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PRELATE’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
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“It is I, do not be Afraid.” (John 6:20)
Jesus’s disciples heard the voice of their Lord when due to a strong storm in the Sea of Galilee they feared for their lives. The sea was a tempest. Their souls were a tempest. In the face of life-threatening danger they suddenly saw their Lord—the Savior—who came walking on the Sea and approached their boat. With the appearance of the Savior, their tempest-torn souls became peaceful. “It is I, do not be afraid.” For centuries on the occasion of the New Year and the birth of Jesus, Christians around the world have greeted each other with joyous and warm felicitations and have begun the New Year with the heartfelt hope for a more peaceful year, a healthier and successful year. This is the way our lives should be today. If only it remained this way and we lived our days with that simplicity, innocence, and peace, to give us the opportunity to seek and find each other with greater intimacy and love. When we look around us today, we see humankind in dreadful circumstances. Greed and love of money, seeking only personal and corporate profit, results in millions of people in poverty and hunger. Political profits destroy countries and kill souls. Terrorism brings tragedy and the black waves of death to people who lived a peaceful and good life. Fear and dread becomes an extended epidemic, and in the face of death, people leave their homes, become refugees with the hope of finding an acceptable and safe life. It is as if the world has turned into the boat caught in the tempestuous Sea of Galilee. The world is a tempest. The souls of humankind are a tempest. * * * It is New Year and Christmas. Jesus comes again and says, “It is I, do not be afraid.” Within our turbulent surroundings we sometimes have difficulty hearing His voice. Pain, agony, and death have at times made our souls deaf. Those who are weak in faith are defeated. Therefore, with Jesus’s reassuring words, another opportunity is created for us to reflect that all of the world’s problems, tragedies, and disasters should not subdue us. On the contrary, we must rebuild our life, individually and collectively, with renewed hope, with strong faith, with proper use of God-given wisdom and grace. Let love rule humankind’s souls so that armed with the weapons of justice and right judgment we defeat all forms of evil in the world. Come, Lord Jesus. Bring your peace to the whole world, our church life, world leaders, the Holy Catholicossal Sees, the Republic of Armenia, and all who serve benevolently and peacefully. Dear faithful of the Armenian Church, The birth of Jesus is the Feast of any true Christian soul. May it keep you and your family in good health and bring success to your work and plans. Rather than a lone individual, you are a part of the Armenian people, your soul is part of the soil of the Homeland. With all of my heart, I wish prosperity and advancement for our nation, and strength to our Homeland. Your participation is necessary in order to achieve these goals. Look in the manger at the infant Jesus’s good and graceful Mother of God and join our hymnists in praying and asking for intercession, “Let wars be silenced; let the attacks of the enemy cease, let love and justice be established in the world. We beseech you.” Happy New Year and a Holy Nativity. Good News for all of us. ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN Prelate Armenian Apostolic Church of America (Eastern Prelacy) Holy Nativity, 2016
