BISHOP MESROP PARSAMYAN, DIOCESAN PRIMATE

Messages Written by Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan is the Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, one of the main branches of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the United States. Born in Yerevan, Armenia, he studied at the Gevorgian Theological Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin and later pursued advanced theological education in Europe. Ordained as a celibate priest in 2003, he served Armenian communities in Armenia, France, Switzerland, and eventually the United States, where he became known for his pastoral leadership, teaching, and outreach work.

As Primate, Bishop Mesrop oversees Armenian churches and clergy across the eastern United States, guiding religious, cultural, and educational programs for Armenian Americans. Since his election in 2022, he has focused on engaging younger generations, strengthening Armenian Christian identity in the diaspora, and expanding the Church’s presence through media and community outreach. He also represents the Armenian Church in interfaith and public settings, helping preserve Armenian spiritual and cultural traditions in American society.

CASTING INTO HOPE

Fishing is hope experienced. A fisherman casts his line into the water, not because he sees the fish, but because he believes they’re there. Even when the waters are calm and the bites are slow, the true fisherman doesn’t pack up and go home. He stays, expectant. If you ask him, “How can you fish all day without catching anything?” he’ll smile and say, “Hold on, I think I felt something.” And even if the line goes slack, his response is, “He’ll be back!” That’s hope. That’s faith in action.

And as Christians, hope isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a confident expectation rooted in the promises of God. Paul said it like this in Romans 8:24-25: “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

KEEP THE TORCH BURNING

In ancient Greece, the runner who won the Olympic race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time, but the man who crossed it in the shortest time with his torch still burning. It was a test not only of speed but of endurance, strength, and focus. The race wasn’t about simply finishing; it was about carrying the flame with you, no matter what you faced along the way.

Friends, life is much like that race. We are moving toward our purpose, striving to cross the finish line. But God isn’t just looking for us to complete the race; He wants us to keep our flame burning. When we start our journey, that torch is lit with passion, faith, and joy. But sometimes, along the way, the winds of life start blowing hard. Maybe it’s the winds of disappointment, or maybe it’s the storm of struggles that seem unending. Sometimes, it’s the simple weariness of carrying that torch day after day.

GOD’S UNFINISHED MAP

This map, displayed in Veharan at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, is known as Hamatarats Ashkharhatsuyts (World Map). Crafted by Thomas Vanandetsi in 1695 in Amsterdam, it’s the first map ever printed in the Armenian script. It was one of the first printed in Europe to include both geographic details and the stars above.

Crafted with care and incredible precision, it shows us just how skilled and visionary Thomas Vanandetsi was. But there’s something curious about this map—it’s unfinished. The western part of the United States and the eastern part of Australia are missing. Not because Thomas Vanandetsi made a mistake but because, in his time, those lands were still undiscovered! They hadn’t yet come into view.

A SACRED CONNECTION

During the recent Bishop’s ordination, I had the blessing, the honor, to wear a special cuff, the pazban, on my right arm. This wasn’t just any cuff. This was the very same one that once adorned the arm of Khrimyan Hayrig (1820-1907), the beloved Catholicos of all Armenians. He was a man after God’s own heart—a true shepherd, a beloved father to our people, a leader of unwavering courage and compassion.

As I placed this pazban on my arm, I felt a rush of reverence. In that moment, it felt like more than just fabric and threads. This cuff had been woven with prayers, with the humility and strength of those who wore it before me. It symbolized the dedication, the tears, and the selfless love of our spiritual ancestors, who witnessed Christ through trials and triumphs.

CARVE YOUR LEGACY OF FAITH

Recently, when I was at the newly renovated Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral, my eyes caught sight of three simple crosses carved into the eastern wall. These weren’t carved by famous artists or important people but by ordinary pilgrims who made their way here many centuries ago.

These crosses, along with several others found throughout the cathedral, are known as Pilgrim’s Crosses. They don’t carry the intricate designs or beauty we might see on our traditional khachkars, those ornate cross-stones. These crosses weren’t about impressing anyone; they were about expression—an outpouring of love, a prayer etched in stone, a hope left in the walls of God’s house.

25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ENTHRONEMENT OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II

Today, at the heart of our faith, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, we gathered in prayer, lifting up His Holiness Karekin II on his 25th anniversary of the enthronement to the Catholicosate of All Armenians. For a quarter of a century, His Holiness has served as a shepherd and father, guiding us through the trials and triumphs of our age. Through times of hardship and moments of celebration, he has been a vessel of our enduring faith.

It’s easy to take spiritual leadership for granted. Often, we look to our leaders as if their strength, wisdom, and presence in our lives had just appeared. But Scripture reminds us, in Hebrews 13:17, that leaders are appointed by God Himself. It says, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.”

BUILDING WITH VISION

Last weekend [Nov. 25-26, 2024], I had the blessing to consecrate the Holy Archangels Armenian Church in Hye Pointe, Massachusetts. It was a culmination of years of dedication, faith, and vision. Over the years, I’ve visited this place many times, watching it grow from just a construction site to a sanctuary. I remember standing on that concrete slab with Der Vart, the devoted pastor of this church. He would point with such clarity and say, “This is where the altar will be,” or “This is where the baptismal font will stand.”

If you were there in those early days, you might have looked around and seen nothing but an empty structure—a framework. But Der Vart saw with eyes of faith. Through his vision, the altar, the font, the pews, the aisles—they were already there.

BUMPS AND BLESSINGS

When I was younger, I’d always complained about the bumps on the road. I’d think, “Why do they have to put these here?” They’d slow me down and mess up my rhythm, and I just wanted to get where I was going faster. But one day, I realized that those bumps weren’t there to annoy me but to protect me. They were there to make sure I didn’t go too fast around a corner or miss something important. They were there to keep me safe.

In life, we all hit bumps in the road. Maybe you’re facing a challenge right now. Maybe you lost a job, had a relationship that didn’t work out, or you’ve been praying for a breakthrough, and it hasn’t come yet. It’s easy to think, “Why this bump, God? Why is this slowing me down?”

CREATING A SYMPHONY OF FAITH

A British weekly magazine has conducted a psychological survey of players in symphony orchestras. This shows that brass and string players usually have bad opinions of each other. Woodwind players, especially oboists, are considered as neurotics by their colleagues in the orchestra. Violin and viola players have uneasy, mutually deprecatory attitudes.

The wonder is that people who tend to be mutually hostile to each other can produce an effect of order and harmony. The moment the conductor lifts his baton, all these emotions are set apart. At that moment, only one thing counts: the success of the concert.

EMBRACE YOUR CROSS

The cross is a path to becoming all that God has designed you to be. It is your calling. It’s the place where your gifts and talents meet the world’s needs, where your struggles are transformed into blessings, and where God’s strength shines through your weaknesses.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross. Back in the fourth century, Queen St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, journeyed to Jerusalem and uncovered the very cross on which our Lord was crucified. As we reflect on her journey, I believe God is calling us to make a discovery of our own. He’s calling us not to find a physical cross but to uncover the cross, He has uniquely designed for each one of us—the cross that reflects His purpose for our lives.