FEBRUARY 2, 2020 THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE OCTAVE OF THEOPHANY

ՓԵՏՐՈՒԱՐԻ 2, 2020 ¶ ÎÇñ³ÏÇ ¼ÏÝÇ ÌÝݹ»³Ý

FR. MESROB HOVSEPYAN, PASTOR MORNING SERVICE:

DIVINE LITURGY:

9:45 A.M.

10:15 A.M.

WELCOME TO

ST. GREGORY THE ENLIGHTENER

ARMENIAN CHURCH êàôð´ ¶ðƶàð Èàôê²ôàðÆâ

PC MEMBERS ON DUTY:

Greg Sahagian Gayane Manukyan Gayane Hovakimian

2 Timothy: 2:15-26 John 6:15-21

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Our address:

Office hours:

Contact us:

1131 North Street, White Plains, NY 10605, www.stgregorywp.com Tuesday-Friday 9a.m.-3p.m., Mondays closed.

Office: (914) 428-2595, saintgregorychurchwp@gmail.com Fr. Mesrob: (804) 405-9399, fr.mesrob@yahoo.com

Today there will be no Requiem Service after Badarak.

St. Sargis the warrior

EVE OF THE FAST OF CATECHUMENS The Fast of Catechumens is peculiar only to the Armenian Church. It begins three weeks before the Great Lent. In ancient times people could eat only bread and salt during the fast of Catechumens. On those days it was not allowed to celebrate Divine Liturgy either. The meaning of the Fast of Catechumens is the purification of the five human senses from pagan impurity. In the ancient Church there was a custom to fast during five days before baptism. St. Gregory the Illuminator ordered King Tiri-dates and others to fast for five days before baptism in order to get freed of the evil. That is the reason also for fasting of Catechumens to be called “fast of salvation” from the evil. According to the tradition, the fasting of Catechumens was initiated by St. Gregory the illuminator in memory of the above mentioned practice. There are two explanations regarding the name of this feast. It is called the fast of Catechumens: 1. As the precursor of the Great Lent, and 2. As the first Armenian fast. On the fifth day of the fasting of Catechumens, on Friday, the remem-brance day of the Prophet Jonah is celebrated, but it is celebrated not as the feast of Prophet Jonah, but as the memory of an example of great repentance and abstinence which Jonah urged. At times, wrongly, the fasting of Catechumens was called the fast of St. Sarkis, because the Ar-menian Church celebrates the feast of St. Sarkis on Saturday following the fast. In Middle Ages the Byzantine and the Georgian Churches blamed the Armenian Church for the fasting of Catechumens, relating it to St. Sarkis, to whom they ascribed sorcery. According to the testimo-nies of Armenian medieval writers. Greek and Latin Churches also had the fasting of Catechumens in ancient times.

ԲԱՐԵԿԵՆԴԱՆ ԱՌԱՋԱՎՈՐԱՑ ՊԱՀՔԻ Առաջավորաց պահքի շրջանը հատուկ է միայն Հայ եկեղեցուն: Սկսվում է Մեծ պահքից երեք շաբաթ առաջ: Պահանջվում է խիստ պահեցողություն: Հնում այդ օրերին թուլատրվել է միայն աղ ու հաց ուտել: Առաջավորաց պահքի խորհուրդը հեթանոսական ապականությունից մարդկային հինգ զգայարանների սրբումն է: Հնում սովորույթ կար մկրտությունից առաջ հինգ օր ծոմ պահել: Ս. Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչը նույնպես հրամայում է Տրդատ թագավորին և մյուսներին մկրտությունից առաջ հինգ օր ծոմ պահել, որի շնորհիվ էլ Տրդատը և ուրիշներ փրկվում են այսահարությունից: Այդ պատճառով էլ առաջավորաց պահքը կոչվում է նաև փրկության պահք: Համաձայն Հայ եկեղեցու վարդապետների, առաջավորաց պահքը հաստատել է Ս. Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչն՝ ի հիշատակ վերոհիշյալ ծոմապահության: Այս պահքի առաջավորաց կոչվելու վերաբերյալ կա երկու մեկնություն. առաջին` իբրև կարապետ Մեծ պահքի, և երկրորդ` իբրև հայոց առաջին պահք: Առաջավորաց պահքը թյուրիմացաբար անվանվել է նաև Ս. Սարգսի պահք, քանի որ առաջավորաց պահքին հաջորդող շաբաթ օրը Հայ եկեղեցին տոնում է Ս. Սարգսի տոնը: Սակայն պահքը ոչ մի կապ չունի Ս. Սարգսի տոնի հետ։

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS The reading is from the Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy (2:15-26) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a work-er who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who in-dulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Phile-tus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resur-rection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will be-come special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quar-rels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gen-tleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. The second reading is from the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John (6:15-21) When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough be-cause a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

îÜúðÐܾø / CHRISTMAS HOME BLESSING

Home Blessing /Dnorhnek/ is a beautiful tradition of the Armenian Church which is performed on se-veral occasions: namely after the feasts of Holy Na-tivity and Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the occasion of moving to a new home. Today, more than ever, we need the presence and

blessing of the Lord in our homes and lives. The revival of this centuries old custom will certainly bring us close to our Lord. Schedule your Home Blessing with Der Hayr: direct (804) 405-9399, church office (914) 428-2595, email: fr.mesrob@yahoo.com.

