November 29, 2020

HOLY VIRGIN MARY AND SHOGHAGAT ARMENIAN CHURCH 400 Huntwood Road, Belleville, IL 62226-1824 BellevilleArmenianChurch.org [email protected]

Rev. Fr. Voskan Hovhannisyan,

S UNDAY B ULLETIN

Scripture Readings

1 Thessalonians 4:1-11 Luke 13:1-9 What Is Advent?

“Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8)

dvent means “coming”—the coming of Christ. It is the 50-day periodA during which we prepare to cele- brate the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord and Savior Christ. In the Arme- nian Church, Advent lasts approximately two weeks longer than it in the Western churches, hence the Armenian word for the season: Hisnag, “a 50-day period.” It is a time for us to think of the why of Christ- mas—why the greeting cards, the deco- rations, the gifts, the family gatherings? A time to look within our hearts to see if there is anything that stands between us and the Good News of Jesus’ birth. During Advent, we can rededicate ourselves to Christ through our ac- tions, thoughts, and prayers. This is a good time for us to improve our hab- its and offer them as gifts to God. Perhaps Advent can also be an occasion to discover God’s gifts all around us. We need to have an open heart to receive Christ—God’s greatest gift of all! We complain that Christmas is too “commercial,” but there is a way to live out the real “reason for the season.”

Special Feasts and Fasts During Advent

Hisnag is in a sense introduced by a week of fasting. The fast is officially known as “the Fast of the Beginning of Hisnag.” There is a second fast of a week’s duration following the third Sunday of Hisnag. This fast is known as “the Fast of St. James, Bishop of Nisibis.” The commemoration of the latter takes place on the following Saturday. The third and final fast, again of a week’s duration, precedes the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Christ our God, and that is how it is officially recognized in the calendar. During the remaining weeks of Hisnag when there is no fasting, the Wednesdays and Fridays are regularly observed as fasting days. The Armenian Church celebrates a number of feasts and observes some important commemorations during the 50 days of Hisnag. The Feast of the Presentation of the Holy Virgin to the Temple, as it has a fixed date, is celebrated on November 21st, even if it falls within the week of the fasting. On such occasions, the feast is celebrated liturgically, but the fasting prevails in dietary matters. The same practice is also observed during the Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin by St. Anna, which is always celebrated on December 9th. During the Hisnag we commemorate some of the important and major saints of the Christian Church. Among them are the 4th-century founders of Christian theology St. Gregory the Wonderworker and St. Basil of Cae- sarea; the Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, the enlighteners of ; the Egyptian fathers; the early bishops of the church, such as St. Clemens, St. Ignatius, St. Polycarpus, St. Nicholas; St. James of Nisibis; and at the very end of the year, King David commemorated as a prophet; the Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord; St. Stephen the Protomartyr; the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul; the Holy Apostles James and John, both of them surnamed as Sons of Thunder. the first preachers of Christianity in Armenia

postles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew were two of the twelve Apostles of Christ, who came to Armenia and preached ChristianityA in Armenia deserving the title “the first illuminators”. Still at the dawn of Christianity they were martyred in Armenia. It was the result of their preaching and martyrdom that the Armenian people, being the first nation in the world, proclaimed Christianity as the state religion. Indeed, Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew played an important role in the history of 2000-year-old Christian Armenian nation which has unshak- en faith and keen love towards its Mother Church. The Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of Armenian Apostles on Second Saturday of Advent. According to , the Holy Lance is also known as the Lance of , the Spear of Destiny, or the Holy Spear and it is the very lance which pierced the side of Jesus while he was hanging on the cross. The first mention of the lance can be found in the Gospel of John (19:31-37). The Gospel states that the Romans were about to break Jesus’ legs (this is a practice known as cruri- fragium – a method of hastening death during a ). Before they start their harsh action, they re- alized that Jesus was already dead and there was no need to break His legs. In order to make sure that He was dead, a Roman soldier who is known in extra-Biblical tradition as Longinus stabbed Him in the side. It is believed that a Holy Lance is kept in Vagharshabad (now known as Echmiadzin), the religious capital and the holy center of Ar- menia. Some time ago it was held in the Mon- astery of Keghart. The history goes back to a thirteenth-cen- tury Armenian manuscript text of Holy of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This text states that the Soorp Keghart was brought to the Armenia by the Apostle Thaddeus. The Feast of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew” is an amazing chance to see the Holy Lance which is taken to the Mother Ca- thedral in Echmiadzin. During the celebration of the , people have the opportunity to kiss it and get blessings from the Keghart. Years ago, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II proclaimed the Feast of the Armenian Apostles as «Սուրբ Գեղարդի Ուխտի օր» [The Covenant Day of the Holy Spear]. GUIDANCE ON SUNDAY’S DIVINE LITURGY

