March 31, 2019

HOLY VIRGIN MARY & SHOGHAGAT

ARMENIAN CHURCH

400 Huntwood Rd, Swansea, IL 62226

(618) 277-6400 (phone) | www.bellevillearmenianchurch.org

Rev. Fr. Voskan Hovhannisyan

Scripture Readings:

2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1;

Luke 1:26-38

On April 7, the Armenian Church celebrates one of her

greatest feasts - the Annunciation to St. Mary. In the Gospel of St.

Luke we learn that the Angel Gabriel brings the good news to the

Virgin about the birth of the Savior (Lk 1:26-38). According to Holy

Tradition and the Evangelist, the Angel Gabriel appears to St. Mary

while reading a passage from the prophecy of Isaiah, in which it is

written about the birth of the Emmanuel from a Virgin. The Angel

greets Mary, telling her, “Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor

with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring

forth a son, and shall call His Name JESUS.” The Angel Gabriel

further explains to Mary, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and

the Power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore also that which is Holy which shall be born of

you shall be called the Son of God.” St. Mary could foresee the torments and sufferings that she would

endure. However, by giving mankind an excellent example of obedience to the Divine Will, she said, “I

am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Beginning from the moment when the Holy

Virgin expressed these words, she was with child. This Gospel story is one expression of why the Armenian

Church accords high honor to motherhood, and appreciates the role of women in family life, and the lives

of mankind.

Upon the Pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All

Armenians, the Feast of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is proclaimed as a day of “Blessing of

Motherhood and Beauty”. On that day, a special blessing service is conducted in the Armenian Churches.

Ժամամուտ (Lintroit)։«Աստուածածին անհարսնացեալ» (Asdvadzadzeen anharsnatsyal) Ճաշու շարական (Midday Chant):ԳԿ «Աստուածածին խորան» (Asdvadzadzeen khoran) Երեքսրբեան (Trisagion):«Սուրբ Աստուած... որ խաչեցար վասն մեր» (Soorp Asdvadz... vor

khachetsar vasn mer) Սրբասացութիւն (Soorbasatsootyoon):«Բազմութիւնք» (Pazmootyoonk)

According to the ritual tradition of the Armenian Church, during the Great Lent, the sacrament of

Divine Liturgy is done with a closed curtain, and on that Sunday believers do not receive the Holy

Communion. The Feast of Annunciation to the Holy Mother of God (April 7) this year coincided with the

Sixth Sunday of Great Lent – Sunday of Advent. According to the Church calendar's dictation, on that

day the Divine Liturgy is offered in the open altar and is given to the Holy Communion. This is one of the

ritual traditions of the Armenian Church.

As you know, the Saturdays of the Great Lent are also days of the saints' commemoration. In those

days, the church dictates to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the open tabernacle and give the Holy

Communion to believers.

We have all been asked to pray during Divine Liturgy for the good health of:

Seda Baldwin

requested by Father Voskan and Parish Council.

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel

to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,to a virgin pledged to be married to a man

named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!

The Lord is with you.”Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered

what kind of greeting this might be.But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,

Mary; you have found favor with God.You will conceive and give birth to a

son, and you are to call him Jesus.He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord

God will give him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his

kingdom will never end.”“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”The angel

answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So,

the holy one to be born will be calledthe Son of God.

Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be

unable to conceive is in her sixth month.For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left

her.

Աւետարան ըստ Ղուկասի Ա. 26-38

Վեցերորդ ամսուան մէջ՝ Գաբրիէլ հրեշտակը Աստուծմէ

ղրկուեցաւ Գալիլեայի մէկ քաղաքը, որուն անունը Նազարէթ էր,

կոյսի մը՝ մարդու մը նշանուած, որուն անունը Յովսէփ էր, Դաւիթի

տունէն. այդ կոյսին անունը Մարիամ էր:

Հրեշտակը անոր քով մտնելով՝ ըսաւ. «Ողջո՜յն, շնորհընկալ կոյս,

Տէրը քեզի հետ է: Դուն կիներուն մէջ օրհնեա՜լ ես»:Տեսնելով զայն՝

շփոթեցաւ անոր խօսքէն, եւ ինքնիրեն կը մտածէր թէ ի՛նչ տեսակ

բարեւ էր ատիկա: Հրեշտակը ըսաւ անոր. «Մի՛ վախնար, Մարիա՛մ,

որովհետեւ շնորհք գտար Աստուծոյ քով: Ահա՛ պիտի յղանաս որովայնիդ մէջ ու որդի մը պիտի

