THE EASTER MESSAGE OF BISHOP MESROP PARSAMYAN

On the first Easter morning, the women who cared for Jesus made their way to His tomb: a tomb cut into rock, with a great stone sealing its entrance. Their hearts on that morning were heavy with grief. The tears they had shed on Good Friday were not yet dried. The pain of loss, the ache of disappointment, the crushing weight of despair: it all weighed on them like a great stone, pressing down on their hearts. And as they walked, they asked a question that many of us have asked in our own lives: Who will remove the stone?

That stone represented finality. It marked the end of Jesus’ story—or so it seemed. He who had healed the sick, who had opened blind eyes, who had spoken words of Life—He was gone. The One who had lifted burdens was now sealed behind a burden too heavy to move.

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SEVEN NEW PRIESTS ORDAINED BY BISHOP MESROP’S HAND

This week, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan was blessed to ordain seven new priests to serve the Armenian Church. He did so while he was visiting Armenia to attend the Supreme Spiritual Council meeting at Holy Etchmiadzin.

The ordination service took place on Sunday, June 16, at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan. Each of the seven young men who knelt before the altar embodied a unique calling that God had planted in their hearts. These seven represent the first priests to be ordained by the hand of our Primate.

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PRIMATE’S EASTER 2024 MESSAGE

For weeks now, throughout the Armenian Church, our faithful have prepared for Easter with great anticipation, from Holy Etchmiadzin, to St. Vartan Cathedral, to every local parish. But wherever you are on that day, we all stand together as witnesses to the glory of our Lord’s Resurrection. On Easter Sunday we all proclaim with the apostle: “Glory to God—the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in His mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope, through the resurrection of Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

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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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THE SACRAMENT OF THE ORDINATION OF A BISHOP ACCORDING TO THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC ORTHODOX CHURCH

The ceremony for the ordination of a bishop (also known as “consecration”) is one of the more opulent ceremonies of the Armenian Church. It reflects the magnitude of the bishop’s unique ministry in the church. In the Armenian Church the Catholicos presides at all bishops’ ordinations with the participation of at least two additional bishops. The Armenian word for bishop, yebeesgobos, comes directly from the Greek word episkopos, which appears numerous times in the New Testament.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE LORD

Today marks a very special day for me; it’s been 20 years since I was ordained as a celibate priest at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
As I stand here today, back in the spiritual cradle of our ancient and beautiful Armenian Church, I’m filled with gratitude, awe, and a sense of wonder at the journey God has laid out for me.
My heart swells when I think back to the young man I was, taking my vows on this hallowed ground, entirely unaware of the incredible tapestry God would weave through my ministry.

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ANNOUNCING THE NEW DIOCESAN COUNCIL OFFICERS & MEMBERS

The newly-elected Diocesan Council met at the Diocesan Center in New York on Friday, May 19, 2023, with Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan presiding. During the May 19 meeting, the new council elected its Executive Committee (or “Tivan”). The new council and its officers are: Click on headline above to read more…

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PRIMATE’S CONSECRATION DATE AS BISHOP ANNOUNCED

This week at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Supreme Spiritual Council held its winter meeting, presided over by His Holiness Karekin II. With its adjournment on March 3, the Council released its report, which includes announcements that will be greeted as welcome news to the entire Armenian Church, and to the faithful of our Diocese in particular. We wish to share them with you here…

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A VALIANT SPIRIT, FOR 23 YEARS

This week marks the 23rd anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Karekin II. It was on November 4, 1999, that His Holiness was consecrated as the 132nd Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in a …

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THE ENTHRONEMENT SERVICE OF THE 13TH PRIMATE OF THE EASTERN DIOCESE

In a joyous, dignified service at New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan reflected on the Apostolic character of the Armenian Church as a call “to go forth” among its people, and into the world.

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