PRAYER REQUESTS One of our most fundamental Christian ՍԻՐԵՑԷՔ ԶՄԻՄԵԱՆՍ ՈՐՊԷՍ ԵԻ ԵՍ ԶՁԵԶ ՍԻՐԵՑԻ responsibilities is to pray. There is truly great power in prayer. During this “LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU” Divine Liturgy and throughout this next week your prayers are requested for: Lusine Grigoryan, Laura Pappelardo, Toni Golfieri, Tracey Jarvis, Shelley Cotton, Diane Boghosian, Jessica Thresher, Karnig Durgarian, Alex Velez, Shirley Yergatian, Anne Tom Keegan, Eleanor Demirjian, Alice Vooris, Der Shnork Souin, Susie Arslanian, Lisa Omartian, John Trumbull, Kent Woodard, Susan DerMargosian, Lisa Herrick, Kim Noel, Darlene McKenna, Dr. David Manning, Jr., the Jozokos family, Joan Bazegian, Laura Wormel, Kate Heck, Laura Hynds, Laora Grigoryan, Rebecca Meek, Michael O’Connor, Sara Omartian, Gary Tumasyan, James Dertad Omartian, Anita Assarian, Debbie Manning, Steve Taylor and all those in need of our prayers. St. Mark Armenian Church 2427 Wilbraham Road Calendar of Events Springfield, MA 01129

Sunday, September 29- First day of Sunday School Tuesday, October 8 – First day of Armenian School Church Office: 413-783-5793 Sunday, October 20 – Instructed Divine Liturgy Der Sevak’s Cell: 914-888-4836 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday

Welcome to St. Mark Armenian Church Sunday Bulletin

September 29, 2019 Church Services at 10:00am Sunday School at 10:15am

Parish Council Greeters:

Diana Loyuk and Shelley Cotton

Coffee Hour Hosts:

Jhanna and Yuri Mnatsakanyan Scripture Reading Feats of the Holy Cross of Varak Matthew 24:30-36 All Christian Churches each year “Then will appear the solemnly celebrate all feasts dedicated to sign of the Son of Man in the Holy Cross. The Armenian Apostolic Church, in difference to the other heaven. And then all the Christian Churches, celebrates another peoples of the earth will purely national feast dedicated to the mourn when they see the Holy Cross, which is famous as the Holy Son of Man coming on the Cross of Varague. The Armenian Church clouds of heaven, with celebrates this feast two weeks after the power and great glory. Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, And he will send his that is - the Sunday during the period of angels with a loud trumpet September 25 - October 1. call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. According to the historian , St. Hripsime and her companions, running away from the Roman Emperor “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender Dioklethianos, who started persecutions and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when against Christians, reach to and find shelter in Vagaharshapat. you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly However, before reaching they stop at the Mountain Varague, I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these which is to the southeast from the Lake Van. Taking off from her neck the things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words relic of the Lord’s Wooden Cross, St. Hripsime gives it to the praying monks will never pass away. living on the mountain and asks them to preserve it in one of the caves. Thus, the sacred relic remains hidden till the seventh century. The Day and Hour Unknown In 653 A. D. the monk Todik and his disciple Hovel pray at the Mountain “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in Varague and ask God to show the place of the relic. Suddenly 12 bright heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. columns appear around the mountain and the sign of the Cross is seen among the columns. For 12 days the bright columns remain visible even from distant sites. This joyful news spreads everywhere.

Galatians 6:14-18 Nerses the Creator Catholicos who was the Catholicos of All Armenians of that period, and Captain Vard, son the Knight Theodoros, learning about that May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Christ, through miracle, go the Mountain Varague to personally witness it. With the support of which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither the Armenian people the Pontiff builds a magnificent church, which in honor circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the of the miracle is named Holy Cross Church. The Pontiff Nerses also writes the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel marvelous church hymn “By means of the most powerful sign”, which is sung of God. in the churches on the day of the feast.

The sacred relic remains at the Mountain Varague till 1021 A. D. Later the From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the Armenian King Senekerim Artsrouni brings the relic to Sebastia. After the marks of Jesus. latter’s death the relic is again transferred to its old place and remains there until 1651 A. D. when the relic is taken to Khoshab. In 1655 A. D. the relic is The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and placed in the Church of Holy Godmother, in Van, which is renamed to Church sisters. Amen. of Holy Sign. The relic was preserved there till 1915 A. D.