ծնանիս, եւ անոր անունը Յիսուս պիտի կոչես: Ան մեծ պիտի ըլլայ ու Ամենաբարձրին Որդին պիտի

կոչուի: Տէր Աստուած անոր պիտի տայ իր հօր՝ Դաւիթի գահը, եւ Յակոբի տան վրայ յաւիտեան

պիտի թագաւորէ: Անոր թագաւորութիւնը վախճան պիտի չունենայ»: Մարիամ ըսաւ հրեշտակին.

«Ի՞նչպէս պիտի ըլլայ այդ բանը, քանի որ ես այր մարդ չեմ գիտեր»: Հրեշտակը պատասխանեց

անոր. «Սուրբ Հոգին պիտի գայ վրադ, ու Ամենաբարձրին զօրութիւնը հովանի պիտի ըլլայ քեզի.

ուստի այն սուրբը որ քեզմէ պիտի ծնի՝ Աստուծոյ Որդի պիտի կոչուի:

Ահա՛ քու ազգականդ՝ Եղիսաբէթ, ի՛նք ալ՝ իր ծերութեան ատեն՝ որդիով մը յղի է. եւ ասիկա

վեցերորդ ամիսն է անոր՝ որ ամուլ կոչուած էր. որովհետեւ ոչինչ անկարելի է Աստուծոյ»: Մարիամ

ըսաւ. «Ահա՛ ես Տէրոջ աղախինն եմ, քու խօսքիդ համաձայն թող ըլլայ ինծի»: Ու հրեշտակը գնաց

անոր քովէն:

Օրհնեալ Թագաւորութիւնն (Orhnyal takavorootyoonun) = Blessed is the kingdom

Բանդ Աստուած (Pant Asdvadz) = Word of God

Անմահ Էութիւն (Anmah Eyootyoon) = Being Immortal

Անփոփոխելիդ մարդ եղեալ (Anpopokhelieet mart yeghyal) = You, the unchangeable One, became man

Խաչեցար Քրիստոս Աստուած մեր (Kahchetsar Kreesdos Asdvadz mer) = You were crucified, O Christ

our God

Մահուամբ զմահ կոխեցեր (Mahvamp uzmah gokhetser) = You trampled down death by death

Canonical Hours, offices or prayer services that are

appointed by the Church to be said by the clergy and

congregation assembled for worship. There are seven canonical

hours: 1) Night Hour or Vigils or Nocturns, Arm. Գիշերային

Ժամ = Keesherayin Zham, 2) Morning Hour or Matins, Arm.

Առաւօտեան Ժամ = Aravotyan Zham, 3) Sunrise Hour or

Prime, Arm. Արեւագալի Ժամ = Arevagalee Zham, 4) Midday

Hour or Sext, Arm. Ճաշու Ժամ = Jashu Zham, 5) Evening Hour

or Vespers, Arm. Երեկոյեան Ժամ = Yeregoyee or Yeregoyan Zham, 6) Peace Hour, Arm. Խաղաղական

Ժամ = Khaghaghagan Zham, 7) Rest Hour or Compline, Arm. Հանգստեան Ժամ = Hangstyan Zham.

(The Roman names of the hours equated in this list with the proper designations of the hours in Armenian

or in translation are used for the sake of convenience. Otherwise the contents of the Roman and Armenian

hours are not alike.)

Canticle, Arm. Օրհնութիւն = Orhnootyoon, a sacred song or hymn found either in the Old

Testament, e.g. the Canticle of the Three Children or Patrum (Daniel 3:26-45, 52-86) or in the New

Testament, e.g. the Magnificat, which is the song sung by the Holy Virgin Mary (Luke 1:46-56). Canticles

are important elements in the structure of Divine Office or Canonical Hours.

