îÜúðÐܾø / CHRISTMAS HOME BLESSING

Solomon The Lord’s Day Empress Helena Yes

Sts. Mesrob, Yeghishe, Movses, David the Invinci-ble, Gregory of Narek, Nersess Shnorhali

Sargavag

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Armenian Church Hye-Q

A game of questions and answers to hone your knowledge in:

Bible Prayer & Worship Church Year Sacraments History and Saints In Other Words

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From the earliest times, the home was a sacred place, the center of family and ritual life. It is the most basic of all social structures, where we are born and live many years, a place where great family events transpire. Here we break bread, share joys and sorrows, pray, celebrate, worship. Here God is present in the loving relationships that tran-scend fragile human existence. Every family is a miniature of a “Little Church—Ecclesia” and in this “Little Church” the inexhaustible love and the very generous blessing of God permeate.

According to the sacred traditions of the Armenian Church, God’s blessing is asked for homes on different occasions, like on the Nativity and the Resurrection of Christ, as well as on the joyous occasion of moving into a new home. During the Home Blessing the priest blesses the bread (which symbolically repre-sents the Word of God), the water (which is the most essential element of life and figuratively represents cleanness) and the salt (which seasons and purifies). These three fundamental elements are essential life-giving gifts for human life. In the prayer the priest asks for purity and abundance of the three gifts, blesses the home and all its dwellers, and asks God to keep them away from visible and invisible ene-mies, and protect them under His powerful right hand, granting them health of soul and body. Today, more than ever, we need the presence and blessing of the Lord in our homes and lives. The revival of this centuries old custom will certainly bring us close to our Lord. Schedule your Home Blessing with Der Hayr: direct (804) 405-9399, church office (804) 282-3818, email: frmesrob@stjamesva.org.

Requiem Service was requested for the souls of:

Harry & Caroline Tatian (1 year) By: Harry & Camille Tatian Jr., Terry & Robert Goodwyn.

Yeretzgin Varteni Barsamian (1 year), Shonork & Anjel Barsamian,

George & Dora Diradour, and the souls of the departed in Christ of the Barsamian, Megerdichian, Diradour & Darhanian families

By: Barsamian Family May God rest their souls in His eternal peace and presence...

January 19, 2014

Welcome to St. James Armenian Church! Witnessing through faith, heritage, and hospitality.

The morning service starts at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays and is followed by Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at 10:30 a.m.

ê. Ú³Ïᵠг۳ëï³Ý»³Ûó ²é³ù»É³Ï³Ý ºÏ»Õ»óÇ St. James Armenian Church

834 Pepper Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226 Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor

Office Hours: closed on Monday. Tuesday-Friday 9:00-3:00 Office: 804-282-3818 Direct: 804-405-9399

Email: frmesrob@stjamesva.org Web: www.stjamesva.org

First Sunday after the Octave Of Theophany

² ÎÇñ³ÏÇ ¼ÏÝÇ ÌÝݹ»³Ý

The answers can be found on the last page of the bulletin.

Which Old Testament king is known for his wisdom? The Armenian word for Sunday, Giragi, literally means what? Who commissioned an army to recover the true cross? Can a deacon chant the Holy Gospel from the bema? Name three of the saints remembered as the “holy translators.” What is the Armenian word for deacon?

Քրիստոսի Անվանակոչության տոն Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Each year, on January 13, the Armenian Apos-tolic Church celebrates the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As Evangelist St. Luke writes in his Gospel, according to the Jewish tra-dition “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been con-ceived.” (Lk 2:21). “Jesus” is a Hebrew word meaning “Savior”. According to the Gospel ac-

cording to Luke when the angel Gabriel came to Mary to give her the good tidings of the birth of the Son of the Most High, he said that Mary would name the baby “Jesus”. “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.?” (Lk 1:31). Parallel to the name “Jesus” the name “Christ” is given to the Savior, which is a Greek word meaning “Consecrated” and corresponding to the Hebrew word “Messiah”. On the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ a Divine Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian Churches. On the eve of the feast, follow-ing the evening service a special service is conducted.