ԵՍ ԵՄ, ՄԻ՛ ՎԱԽՆԱՔ (Յհ 6,20) Յիսուսի աշակերտները լսեցին իրենց Տիրոջ ձայնը, երբ Գալիլեայի լիճին վրայ փոթորիկի բռնուած՝ կորուստի վախը կ՛ապրէին: Ալեկոծ էր լիճը: Ալեկոծ էր իրենց հոգին: Եւ վտանգին առջեւ ու մահուան սպառնալիքին դիմաց, յանկարծ տեսան իրենց Տէրը՝ Փրկիչը, որ լիճին վրայէն քալելով կը մօտենար նաւակին: Փրկիչին գալուստով իրենց ալեկոծ հոգին կը խաղաղէր: Ես եմ, մի՛ վախնաք: Նոր Տարուան եւ Յիսուսի ծննդեան տօնին առիթով, քրիստոնեայ աշխարհը դարերով ուրախութեան ջերմ զգացումներով շնորհաւորած է զիրար, եւ իր սրտին մէջ առաւել խաղաղ տարուան մը, աւելի առողջ ու արդիւնաւոր տարուան մը յոյսով սկսած իր նոր տարին: Այսպէս պէտք էր ըլլար մեր ալ կեանքը ներկայ ժամանակներուն: Երանի՜ նոյնը մնար եւ ապրէինք մեր օրերը այն պարզութեամբ, անմեղութեամբ ու խաղաղ, որ առիթ տար աւելի մտերմութեամբ ու սիրով զիրար փնտռելու, զիրար տեսնելու: Երբ ներկայ օրերուն մեր շուրջը կը նայինք, մարդկութիւնը կը տեսնենք ահազանգի մէջ: Ագահութիւնն ու դրամապաշտութիւնը, փնտռելով միայն անձնական թէ ընկերակցական (corporate) շահերը, բազմամիլիոն մարդոց աղքատութեան եւ անօթութեան պատճառ կը դառնայ: Քաղաքական շահերը երկիրներ կը քանդեն, հոգիներ կը սպաննեն: Ահաբեկչութիւնը խաղաղ ու բարւոք կեանք մը ապրող ժողովուրդներու դժբախտութեան ու մահուան սեւ ալիքներ կը բերէ: Վախն ու սարսափը համատարած համաճարակ կը դառնայ, եւ մահուան սպառնալիքին դիմաց, մարդիկ կը ձգեն տուն ու տեղ, կը դառնան գաղթական՝ ընդունելի ու ապահով կեանք մը ճարելու յոյսով: Աշխարհը կարծէք դարձած է Գալիլեայի լիճին վրայ տարուբերող նաւակը եւ, Յիսուսի աշակերտներուն նման կ՛ալեկոծի մահասարսուռ ալիքներուն վրայ: Ալեկոծ է աշխարհը: Ալեկոծ է մարդկութեան հոգին: *** Նոր Տարի եւ Սուրբ Ծնունդ է: Յիսուս դարձեալ կու գայ ու կ՛ըսէ. «Ես եմ, մի՛ վախնաք»: Խռովեալ շրջապատին մէջ երբեմն կը դժուարանանք լսելու իր ձայնը: Ցաւը, տառապանքն ու մահը երբեմն խուլ դարձուցած են մեր հոգին: Հաւատքի մէջ տկար անձը պարտուած է կեանքէն: Սակայն Յիսուսի վստահութիւն ներշնչող բառերը լսելով, ահաւասիկ դարձեալ առիթ մը կը ստեղծուի մեզի համար, որ անդրադառնանք թէ աշխարհի վրայ տիրող բոլոր նեղութիւնները, դժբախտութիւններն ու աղէտները պէտք չէ ընկճեն մեզ, ընդհակառակը, նորոգեալ յոյսով մը, հաստատուն հաւատքով մը եւ աստուածատուր շնորհքներու իմաստուն ու ճարտար գործածութեամբ պէտք է վերաշինենք մեր կեանքը, անհատական թէ հաւաքական: Եւ թող սէրը տիրապետէ մարդկութեան հոգիներուն, որպէսզի արդարութեան եւ արդարադատութեան զէնքերը հագած՝ յաղթենք աշխարհի բոլոր տեսակի չարիքներուն: Եկո՛ւր, Տէր Յիսուս: Քու խաղաղութիւնդ տուր ամբողջ աշխարհին, եկեղեցւոյ մեր կեանքին, աշխարհի ղեկավարներուն, Հայրապետական մեր Սուրբ Աթոռներուն, Հայոց ազգի Հանրապետութեան եւ բարեսէր ու խաղաղասէր բոլոր սպասարկուներուն: Սիրելի՛ Հայորդի, Յիսուսի ծնունդը տօնն է ճշմարտօրէն քրիստոնեայ հոգիիդ: Թող քեզ ու ընտանիքդ պահէ առողջ եւ տայ գործերուդ ու ծրագիրներուդ յաջողութիւն: Առանձին անհատ ըլլալով հանդերձ, անդամն ես Հայ ժողովուրդին, հոգիդ՝ բուռ մը հող Հայրենիքէդ: Ամենայն սրտով կը մաղթեմ բարգաւաճում եւ յառաջդիմութիւն մեր ազգին, անսասանութիւն՝ մեր Հայրենիքին: Եւ որպէսզի ասոնք իրագործուին, անհրաժեշտ է որ դուն ալ քու մասնակցութիւնդ բերես: Դիտէ մսուրին մէջ մանկացեալ Յիսուսի բարի ու ազնիւ Աստուածամայրը եւ մեր շարականագիր վարդապետին հետ անոր աղօթէ եւ իրմէ խնդրէ որ բարեխօսէ, ըսելով. «Թող լռեն պատերազմները, թող դադրին թշնամիներուն յարձակումները, թող սէր եւ արդարութիւն հաստատուի աշխարհի վրայ, կ՛աղաչենք»: Շնորհաւոր Նոր Տարի եւ Սուրբ Ծնունդ: Մեծ աւետիս բոլորիս: Օշական Արքեպիսկոպոս
Առաջնորդ Սուրբ Ծնունդ, 2016
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| A BLESSED AND HOLY NATIVITY Next Wednesday, January 6, is Christmas. The Armenian Church has remained faithful to the celebration of the Nativity and Epiphany on January 6. In the mid-fourth century the Roman Church separated the two events, celebrating the birth on December 25 and the baptism and visit of the magi on January 6 (thus the twelve days of Christmas). On Christmas Eve a solemn Mass is celebrated, preceded by readings taken from various parts of the Bible about the birth or the coming of the Messiah. The third chapter from the book of Daniel is read, usually by a deacon and three young men representing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the youths who would not renounce their faith in spite of torture. Following Christmas Eve services, traditionally choir members would go from house to house singing hymns, spreading the Good News of the birth of our Savior. On Christmas day, after the Divine Liturgy, a special service is performed symbolizing the baptism of Jesus, which was a turning point in His life and the beginning of His ministry. This service, which is called Blessing of the Water (Churorhnek), commemorates the Baptism and the Manifestation of Christ recognizing Him as the true Son of God.
