ê. ñç áñ Èáõë³õáñÇã гÛó. ²é³ù»É³Ï³Ý ºÏ»Õ»óÇ ²ñÅÝ. î. Ø»ëñáå øñýû. Úáíë»³Ý St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor 1131 North Street, White Plains, NY 10605 / Office: (914) 428-2595 Pastor: (804) 405-9399 Email: Der Mesrob - fr.mesrob@yahoo.com, Office - saintgregorychurchwp@gmail.com Web: www.stgregorywp.com Office Hours: Monday closed, Tuesday-Friday 9:00-3:00 pm Մայիս 15, 2016 May 15, 2016 Welcome to St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church! Legacy of Our Martyrs: A Gift to Carry Forward The Morning Service starts at 9:45 a.m. on s and is followed by Soorp Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at 10:15 a.m. Parish Council Members on Duty: Chris Bonfiglio, Anna Bruno, Ellie Krolian Today s Scripture Readings: Acts 2:1-21 Jn 14:25-31 Fiftieth Day after Easter: PENTECOST Ðá» ³Éáõëï ä»ýï»ïáëï «ÚÇëÝ»ñáñ¹ ûñ Ç ¼³ïÏ Ý Today there will be no Requiem Service after Badarak.
FEAST OF PENTECOST The Feast of Pentecost is the commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the fiftieth day following the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Armenian Church celebrates this feast 50 days following Easter. The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons in the Holy Trinity coexisting with, and equal to, the Holy Father and the Holy Son. During His earthly life and ministry Christ spoke to the Apostles about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Recording the words of Christ, St. John writes, The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. (John 14:26). The descent of the Holy Spirit is described in the Acts of the Apostles: When the day of the Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.(acts 2:1-4). In the book of Acts, St. Luke further records the names of various countries, and that men from those countries were surprised, when each of them heard his native language. Among the mentioned places are Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia (Acts 2:9). Two of the saints of the Universal Church, both of Roman origin, Tertullian and Augustine, have written that the word Armenia should possibly be substituted instead of Judea, as it is more logical that Armenia would be mentioned among those as a foreign country, as the apostles were living in Judea. Moreover, with regards to geographical position, Armenia was situated between Mesopotamia and Cappadocia. Therefore, the people living in Armenia may have been among the first witnesses of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the Christian Church the teaching of divine grace is related to the Holy Spirit. According to that instruction, each virtue is a divine grace granted to the faithful by the Holy Spirit. Thus, ascribing any virtue to one s own self, and not to God, is a grave sin and can be manifested in another, which is pride. Hence, commemoration of Pentecost is also an appeal to the faithful to avoid pride and instead, use the divine graces in life for righteous purposes and moral goals. One of the four season fasting periods defined by the Armenian Apostolic Church is the fasting period preceding the beginning of summer. This fasting period, as well as the other ones preceding the other seasons of the year, is not preparation for any feast, and according to the tradition is called Elijah s fast, as coincides the feast of commemoration the Prophet Elijah the next. This fasting period preceding the beginning of summer starts the day following the feast of Pentecost (the flesh day preceding the fast is the, when the feast of Pentecost is celebrated). With the change of the Easter Feast day the beginning of the fasting period may be during the period May 11-June 14.
