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.

TURN TO THE LIGHT

Last week, on my way to Khor Virap, I came across a beautiful sunflower garden and had to stop to take a picture. There’s just something about sunflowers that lifts my spirit. I’ve loved them for as long as I can remember.

But here’s what’s fascinating about sunflowers: they follow the sun. It’s a behavior called heliotropism. In the morning, they face east. And as the sun moves across the sky, they turn their heads with it. All day long, they’re chasing the light. And when the sun sets, when darkness falls, they turn toward each other.

CALLED TO THE LIGHT

There are moments in our lives when God reveals Himself in ways that forever shape our journey. For me, one such moment took place on a scorching summer day when I was just thirteen. Our judo coach gathered us for a hike, a nearly 25-mile hike from Yerevan to Khor Virap Monastery. We left early in the morning, and by the time we arrived, night had already fallen. We lay down to rest within the ancient walls of this sacred place.

At dawn, as the first light touched the peak of Mount Ararat, the monastery bells began to ring. Something deep inside me stirred.

THE GOD OF PERFECT TIMING

Today, in Yerevan, I visited the old Spartak sports complex where it all began—the place where God started writing a chapter of my life I never could’ve had imagined.

When I was 5 and my brother was 6, our father decided it was time for us to get involved in sports. He had been a wrestler in his youth, so it made sense to him that his sons would wrestle too. He took us to a Greco-Roman wrestling club.

POUR OUT THE HONEY

Honey has been treasured for centuries, not just for its sweetness, but for its healing power. Long before modern medicine discovered its antibacterial properties, people knew that a spoonful of honey could soothe a sore throat, that a dab on a wound could help cleanse and heal. It’s nature’s remedy. It’s gentle, it’s powerful, and it works.

The Bible says in Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” God is reminding us that our words are not just sounds that pass through the air; they are carriers of life. Just like honey, they have flavor. They have sweetness. And they have healing power.

EVEN THE NIGHT IS DAWN

Life has its way of bringing night into our lives. These are the times when challenges seem too big, when the burdens feel too heavy, and when the path ahead seems lost in darkness. We all have moments like that—moments of uncertainty, grief, or pain—both personally and as a nation.

But even in that darkness, even when the night feels endless, there is a Light that never goes out. There is a flame that continues to burn. St. Gregory of Narek, our great spiritual poet, captured this beautifully when he wrote, “When there is the torch of your hope, even the night is dawn for me.”

PRAYERS FOR PEACE AND UNITY

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Etchmiadzin. The very name “Etchmiadzin” means “The Place Where the Only Begotten Descended.” It recalls the sacred vision granted to St. Gregory the Illuminator, in which Christ Himself descended and pointed to the spot where the Altar of Light should be built. It was there that the foundation of our Mother See was laid—both physically and spiritually.

For over seventeen centuries, Holy Etchmiadzin has stood firm as the center of our faith and the foundation of our national identity. She has remained steadfast in the Apostolic tradition, guided by the divine authority entrusted to her by our Lord Jesus Christ, and passed down faithfully through generations of Catholicoi and saints.

FROM PIT TO PURPOSE

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Deliverance from the Pit. Over 1,700 years ago, King Trdat threw St. Gregory into a dark pit near Mount Ararat. It was a prison, a place of suffering, meant to break his spirit. St. Gregory endured unimaginable hardship for thirteen long years, but he never lost his faith. He trusted that God had a plan, even in his darkest moments.

After thirteen years, God sent a vision to King Trdat, leading to Gregory’s miraculous rescue. Not only was Gregory freed, but he also went on to transform Armenia, leading the nation to embrace Christianity. What was meant for his harm, God used for his good and the good of an entire nation.

THANKFUL FOR THE LITTLE

Yesterday, I had lunch with my friend Haig Buchakjian at a small Italian restaurant right across the street from the Diocese. It’s called Nonna Dora’s. Now, it’s not a big place. It’s not fancy, but it’s known for handmade pasta. And what makes it truly special is that Nonna Dora herself, well into her 80s, still sits right there by the kitchen, rolling out dough with her own hands.

As I sat there enjoying that meal, my thoughts drifted back to Armenia in the early 1990s, some of the hardest years of our lives. There were power outages, food shortages, and bitter cold winters. And yet, in the midst of that hardship, my grandmother Eva, may God rest her soul, would find a way to feed us. With just a little flour, some water, and her own two hands, she would make Reshta, our Armenian version of linguini.

THE TROPHY HAS YOUR NAME ON IT

In every championship, there’s a prize. In every race, there’s a reward. Athletes train for hours, rising before dawn, pressing through fatigue, through injury, through disappointment. They face criticism. They endure setbacks. But they keep going. Why? Because their eyes are fixed on the trophy.

St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” That means run with purpose. Run with passion. Run like you know God is going to crown your effort with victory. Because He will.

HAPPY FATHERS’ DAY

When I graduated from the Seminary and was ordained a priest, my father would proudly introduce me every time we met someone new. He would say, “Do you know my son, Hayr Mesrop? He graduated from the Gevorgyan Seminary with honors. He’s a priest now, ordained at Holy Etchmiadzin.” His heart was full. He was proud. Proud not just because of the achievement, but because I was his son.

Friends, that’s exactly how your Heavenly Father feels about you. He’s smiling over you. He’s talking about you in Heaven. Not because you’re perfect, but because you’re His.