NATIVITY AND EPIPHANY SCHEDULES OF SERVICES Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan: On Christmas Eve, Tuesday, January 5, His Eminence will preside at the Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy services at St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia. On Christmas Day, Wednesday, January 6, His Eminence will celebrate the Divine Liturgy, deliver the sermon and officiate the Blessing of Water Service at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City.
Vicar General, Bishop Anoushavan On Christmas Day, Wednesday, January 6, His Grace will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and Blessing of Water service at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York.
MEMORIAL DAY Thursday, January 7, the day after Christmas, is Memorial Day. As is the custom in the Armenian Church, the day after each of the five great tabernacle feasts is a memorial day. Traditionally, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated on this day and afterwards the faithful go to the cemetery to honor their loved ones and have their graves blessed.
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| BIBLE READINGS Bible Readings for Sunday, January 3, Seventh Sunday of Advent and Fifth Day of the Fast of the Nativity are: Isaiah 51:15-52:3; Hebrews 13:18-25; Luke 22:24-30. A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves. “You are those who have continued with me in my trials; as my Father appointed a kingdom for me, so do I appoint for you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:24-30) For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here. Note: Bible Readings for the entire year of 2016 are now on the Prelacy web page.
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| THE HOLY FATHERS This Saturday, January 2, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy Fathers Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Sylvester of Rome, and Ephrem the Syrian. St. Basil, called the “Great,” was an exceptional leader who helped spread Christianity. At the age of 26 he gave up his wealth and became a monk and dedicated his life to serve the people by establishing hospitals, hostels, and public kitchens to feed the needy. He was a talented writer and many of his prayers are used in the Armenian Church and other eastern churches. At a time when a solitary life of a hermit was considered to be spiritual, he instead urged monastic communities believing that no one is totally self-sufficient. St. Gregory of Nyssa was the younger brother of Basil, and friend of Gregory of Nazianus. He was educated in Athens and influenced by the writings of Origen and Plato. He was a professor of rhetoric, but became disillusioned with his life as a teacher and became a priest. He served as Bishop of Nyssa and Archbishop of Sebastia. St. Sylvester served as the Bishop of Rome during the era of Constantine for more than twenty years. During the time of his service many great churches were built. He took part in the negotiations concerning Arianism at the Council of Nicaea. St. Ephrem the Syrian lived in Mesopotamia (Syria) during his entire life. He was baptized at age 18 and he served under St. James of Nisibis. He is credited for introducing hymns in public worship services. He visited St. Basil in Caesarea and upon his return he helped ease the famine during the winter of 372-73 by distributing food and money to the poor and needy. He was a prolific writer and his work, written in Syriac, was immediately translated into Greek, Armenian, and Latin.
