Weekly e-newsletter of
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church
8701 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian, Pastor

March 18, 2016
Volume # 11
Issue No.11

Sunday Church Service starts at 10:30 A.M.
 

PALM SUNDAY
Ծաղկազարդ
It is the feast of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem a week before Easter. (Read the story in today's Bible reading below.) The Armenian name of this feast is Dzaghgazart (Adornment with flowers). However in the Gospel stories there is no mention of flowers but palm and olive branches. In old Armenian Church literature this Sunday was called Armaveniatz Giragi, in English Palm Sunday.  Armenians used the word Dzarazartar as well, (decorated trees). This is an old pagan tradition which was combined with the feast of the Entry into Jerusalem. 

In certain times Palm Sunday had as well the nickname of "Kaloust" (Coming) as on that day the messiah would come into Jerusalem and would be tortured. This is why the reminder of the second coming of Christ is tied to this feast as well through the ceremony called "Opening of the Portals", which foretells the second coming of Christ and the ensuing divine judgment day.

Up until now, on Palm Sunday our churches are decorated by palm branches. In Armenia where there is no palm tree, branches of willow tree are used to decorate the altar.

GODFATHER OF THE OPENING OF THE PORTALS WILL BE WILLIAM CHAPANIAN

SACREMENTAL NEWS


 Vincent Avedis Farnum, son of Mr. & Mrs. Justin and Jeniffer FArnum was baptised on March 12, 2016. God father was Brent Farnum. Our congratulations.
OUR  "CHOREG CHICKS"



When our Ladies Guild members, AKA "Choreg Chicks" are baking choreg all day long, you know that Easter is around the corner. Good job Ladies!

FIFTH LENTEN PROGRAM


The fifth Lenten Vespers/Dinner and lecture was held on Friday, March 11. The Lenten dinner was sponsored by Doct. & Mrs. Michael and Sonia Nalbantian and Doct. & Mrs. Jacque and Rosette Khoury.

After the dinner, Der Nerses gave a lecture on the subject of "The qualities of the Servant of God." He stated that, as people who are baptized, we are called to serve.  He went to add that an authentic servant needs three fundemental qualities, Faith, Ability to Listen and Ability to see. First of all we need to believe in the one who is calling us to serve, then to listen as what he is telling us to do and later go out and see the needs of the community and take action.

SUNDAY BIBLE READING
PALM SUNDAY

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW Chapters 21:1-17
 
And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If any one says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
     "Tell the daughter of Zion,
     Behold, your king is coming to you,
     humble, and mounted on an ass,
     and on a colt, the foal of an ass."
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee."
And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you make it a den of robbers."
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant; and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read,'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise'?" And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Ալէլուք  - Տէր Աստուածե մեր երեւացաւ մեզ. արարէք տօնս ուրախութեան կանխաւ մինչեւ յանկիւնս սեղանոյ։


ՅԻՍՈՒՍ ՔՐԻՍՏՈՍԻ ԱՒԵՏԱՐԱՆԷՆ ԸՍՏ ՄԱՏԹԷՈՍԻ Գլուխ 21։1-17
 
Երբ Երուսաղէմի մօտեցան եւ հասան Բեթփագէ, Ձիթենեաց լերան կողին, Յիսուս իր աշակերտներէն երկուքը ղրկեց՝ անոնց պատուիրելով. �Գացէք սա դիմացի գիւղը եւ անմիջապէս հոն կապուած էշ մը պիտի գտնէք իր աւանակին հետ. քակեցէք եւ ինծի բերէք։  Եթէ մէկը առարկէ, ըսէք, �Տէրը անոնց պէտք ունի�, եւ անմիջապէս թոյլ պիտի տայ ձեզի�։
Ասիկա պատահեցաւ, որպէսզի իրականանայ մարգարէին խօսքը։
            �Երուսաղէմի ըսէք. ահա քու Թագաւորդ քեզի կու գայ. Անիկա հեզ է, նստած իշու մը աւանակին վրայ�։
            Աշակերտները գացին եւ կատարեցին ինչ որ Յիսուս պատուիրեց իրենց։  Յիսուս նստաւ աւանակին վրայ։  Ժողովուրդէն շատեր իրենց հագուստները կը փռէին ճամբուն վրայշ ուրիշներ ծառերէն ոստեր կը կտրէին եւ կը տարածէին ճամբուն վրայ։  Եւ ամբողջ բազմութիւնը, որ թափօրին մէջ Յիսուսի առջեւէն կ՚երթար կամ կը հետեւէր իրեն, կ՚աղաղակէր։
            �Օրհնութիւն Դաւիթի որդիին, Օրհնեալ է ան որ կու գայ Տիրոջ անունով, օրհնութիւն բարձրեալին�։
            Երբ Յիսուս Երուսաղէմ մտաւ, ամբողջ քաղաքը դրդրեցաւ։  �Ո՞վ է անիկա�, կը հարցնէին քաղաքի բնակիչները. Եւ ամբոխը կը պատասխաներ .. �Ասիկա Յիսուս մարգարէն է, Գալիլիայի Նազարէթ քաղաքէն�։
            Ապա Յիսուս տաճար մտաւ եւ դուրս վռնտեց բոլոր անոնք որոնք տաճարին մէջ առուծախ կ՚ընէին. լումայափոխներուն սեղանները եւ աղաւնավաճառներուն աթոռները շրջեց եւ ըսաւ անոնց. �Սուրբ Գիրքերուն մէջ գրուած է. �Իմ տունս աղօթքի տուն պիտի կոչուի�, մինչ դուք զայն աւազակներու որջի վերածած էք�։
            Տաճարին մէջ Յիսուսի մօտեցան կոյրեր եւ կաղեր եւ ան բժշկեց զանոնք։
Ապա Յիսուս ձգեց զանոնք եւ քաղաքէն դուրս ելաւ՝ դէպի Բեթանիա, եւ հոն գիշերեց։