ՀՈԳԵԳԱԼՈՒՍՏ Ս. Զատիկից յիսուն օր յետոյ Հոգեգալստեան տօնն է: Հոգեգալուստը, Ս. Հոգւոյն աղաւնակերպ վիճակով գալուստն է առաքեալների վրայ: Ս. Հոգու գալուստը Նոր Կտակարանի մէջ նկարագրւում է հետեւեալ ձեւով: Մի օր, երբ առաքեալները եւ այլ հաւատացեալներ «արք եւ կանայք», թուով 120 հոգի, նստել էին վերնատանը եւ միասին աղօթում էին, յանկարծ լսուեց մի ձայն սաստիկ քամու ձայնի նման եւ լցրեց ամբողջ տունը. Նոյն րոպէին երկնքից հրեղէն լեզուներ երեւացին եւ յայտնուեցին առաքեալներին: Առաքեալները Ս. Հոգու շնորհքովը լեցուած, սկսեցին խօսել բազմաթիւ լեզուներ, զարմանք պատճառելով բոլորին: Հոգեգալստեան տօնը կոչւում է նաեւ Պենտեկոստէ: Պենտեկոստէ յունարէն բառ է եւ նշանակում է յիսուն օր, հայերէն Յինունք: Հրեաները Պասեքից յիսուն օր յետոյ, ի յիշատակ տասնաբանեայ օրէնքի ստացման, յատուկ տօն ունէին: Ս. Հոգու գալուստը տեղի ունեցաւ ճիշտ Պենտեկոստէի օրը: Հոգեգալստեան տօնը նախապէս տեւում էր երեք օր. Կոչւում էր նաեւ Տօն Երրորդութեան, բայց ԺԲ. դարուն, Ներսէս Շնորհալի հայրապետը, եօթը օր սահմանեց եւ ճոխացրեց նաեւ շարականներով: Օրուայ շարականն օւղղուած է Ս. Հոգուն. պատմում է, թէ ինչպէս Ս. Հոգին իջաւ առաքեալների վրայ եւ նրանք լեցուեցին շնորհքներով: Ս. Հոգին, շնորհքի ու իմաստութեան պարգեւիչն է, եւ մխիթարիչը մարդկանց: Խորհրդակատարութեան ընթացքին, մասնաւորաբար դրոշմի եւ ձեռնադրութեան ժամանակ, որպէս խորհըրդանիշ Ս. Հոգու գործածւում է սրբալոյս միւռոնը: TODAY S SCRIPTURE READINGS The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to John (14:25-31) I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I am coming to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way. PASTORAL CARE: HOME AND HOSPITAL CLERGY VISIT Der Mesrob is always available and would like to visit homebound and hospitalized parishioners. If you or someone you know is ill or hospitalized and would like to be visited, please call Der Hayr at (804) 405-9399 or the church office at (914) 428-2595. Please note: when asked about religion at a hospital, patients should list themselves as Armenian Orthodox or Armenian not other: BIBLE STUDY Come to explore together the pathways of the New Testament and to increase our faith and spiritual fulfillment through study of the Holy Scriptures led by Der Mesrob Hovsepyan. The next Bible Study session: May 26, Thursday - 10:00-11:00 AM Feel free to join our group. Today, please take a moment to remember in your prayers Lucine Adourian, Arshaluys Kaleli, Gale Perzigian, Catherine Papalian, Rev. Fr. Arten Ashjian as well as all the sick and recovering members of our community. May God touch His faithful servants with His healing hand, and grant them good health & recovery. Please inform Der Hayr if you have friends or family who are suffering any physical or spiritual distress and are in need of prayer, and he will add them to his prayer list where they will be remembered before the Holy and Immortal Lamb of God during the Eucharist. We all need prayer both to say for others and to be said for us.
Please visit the Church office to pick up a form or visit the www.stgregorywp.com to download a form. JUNIOR CHOIR PRACTICES DATES: May 15th, June 5th TIME: 12:30 PM PLACE: In the sanctuary All youth of the parish ages 5 & up are welcome! GRADUATES OF THE CLASS OF 2016: If you know of any St. Gregory parishioners graduating from high school, college, or graduate school this spring, please notify (or pass the word along and have them notify) the church office or Der Hayr by calling 914-428-2595 or emailing saintgregorychurchwp@gmail.com. Please share with us the student s name, school, special achievements, future plans, etc., so we may share our pride in their accomplishments with our entire parish in the Enlightener newsletter. Congratulations to all graduates.
Today Divine Liturgy. Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the anniversary of his ordination. Musical Performance by Tsirani, Armenian Folk Ensemble following the Divine Liturgy, 12:30pm. The flyer is inside. May 22, June 5, June 12, June 19, June 26, June 27- July 1 We welcome everyone to stay for the concert following the light refreshments provided by the Parish Council. There will be no separate fellowship/coffee hour setup at the atrium. Lecture by Ashley Bozian-Murtha on "Komitas and his impact on the legacy of Armenian music" following the Divine Liturgy. Armenian School End-of-Year program. 1:00 pm Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy. School Graduation following the service Guest celebrant: Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy. Dance Recital by the St. Gregory s dance group Following the Divine Liturgy. Details to follow MER DOON Summer Camp