Your

Membership

Matters

“The body does not consist of one mem-

ber but of many” (1 Corn. 12:14)

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP A REMINDER— if you have not yet paid your church membership dues for 2019, please do so as soon as possible to ensure your sta-tus and the right to participate in the upcoming Annual Assembly on February 23, 2020. We want your vote to be heard so please be sure to renew your membership. The annual membership due is $100 p/person and the member-ship forms can be found in the narthex.

Wanted: Old iPads Not sure what to do with your old iPad? We can find use of 1 or 2 iPads (preferably 12.9” screen size) during the Morning worship services for music notes and service files instead of printing. Smaller screen iPods (9.7 or 10.2) can possibly be used by our choir to replace and upgrade the binders of the music notes of the Divine Liturgy. Perhaps your gently used iPad can find a new home at church! Please contact Fr. Mesrob if you have an iPad you would like to donate.

Invitation to the Annual Parish Assembly

Հրաւէր Տարեկան Ծխական

Անդամական Ժողովի

February 23, 2020 Sunday

Detailed itinerary and the application can be found in the narthex.

Children’s Communion and Sermons Communion will be distributed to Sunday School stu-dents and Children’s sermon will be delivered by Der

Mesrob on the first Sunday of the month. All the children of our community are encouraged to

join us on those special Sundays.

Got a Question for Der Hayr? Is there a question on faith/spirituality/Armenian

Church that you would like to be answered or a topic that you would like to hear a sermon about?

Please drop your questions and topic suggestions into the suggestion box placed in the narthex. The questions and the topic suggestions will help Der Mesrob to pre-

pare and deliver an interactive sermon on the last Sunday of a month.

A NOTE OF APPRECIATION FROM SUNDAY SCHOOL St. Gregory’s Sunday School would like to thank Mrs. Gloria Aslanian for generously inviting friends and family to for-

ward donations totaling $470 in lieu of birthday gifts to our Sunday School.

We greatly appreciate her kindness and generosity!!

ADULT DANCE LESSONS We are happy to announce Armenian Dance lessons for

adults held twice a month on Saturdays. If you are interested to join the group please contact Fr. Mesrob for details.

The lessons are instructed by Arsen Sargsyan.

Continued on the next page.

TODAY Divine Liturgy. Children’s Sermon will be de-livered at the end of the service. Potluck Sunday: We thank all our parishioners who bring re-freshments to share with parishioners during the coffee hour.

FEBRUARY 1, SATURDAY

Armenian Heritage Night 6:00pm For details see the flyer in the bulletin.

FEBRUARY 9, SUNDAY

Cultural Committee Art Show. The flyers can be found in the bulletin.

FEBRUARY 16, SUNDAY

Lionel Galstaun Annual Memorial Concert. The flyers can be found in the bulletin.

FEBRUARY 22, SATURDAY

Family Fun Event organized by the Armenian School For details see the flyer in the bulletin.

FEBRUARY 23, SUNDAY

POON PAREKENTAN ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY following immediately the Divine Liturgy

MARCH 1, SUNDAY

Potluck Sunday: Please bring refreshments to share with parishioners during the coffee hour

ACYOA Juniors Meeting following the Badarak

MARCH 6, FRIDAY

LENTEN FRIDAY EVENING SERVICE AND PRESENTAION 6:30pm - Lenten Service 7:00pm - Lenten Dinner 7:30pm - Program “Build up the Body of Christ” presented by Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

MARCH 14-15, SATURDAY-

SUNDAY

Annual ACYOA Jrs. Regional Lenten Retreat All youth ages 13 and up are invited to attend the retreat. Youth from the Armenian communities of NY, NJ, PA, and CT will be invited. For details please contact Chris Pahrigian cpa-higian@friendsny.org or Taleen Postian at ta-leen.postian@gmail.com.

MARCH 20, FRIDAY

LENTEN FRIDAY EVENING SERVICE AND PRESENTATION 6:30pm - Lenten Service 7:00pm - Lenten Dinner 7:30pm - Program “Follow me: Exercising the Body of Christ.” presented by Subdeacon Andrew Kayaian.

MARCH 28, SATURDAY

Youth Activity Night Details to follow.

APRIL 3, FRIDAY

LENTEN FRIDAY EVENING SERVICE AND PRESENTAION 6:30pm - Lenten Service 7:00pm - Lenten Dinner 7:30pm - Program “To Build Up, We Must Give” presented by Deacon Eric Vozzy

APRIL 5, SUNDAY

PALM SUNDAY Annual ACYOA Day Luncheon. Details to follow.

APRIL 12, SUNDAY

Easter Sunday: Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ

APRIL 26, SUNDAY

Narrated Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy will be celebrated along with nar-rations in English which will helps us to follow the Badarak with greater understanding.

Movie Presentation The Stateless Diplomat: Diana Apcar's Heroic Life. For details see the flyer in the narthex.