April 7, 2019-Annual Sunday School Lenten Fundraiser Brunch immediately following Badarak. All donations will go to directly benefit an important Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) cause; “The First Thousand Days” Combatting Child Malnutrition in Armenia. Please join us and support this important cause. Details to follow. April 10, 2019-Lenten Evening Vigil at 6:15 pm

April 14, 2019-Palm Sunday (Dzaghgaart - Ծաղկազարդ) -Feast of Our Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem. Opening of the Gates (Turnpatzek - Դռնբացէք) at 10:00 a.m Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m.

a. Semi-Annual Women’s Guild Bake Sale. April 18, 2019-Great and Holy Thursday (Avak Heenkshabti - Աւագ Հինգշաբթի)-Commemoration of the

Washing of the Feet Service and the Betrayal of Our Lord Services Washing of the Feet Service (Vodunluva - Ոտնլուայ)at6:30 p.m. Betrayal of Our Lord – Tenebrae (Khavaroom - Խաւարում -Darkness) at 7:30 p.m.

April 19, 2019-Good Friday (Avak Oorbat - Աւագ Ուրբաթ) -Commemoration of the Crucifixion and Entombment of our Lord Burial Service(Taghoom - Թաղում)at 6:30 p.m.

April 20, 2019-Great and Holy Saturday (Avak Shabat - Աւագ Շաբաթ) -Easter Eve Liturgy Lighting of Candles(Jurakalooytz - Ճրագալոյց)at5:00 p.m.

April 21, 2019-Easter Sunday (Soorp Zadig - Սուրբ Զատիկ)-Feastof the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Morning Service(Aravodyan Zham - Առաւօտեան ժամ)at10:00 a.m. Solemn Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. Antasdan - Անդաստան (Blessing of the Four Corners of the World) at 12:00 p.m.

a. Weather permitting, the Antasdan service will be done outdoors at the Genocide monument, inside otherwise.

b. The Annual Easter Egg Hunt and traditional Easter dinner will follow the Worship Service. Details to follow.

April 28, 2019 - Joint Martyr’s Day Commemoration of the 104thAnniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This joint event will be held with St. Gregory’s Armenian Church and Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Armenian Church at St. Gregory’s Armenian Church in Granite City, Illinois. Details to follow.

May 17, 2019 - Musical Trivia Night with Big Papa G! Please join us for a fun-filled evening withMusic Trivia from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and beats of today!Doors open at 6:00 pm, trivia starts at7:00 pm; bring your own snacks, food, and drinks. 8 People per Table, 8 Rounds of Music Trivia, SilentAuction, Dessert Dash, Heads or Tails. Proceeds will go to improve the church facility and grounds. More details to follow!

Visits to the Hospitalized and Homebound Please contact the Pastor when you or someone you love is admitted to the hospital and would like a visit from the Pastor. If you have an upcoming surgery, please consider requesting your name be included in the “Prayers for the Sick and Hospitalized.” Those who are homebound and would like to receive Holy Communion at home should contact the Pastor.

Home Blessing If you would like the Pastor to visit your home and offer a home blessing, please contact the Pastor.

Baptism Parents may prepare for the baptism of their child before he or she is born. For more information, contact the Pastor.

Marriage Contact the Pastor at least nine months in advance of your proposed wedding date.

Parish Membership If you are interested in becoming a member of the Holy Virgin Mary & Shoghagat parish, please speak to a Parish Council member on Sunday, or phone the Chairperson Doreen Nersesian (618) 799-8507

Sunday Bulletin Announcements for the Sunday Bulletin are due in the Church Office by 5:00 pm on Wednesday preceding the date of service.

Requiem Requests may be submitted to the Church Office by mail, phone or email to paul.nersesian@sbcglobal.net no later than 5:00 pm Wednesday preceding the Sunday. Request forms are available in the Church Lobby.

Pastor

Rev. Fr. Voskan Hovhannisyan

Cell: (914) 671-4002

frvoskan@gmail.com

Parish Council

Doreen Nersesian, Chairperson

Lisa Bedian,

Vice Chairperson

Renny Krikorian, Secretary

Steven Avedisian, Treasurer

Walter Livengood, Advisor

Maggie Colliflower, Advisor

Ara Kernan,

Advisor

Paul Nersesian, Diocesan Delegate