known and Unknown. This is the holiday that compensates for any sins of omission in the list of saints remembered by the Church. The western churches celebrate …
Tomorrow, October 26th, is National Pumpkin Day. Across the country, families will visit pumpkin patches, carve jack-o’-lanterns, bake pumpkin pies, and decorate their homes for fall. Carved pumpkins will be on porches, in windows, and all over social media—symbols of the cozy beauty of autumn.
I still remember the first time I carved a pumpkin. I thought it would be quick and easy. But the moment I lifted the lid, I realized it was anything but neat. As I reached inside to scoop out the pulp and seeds, I found myself covered in the sticky, stringy mess. It wasn’t pleasant, but without cleaning it out, you can’t make it a lantern. You can’t make it shine…
The first time I ever went to a movie theater was back in the early 1990s—to watch King Kong. I remember walking in with a sense of wonder. The big screen in front of me was blank—just a plain white surface. No image, no sound, no story yet. Then the lights went down, and for a moment, everything was dark.
Suddenly, a single beam of light appeared from the back of the room. That empty screen came to life—colors, motion, music, emotion. What had been just a flat surface became a window into another world.
And in that moment, I realized something: the power wasn’t in the screen. The screen was only the surface. The real power came from the projector—the source of light behind me. Without that light, the screen had nothing to give.
The Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross (Kude Khatchi), this Sunday, October 26, 2025. Empress Helena, mother of Constantine and a devout Christian, wanted to find the True Cross. She went to Golgotha (Calvary), which had become an obscure and neglected place…
When we think of new life, one of the simplest yet most powerful images God has given us is that of a chick breaking through its shell. From the outside, the shell looks solid, unbreakable. But on the inside, something is stirring. Life is forming. Change is taking place. And at just the right moment, that little bird pushes from within, and a new chapter begins.
If an egg is broken by an external force, life ends. But if it breaks by an internal force, life begins. The difference is not in the shell—it’s in where the power comes from…
Have you ever been in a familiar room—your living room, your study—filled with books, photographs, keepsakes, things you know by heart? But then the power goes out. Suddenly, what was clear becomes shadowy. Shapes blur. You stumble as you try to make your way. You know the things are still there, but in the darkness, you can’t see them.
Then, in a moment, the lights come back on. Instantly, everything is clear again. You see the pictures on the wall, the books neatly lined up, the corners you hadn’t noticed in years. Colors, details, and connections come alive again—all of it had been there the whole time, hidden in the shadows…
On Saturday, October 11, 2025, the Sunday School students and parents of St. John Armenian Church of Milwaukee embarked on a joyful and enriching day trip filled with discovery, learning, and spiritual reflection.
The day began at the Honey Acres Chocolate Factory and Honey Museum, where students had the opportunity to explore God’s marvelous creation — the honeybee. Through hands-on exhibits, tastings, and interactive learning, the children discovered how bees produce honey and why they play such a vital role in the natural world.
Since my seminary years, I’ve always loved singing in the choir. Even when I studied in Strasbourg, where there was no Armenian church nearby, I joined the local university choir. And every time I have the chance, I still sing. Last summer at camp, I jumped right in with our campers and sang along. There’s something mystical, something beautiful about singing in a choir.
Think about it, in a choir, some voices are strong and soaring, some soft and gentle, some perfectly on pitch, and yes, some a little off-key! But when you put them all together, something powerful happens. A single voice is nice; a choir can shake the room. That’s a picture of the Church: unity in diversity.
On Saturday, October 18, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors of the four Gospels…
We don’t have to look far to see that we’re living in challenging times. The headlines are filled with conflict and uncertainty. People are anxious, weary, and burdened by the pressures of life. Divisions run deeper, patience grows thinner, and hope can feel distant. Yet even in the middle of it all, there is a joy available to us—a joy this world didn’t give, and this world cannot take away.
In the third century, when persecution raged against Christians and faith was put to the ultimate test, a man facing his own death wrote to a friend:
“It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy that is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life.
