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.

GUARD YOUR HEART

Our heart is like a garden. What we plant in it will determine what grows. If we plant seeds of faith, hope, and love, we’ll see a harvest of blessings, peace, and joy. But if we let weeds of doubt, bitterness, and negativity take root, they’ll choke out the life God wants us to experience.

The Bible says, “Keep your heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23). That means we have to be proactive. We can’t just let anything and everything into our hearts. We need to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, and who we allow to influence us.

CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES

Chapter 13 of the Book of Genesis provides a perfect example of how our choices define our destiny. It tells the story of two men, Abraham and Lot, who were both believers but had very different outcomes.

Abraham, a man of faith, left his homeland of Ur and ventured into the unknown because he trusted God’s promises. He focused on the spiritual, knowing that where God leads, blessings follow. And we see that God rewarded Abraham’s faithfulness, making him the father of many nations. Abraham’s life was marked by peace, prosperity, and God’s favor.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

While in Armenia for the Supreme Spiritual Council meeting, I had the blessing of ordaining seven new priests at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan today. Each of these seven young men who knelt before the altar embodied a unique calling, a divine purpose that God had planted in their hearts.

Father’s Day is a celebration of fatherhood, and this year, it took on a new meaning for me: I became their spiritual father, consecrating them and dedicating them to the Lord. As I laid my hands on each candidate, I felt a profound sense of responsibility and joy.

FATHER’S LOVE

The Spanish have a touching story about an estranged father and son. When the son, Paco, leaves home after a severe argument, the father looks for him everywhere. After months of searching in vain, he takes one last desperate step: he publishes an announcement in one of Madrid’s daily newspapers. The statement reads: “Dear Paco, I will wait for you at the entrance of the Almudena Cathedral on Saturday afternoon. Everything is forgiven. I love you. With longing and love, Your Father.”

THE IMPERFECT HEROES OF SCRIPTURE

One of the reasons we find the Bible so believable and so relatable is because it refuses to gloss over its heroes. It doesn’t present them as flawless, unattainable icons of virtue. Instead, it shows us their humanity, their struggles, their mistakes. And in that, we find hope for our own lives.

Think about Moses, for example. Here was a man chosen by God to lead His people out of slavery. But Moses was also a murderer. He made a terrible decision that haunted him.

LISTENING WITH THE HEART

There’s an Armenian proverb that says, “We have three ears: one on the left side of the head, the other on the right, and the third in the heart.” We often forget about listening with the heart, while this kind of listening can make all the difference in our relationship with God.

We all go to church, sit side by side, and participate in the same Badarak, but some of us leave feeling the presence of God deeply in our hearts, while others feel nothing. Why is that? It’s because some hear with the heart, and others only with the ears.

SOARING ON GOD’S WINGS

An eagle is a majestic and powerful bird soaring high in the sky. It returns to its nest, where its young ones are nestled. The eagle begins to stir up the nest, encouraging its young to take flight. At first, they might be afraid and unsure of their own abilities. But the eagle knows something they don’t—within them lies the power to soar.

In the same way, our almighty God is like that eagle. He stirs up our nests and our comfort zones and leads us to the edge of new challenges and opportunities. Sometimes, it feels like we’re being pushed off a cliff into nothing but air.

HOPE FOR TOMORROW, STRENGTH FOR TODAY

Iguazu Falls, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders. It consists of 275 separate waterfalls that span over 1.67 miles along the Iguazu River. The name “Iguazu” comes from the Guarani or Tupi words “y” (water) and “ûasú” (big), meaning “big water.”

Carved into a wall on the Brazilian side of the falls is a verse from the Bible, “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” (Psalm 93:4).

TRUSTING GOD’S STORY

When we are learning to read as children, we quickly discover that the opening chapters of a novel are often a little confusing. New characters would pop up, strange events would unfold, and nothing seemed to make much sense. But we learned something important: to keep reading. Because we knew, deep down, that a good author would eventually weave all those scattered pieces into a beautiful, coherent story.

Our lives of faith are much the same. Sometimes, we encounter people and …

BUILDING THE ALTAR OF LIGHT

Over seventeen centuries ago, in the heart of Armenia, a vision changed the course of our faith. St. Gregory saw a brilliant light descending from heaven, marking the very spot where the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin would be built. This was no ordinary light; it was the light of Christ Himself, illuminating the path for a nation and its people.

St. Gregory called out to the Armenian people with a message that resonates with us today: “Come, let us build the Altar of Light, for it is here that the Light has dawned upon us.” …