 

Altar Flowers for Palm Sunday service are donated by the Sarajian and Pyne families in loving memory of their parents and grandparents 
Martin and Elizabeth Sarajian

ՀՈԳԵՀԱՆԳԻՍՏ - HOKEHANKIST - 

 

The following parishioners request Hokehankist for the souls of their loved ones.

Հետեւեալ ծխականները հոգեհանգիստ կը խնդրեն
իրենց հարազատներու հոգւոցն ի հանգիստ 
 
NO HOKEHANKIST THIS SUNDAY

As we start getting closer  to the Holy Week, I deem it necessary to remind all my parishioners once again about the issues of women's head covering and church etiquette. Please share these articles with your family members and gently remind, if needed, the parishioner who is seating next to you.
Let us all worship without any disturbance.
Sunday School News
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2016

  • Sunday, March 20  (PALM SUNDAY) we will have the traditional Procession where the students will lead Der Hayr (representing Jesus Christ) and the deacons around the Sanctuary (representing Jesus' entry into Jerusalem).  
  • Friday, March 18at 7:00 P.M. is the Vesper Services during Lent in which the Sunday School students participate.  It's open to all those students who can read or memorize English or Armenian as they will be reciting prayers on an individual basis (1st come, 1st served).   Please email Doreen by Friday, March 11 at  [email protected] and let  her know whether your child will or will not be a part of this beautiful service.  Children will need to be at the church that Friday night by 6: 30 so as to receive their gowns and find their places in the church. A Lenten meal will be served in Founders Hall following the service.

  • Please note that the 15 minute Communion service will start PROMPTLY at 10:00 
    Following Holy Communion, breakfast will be served (free to students; a nominal fee for adults--
    Egg Hunt will follow (indoors if weather is uncooperative).  
    Photo shoot with Der Hayr 
    Everything should be over between 11:00 - 11:30, the latest.


    Classes are canceled for Easter Sunday, so you may all worship together in church with your families

     
Haigazian School    
Community Flyers








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For Easter week we need flowers:

  • Good Friday - lose flowers to decorate the tomb of our Lord.
  • Easter Sunday - Easter lilies and flower arrangements for the altar and side altars.

I strongly suggest that you take care of all our needs. Our Church office is waiting for your calls.

 

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Calender of Events


2016
 
March 11         Lenten Services/ Dinner / Program
March 18         Lenten Services/ Dinner / Program
March 20         Palm Sunday - Sunday & Haigazian School Procession
March 24         Washing of the Feet - Khavaroom Services
March 25         Good Friday Services
March 26         Communion, Breakfast & Easter Egg Hunt for children of community
March 26         Evening Services
March 27         Easter
April 2             ARS Celebration
April 24   
April 26-30      CARNIVAL        
May 8              Mother's Day Breakfast
May 22            Last Day of Sunday School & Haigazian Armenian School
June 4              ARF dinner dance
June 12            Graduates' Communion & Breakfast
June 19            Father's Day Breakfast
August 14        Assumption Day, Grape Blessing & Picnic
September 11   Sunday School & Haigazian Armenian School openings
October 2         BINGO           

                      

Calender of Events
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St. Gregory Church | 215-482-9200 | [email protected] | http://www.saintgregory-philly.org
8701 Ridge Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19128

St. Gregory Church | 8701 Ridge Ave. | Philadelphia | PA | 19128