Messages Written by Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan

THE MOTHER WHO HEALS AND UNITES

This morning, I woke up to the sound of the bells of Holy Etchmiadzin. I arrived at the Mother See last night for the Supreme Spiritual Council meeting. As the bells chimed, I felt the weight of centuries in their echoes. These bells proclaim the endurance of a people, the unbroken faith of a nation. This is where you realize that faith isn’t just an idea; it’s living, breathing, and holding us together like a mother embracing her children.

Etchmiadzin, this holy sanctuary, has been the soul of our people. She has stood steadfast through the storms of history, watching over her children who have lived through the centuries with many pains and only little joys. She has witnessed our triumphs, but more often, she has wept with us in our suffering. And yet, she has never abandoned her children.

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WALKING THE STRAIGHT PATH OF FAITH

I heard about two boys who were playing in the snow. They decided to have a little competition to see who could walk the straightest line. One boy kept stopping, turning back to check his path. But the other boy never looked back. He locked his gaze on a tree in the distance and walked straight toward it. When they reached the end, the first boy’s line was perfectly straight. The second boy’s path was all over the place. He asked, “How did you do that?” His friend said, “I didn’t look back. I kept my eyes on the tree.”

That’s a picture of how we are to walk in faith. Some people start out strong, but along the way, they get distracted. They start looking back at past mistakes, past hurts, and past regrets. They keep questioning, “Am I on the right path? Did I make the right decisions?”

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BISHOP MESROP’S LENTEN MESSAGE 2025

We have entered the Season of Lent, and I want you to know that I will be praying for each and every one of you as you take this journey of reflection and preparation for the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ at Easter.
Great Lent is a time of many rich traditions in our Armenian Apostolic Church. It’s a time to engage in prayer, fasting, and giving—practices that open the door to God’s grace. I encourage you to take part in them and to be enriched in your spiritual life. Open yourself to the great love that God has for you. Listen for His voice and where it calls you.

Lent also reminds us of our need for repentance and the honest recognition that we are sinners who fall short of God’s glory. To many in the modern world, the very concept of sin seems old-fashioned. Yet, sin is part of our human nature; brokenness is our human condition.

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A NEW SHEPHERD FOR GOD’S FLOCK

Last Saturday was a powerful, unforgettable day. My heart is still overflowing with joy and gratitude because I had the honor of performing my first priestly ordination in our Diocese at St. Sahag Armenian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. We’ve been blessed to witness a divine mystery unfolding right before our eyes: Deacon Serop Krajekian has been transformed into a new creation in the Lord, Father Nersess.

A new priest means a new chapter, a new outpouring of grace, a fresh wind of the Spirit. Just as a baptism fills a family with joy, just as a wedding brings celebration, the St. Sahag community, our Eastern Diocese, and the entire Armenian Church rejoice because God has raised up a shepherd to lead His flock.

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A LEGACY OF FAITH AND COURAGE

Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Ghevont, the priest, and his clergy brothers. In the fifth century, when our people faced one of the greatest threats in their history and the Persian Empire sought to erase Armenia’s Christian identity, St. Ghevont and his clergy brothers stood boldly with the Armenian army for their faith and their nation, defying impossible odds.

On the eve of the Battle of Avarayr, May 24, AD 451, when the enemy was closing in, St. Ghevont gathered the soldiers, celebrated Badarak, administered Holy Communion, and even baptized those who had not yet been received into the church. And with his words, he reminded them about the love of God and that no battle, no hardship, not even death itself, could separate them from His love.

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TRAVEL LIGHT

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.

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TRUSTING GOD’S GREATER PLAN

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!

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KEEP YOUR FORK!

Week after week, I have the privilege of visiting our parishes, celebrating Badarak with our beloved communities. After Badarak, we gather together for fellowship where we share a meal. When the dishes from the main course are being cleared away, someone will inevitably lean over and say, “Srpazan, keep your fork.”

Now, whenever I hear those words, I know something good is coming. That means the best part of the meal isn’t over. That means dessert is on its way—maybe a rich, velvety chocolate cake, or a warm kadaif or kunefeh, fresh out of the oven. Keep your fork is a sign that something even sweeter is ahead!

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FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

Today, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, the moment when the forty-day-old baby Jesus was brought to the temple by His mother, Mary, and Joseph. They came to fulfill the law, to offer a sacrifice, to do what was expected. But what seemed like an ordinary ritual became an extraordinary revelation!

Because in that temple, there were two people who had been waiting, watching, believing. Simeon, a devout man, and Anna, a prophetess—two people who refused to give up, who held onto hope when it seemed like nothing was changing. And on that day, their faith was rewarded!

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THE POWER OF FOCUS IN YOUR LIFE

When I was a kid, I loved playing with a magnifying glass. I’d use it to focus sunlight on a piece of paper. At first, the light didn’t seem to do much. But when I held that magnifying glass just right, the light became so focused that it could start a fire! I didn’t fully understand it back then, but it taught me a powerful truth: light, when focused, has incredible power.

Think about it. Diffused light can brighten a room, and that’s good. But focused light? It can start fires. Concentrate it even more, and it becomes a laser that can cut through steel, heal disease, and reach the stars. The same is true about our lives. When we scatter our energy, we may accomplish a little here and there, but we’ll never see the extraordinary. But when we focus, when we fix our attention on what truly matters, there’s no limit to what God can do through us.

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