Extended Deadline

WHEN TO MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS: The sign of the cross is made when entering the Church and these occasions during the Divine Li-turgy: (1) after each instance of bowing; (2) when doxology (Park Hor…), that is to say, “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” is being said or sung; (3) when the Sacred name of our Lord is being solemnly in-voked (Heessos Krisdos); (4) at the beginning of the reading of the Gospel; (5) when peace or blessing is being offered by the priest with the words “Peace unto all” (Khaghaghootune Amenetsoon); (6) when the priest or deacon swing the censor toward your direction; (7) when the sacred and the central words of the Divine Liturgy are being spoken (“Take, eat, this is My Body…” and “Drink you all, this is My Blood.”); (8) when receiving Holy communion; and (9) when kissing the Gospel and leaving the Church.

PARTICIPATING IN THE DIVINE LITURGY

Response when Kissing the Cross (during the procession): The faithful say: Hee-shes-cheer yev zeez a-rra-chee an-mah Karinn As-doo-dzo. Remember me before the immortal Lamb of God. The priest says: Hee-shyal lee-cheer a-rra-chee an-mah ka-rinn As-doo-dzo. You shall be remembered before the immortal Lamb of God. Response for the Kiss of Peace: The Giver says: Christ is revealed amongst us. / Kreesdos ee mech mer haydnetsav. The Receiver says: Blessed is the revelation of Christ. / Orhnyal eh haydootyoonun Kreesdosee. Response when kissing the Holy Gospel (end of the Divine Liturgy): The faithful say: Heeshestzeh Der zamenaym Badarakus koh. May the Lord remember all your offerings. The Priest answers: Datseh kez Der usd srdee koom yev zamenayn khorhoortus koh ee parees na gadarsestseh. May the Lord grant you according to your own heart, and fulfill all your counsel in goodness. (Psalm 20:4) When taking Mahs, the Giver says: Mahs yev pazheen yegheet-see kez ee Soorp Badarakes. Մաս եւ բաժին եղիցի քեզ ի Սուրբ Պատարագէս: May this be to you a share and portion of the Holy Sacrifice. The Receiver says: Pahjeen eem Asdvadz haveedyan. / God is my portion forever.

Today’s Scripture Readings

Isaiah 54:1-13. 1 Timothy 1:1-11. John 2:1-11

Today Divine Liturgy. Sunday/Armenian School is in session. First short meeting and first practice of the St. James

Chess Club will take place after the services. Everyone is invited to play chess.

February 13, Thursday

AVAK Bingo Luncheon, 12:00 noon

February 16, Sunday

Commemorating the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple: Blessing of the children service at the end of

the Badarak.

Annual Parish Assembly following the services.

March 2, Sunday

Poon Paregentan Sunday. Great Lent starts on Monday.

April 20, Sunday

Easter Sunday

March 1, Saturday

Poon Paregentan/"Manti Mania" night. Details to follow.

February 23, Sunday

The second practice of the St. James Chess Club, after the services. Adults and children are welcome.

Today, please take a moment to remember in your prayers Paris Dedeian, Pam Little, Margaret Butler, Isabel Varta-nian, Isabelle Vranian, Annie Bickers, Katie Ralcewicz

(for healing and continued improvement), 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 a good health & recovery.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS

The reading is from the First Letter of Paul to Timothy (1:1 11)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ our hope.

To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the divine training that is in faith; whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. Certain per-sons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain dis-cussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.

Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mother, for manslayers, immoral persons, sodomites, kidnap-pers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doc-trine, in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

The second reading is from the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ ac-cording to John (2:1-11)

The First of the Miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

February 16, Sunday

Commemorating the Presentation of the Lord

to the Temple

In commemoration of Christ's first so-lemn presentation in the House of God, all children baptized at St. James in 2013 are invited to be re-dedicated at the Holy Altar by Der Mesrob.

On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the mar-riage, with his disciples. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the wa-ter knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples be-lieved in him.