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| THIS WEEK IN ARMENIAN HISTORY Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)
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| Death of Mateos Mamourian (January 2, 1901) Mateos Mamourian was born in Smyrna (currently Izmir) on October 17, 1830. He graduated from the Mesrobian School in 1845 and continued his studies at the Samuel-Moorat school in Paris, which belonged to the Mekhitarist Congregation. After graduation (1850), he returned to his hometown and was one of the founders of the Aghabekian School the following year. However, his efforts were unsuccessful and the school did not last long.
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| Mamourian moved to Constantinople in 1853 as a teacher, and also started contributing to the Armenian press. He was later called to the Ottoman army and worked as a translator during the Crimea war (1853-1856). After the end of the war, he was an auditor at Cambridge University, in Great Britain, from 1856-1857. He traveled through Europe and Russia in 1858, and then he returned to the Ottoman Empire. He was the chancellor (executive director) of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople from 1860-1865. In the meanwhile, the Armenian rebellion of Zeitun in 1862 generated a strong wave of solidarity. Mamourian organized a fundraiser for the rebels and published articles condemning the bloody policies of Aziz Pasha in Cilicia, which had been the cause of the rebellion. After 1865 he moved back to Smyrna and became the principal of his alma mater, the Mesrobian School, with interruptions, from 1865-1899. He taught English, French, Arabic, and world history.
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In 1871 Mamourian founded the journal Arevelian Mamoul, which he edited for thirty years and had an important role in the intellectual life of Western Armenians. He collected his articles in two books, Armenian Correspondence (1872) and English Correspondence, or The Fate of an Armenian (1881), where he discussed the political liberation of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and the economic development of Armenia. The first two parts of his novel The Man of the Black Mountain were published in his journal from 1871-1883. However, the third and last part was never written due to the attacks of both Western and Eastern Armenian conservatives, who criticized the ideas of the author. The novel was set during the Russian-Persian war of 1826-1828 that had led to the liberation of Eastern Armenia from Persian domination, including the participation of Armenian volunteers, but the author had found his own way to reflect the situation of the Ottoman Empire in his time, despite censorship. As he wrote in one of his articles, “In a tyrannical regime, an editor must be a sort of ventriloquist, who knows how to make his voice audible without touching his collar.” This prolific author also published various textbooks of general history, Armenian history, literature, and grammar. He also translated works by Voltaire, Goethe, Alexander Dumas, Jules Verne, Walter Scott, Leo Tolstoy, and others, as well as the tales of the Thousand and One Nights in six volumes. Mamourian passed away in Smyrna on January 2, 1830. His son Hrant Mamourian became the editor of Arevelian Mamoul, which was published until 1910, and then as a newspaper from 1919-1922, when the fire of Smyrna ended the Armenian presence in the second city of the Ottoman Empire.
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| PLEASE DO NOT FORGET:
SYRIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER The crisis in Syria requires our financial assistance. Please keep this community in your prayers, your hearts, and your pocketbooks.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT. THE NEED IS REAL. THE NEED IS GREAT.
DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON LINE. TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE AND SELECT SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU. OR IF YOU PREFER YOU MAY MAIL YOUR DONATION TO: Armenian Prelacy 138 E. 39th Street, New York, NY 10016 Checks payable to: Armenian Apostolic Church of America (Memo: Syrian Armenian Relief)
Thank you for your help.
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| SIAMANTO ACADEMY—Meets every second Saturday of the month at the Hovnanian School, 817 River Road, New Milford, New Jersey. For information: anec@armenianprelacy.org or 212-689-7810. January 3—St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan, Ladies Guild Christmas Luncheon, Lillian Arakelian Hall. Donation: adults $25; children $10. Special Christmas program and surprises! January 6—Christmas celebration followed by Avak luncheon, St. Gregory Church, 158 Main Street, North Andover, Massachusetts. Speakers: Yn. Alice Baljian and Elizabeth Blumin, “Healing Oils in the Bible.”
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| Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web site. To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox, add email@armenianprelacy.org to your address book. Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please credit Crossroads as the source. Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to: info@armenianprelacy.org
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