Ժամամուտ (Lintroit)։ «Միածին Որդի» (Meeadzeen Vortee) Ճաշու շարական (Midday Chant): ԴԿ «Որ անբաւելի» (Vor anpavelee) Երեքսրբեան (Trisagion): «Սուրբ Աստուած... որ յարեար ի մեռելոց» (Soorp Asdvadz... vor haryar ee merelots) Սրբասացութիւն (Soorpasatsootyoon): «Հրեշտակային» (Hreshdagayeen) SCRIPTURE READING

The reader of the Holy Scripture is Nina Marifian.

Alleluia, Alleluia. Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you prayers shall be offered in .

The reading is from the First Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians (4:1-11)

inally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to Fplease God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you. Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own af- fairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you.

Alleluia, Alleluia. Resurrection according to the mode proper to the day. TODAY’S HOLY GOSPEL

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 13:1-9

that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose bloodAt Pilate had mingled with their sacri- fices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all oth- er Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” LET’S LEARN THE WORDS OF THE DIVINE LITURGY

Խորհուրդ փրկական [khorhoort pur- gagan] – saving mystery Զփրկագործ չարչարանսն [uzpurgakordz charcharansun] – re- demptive sufferings Զկենսատու խաչելութիւնն [uzgensadoo khachelootyonn] – life-giv- ing crucifixion Զերեքօրեայ թաղումնն [zerekorya taghoomnun] – burial for three days Զերանելի յարութիւնն [zeranelee harootyoonun] – blessed resur- rection REQUIEM SERVICE

At the end of Divine Liturgy we will ask prayer for the souls’ salvation of;

Mesrob and Helen Marsoobian Andon and Nevrig Margoian

requested by Marifian Family. G ENERAL I NFORMATION

Visits to the Hospitalized and Homebound Please contact Pastor 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 Fr. Voskan Hovhannisyan upcoming surgery, please consider requesting your name be Tell: (914) 671-4002 included in the “Prayers for the Sick and Hospitalized.” Those [email protected] who are homebound and would like to receive Holy Commu- Parish Council nion at home should contact the Pastor. Home Blessing - If you would like the Pastor to visit your Maggie Colliflower, home and offer a home blessing, please contact the Pastor. Chairperson Pastor’s Office Days - Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Doreen Nersesian, Vice Chairperson Baptism - Parents may prepare for the baptism of their child before he or she is born. For more information, contact the Renny Krikorian, Pastor. Secretary Marriage - Contact the Pastor at least nine months in advance of your proposed wedding date. Steven Avedisian, Treasurer Parish Membership - If you are interested in becoming a member of the Holy Virgin Mary & Shoghagat parish, please Gina Kernan, speak to a Parish Council member on Sunday, or phone the Advisor Chairperson Maggie Colliflower (618) 531-0972 Sunday Bulletin - Announcements for the Sunday Bulletin are Lisa Bedian, due in the Church Office by 5:00 pm on Wednesday preceding Advisor the date of service.

Gregory Marifian, Requiem Requests may be submitted to the Church Office by Advisor mail, phone or email to [email protected] no lat- er than 5:00 pm Wednesday preceding the Sunday. Request Paul Nersesian, forms are available in the Church Lobby. Diocesan Delegate Grave Blessing - If you would like the Pastor to visit your fam- ily’s cemetery and offer a grave blessing, please contact the Pastor.