Messages Written by Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan

RESTORATION OF HUMANKIND

In 1972, a mad and distressed Hungarian geologist attacked and severely damaged one of the world’s most famous sculptures, Michelangelo’s Pieta, located in St. Peter’s Cathedral at the Vatican.
After arresting the culprit and assessing the amount of damage he caused, the officials immediately started the restoration of the statue. Although this masterpiece of art was broken, it was not thrown aside but was carefully repaired and is still to this day, one of the crown jewels of the St. Peter’s Cathedral, restored with its new beauty.

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SPEAKING OF HOPE

If you meet drivers who bought an expensive car and ask them about their car, they will talk for hours about its advantages and multifunctional capabilities. If you ask someone who bought a new computer about their computer, they will tell you about its power and capabilities. If you ask a gardener about his garden or greenhouses, he will tell you at length about the quantity and quality of his crops.

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ALL SAINTS’ DAY

In the cathedral, a nine-year-old girl was mesmerized by the vibrant stained-glass windows. Curiously, she pointed to each one, turning to her aunt to ask, “Who’s that?” The questions followed one after another, identifying Saint John, Saint Peter, Saint Sahag, and Saint Mary until a moment of clarity dawned on her. With a triumphant expression, she exclaimed, “Now I know what a saint is! A saint is a person the light shines through!”

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A NATURAL CATHEDRAL

At that moment, prayer seemed both inevitable and spontaneous. How could one not pray when faced with such splendor? The falls acted like a grand altar, constantly offering its waters to the sky and the mist like incense, rising and filling the air with its refreshing scent.
The spectacle reminded me of the words from the Book of Psalms, “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)…

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THE LORD’S INTENTIONS FOR US

A gardener once observed a bird trying to build a nest on a pile of broken branches from an apple tree. When the bird flew away, the gardener went and destroyed the bird’s nest. The next day, the bird attempted again to build its nest on the same pile of brittle, broken branches. The gardener once again went and destroyed it. The next day, he saw the bird building its nest on one of the other trees in his garden. He looked up, smiled, and left the bird alone. It must have seemed to the poor bird that the gardener was the cruelest man in the world. But the gardener knew

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THE FOUR EVANGELISTS

In Christian tradition, the Four Evangelists are often symbolically represented by four living creatures as described in the Book of Ezekiel (1:5–14) and the Book of Revelation (4:6–8): a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. These symbols capture the essence of the message and the character of the Gospel each Evangelist conveys.
In the Armenian Church, we celebrate the Feast Day of the Four Evangelists—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Through their divine inspiration and human experiences, these extraordinary men crafted the Gospels, Աւետարան/Avedaran in Armenian.

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A DIVINE HOMECOMING: BISHOP MESROP’S RETURN DIVINE LITURGY

The Primate, who had been consecrated as a bishop at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin a week earlier by His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, presided over the special badarak before a large gathering of clergy and lay people from near and far. A most blessed and joyous homecoming took place on Saturday, October 14, when newly-ordained Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan returned to New York City’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral to celebrate his first episcopal Divine Liturgy as bishop of the Eastern Diocese.

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RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE AREA GATHER AT ST. VARTAN

The religious leaders of the area, with whom we share not just a geography but also a commitment to love and service, joined together in St. Vartan Cathedral to extend a warm welcome to me in my new role as the newly ordained bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America. Their presence was a testament to the unifying power of faith and the collaborative work we all aspire to undertake for the glory of God and the betterment of His people.

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FIRST EPISCOPAL BADARAK IN DIOCESE

“Having received grace and mercy from you, Lord, we gratefully glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

These beautiful words from our Liturgy express my feelings at this sacred hour. Today I am overcome with a spirit of thanks to the Lord—who took my life in His hands, shaped my soul, inspired my heart, rescued me from the shadow of death—and guided me, step by step, to this ministry in His service.

My gratitude to God is accompanied by the warmest thanks to my parents, my family, and my friends of a lifetime. They encouraged me to answer God’s call and have walked beside me, along this journey, nourishing my soul with their continuous support every single day.

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HE KNOWS YOUR WORTH

Have you ever questioned your worth? Have you ever felt rejected, overlooked, or underestimated by the world? In society, value is often determined by material wealth or societal status. We are continually appraised by the size of our bank accounts, the labels on our clothes, or the number of followers we have on social media. But God’s economy is different. He’s not looking at your bank account or your list of accomplishments; He’s looking at you—the real you,..

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