KHORAN LOUSO Sept. 25, 2011

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LIGHT ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CHURCH OF MISSISSAUGA

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Սեպտեմբեր – September 25, 2011

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BIBLE READINGS Gal. 6:14-18 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.

May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.

Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST be with your spirit. Amen.

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Matthew 24: 30-36

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

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Liturgical Calendar September 26 - October 09, 2011 26 Saints David of Dvin and the Martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia 27 Saints Eustathius, his wife Theopiste and their two sons, and the Holy Virgins Hermione and Catherine 28 Fast 29 The Saintly Princes Sahak and Hamazasb 30 Fast October 1 Seventy Two Holy Disciples of Christ 2 Fourth Sunday after the Holy Cross 3 Saints Phocas the Patriarch and Irenaeus of Lyons, follower of the Apostles 4 Virgin Saints Thecla, Barbara and Pelagia 5 Fast 6 Saints Pantaleon the Physician, Hermolaus the Priest and Eupraxia the Virgin 7 Fast 8 Holy Translators Mesrop, Yeghishe, Moses the Poet, David the Philosopher, Gregory of Narek and Nerses the Graceful 9 Fifth Sunday after the Holy Cross

OUR NEXT DIVINE LITURGY IS ON

Sunday, OCTOBER 9, 2011, at 1:00pm 4

Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak All Christian Churches each year solemnly celebrate all feasts dedicated to the Holy Cross. The Armenian Apostolic Church, in difference to the other Christian Churches, celebrates another purely national feast dedicated to the Holy Cross, which is famous as the Holy Cross of Varague. The Armenian Church celebrates this feast two weeks after the Feast of Exaltation of the HolyCross, that is the Sunday during the period of September 25 – October 1.

According to the historian Agathangelos, St. Hripsime and her companions, running away from the Roman Emperor Dioklethianos, who started persecutions against Christians, reach to Armenia and find shelter in Vagaharshapat.

However, before reaching Vagharshapat they stop at the Mountain Varague, which is to the southeast from the Lake Van. Taking off from her neck the relic of the Lord’s Wooden Cross, St. Hripsime gives it to the praying monks 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.

In 653 A. D. the monk Todik and his disciple Hovel pray at the Mountain Varague and ask God to show the place of the relic. Suddenly 12 bright 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.

Nerses the Creator Catholicos who was the Catholicos of All Armenians of that period, and Captain Vard, son the Knight Theodoros, learning about that miracle, go the Mountain Varague to personally witness it. With the support of the Armenian people the Pontiff builds a magnificent church, which in honor of the miracle is named Holy Cross Church. The Pontiff Nerses also writes the marvelous church hymn “By means of the most powerful sign”, which is sung in the churches on the day of the feast.

The sacred relic remains at the Mountain Varague till 1021 A. D. Later the Armenian King Senekerim Artsrouni brings the relic to Sebastia. After the 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 placed in the Church of Holy Godmother, in Van, which is renamed to Church of Holy Sign.

The relic was preserved there till 1915 A. D.

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October 08

Feast of the Holy Translators Sts. Mesrob, Yeghishe, Moses of Khoronk, philosopher David Anhaght, Gregory of Narek and Nerses the Gracious (Nerses of Kla) For the Armenian people the Feast of the Holy Translators is one of the most favorite and beloved national-ecclesiastical feasts.

Nearly two hundred disciples of St. Mesrob Mashtots and St. Sahak are known by the general group name “Holy Translators”. The disciples of the above mentioned group of Holy Translators are known as “Junior Translators”. Celebrating this feast, the Armenian Apostolic Church pays tribute of respect to the bright memory of St. Mesrob Mashtots, Yeghishe, Moses of Khoronk, philosoppher Davit Anhaght, whose sacred work and mission later has been continued on by St. Gregory of Narek and St. Nerses the Gracious. The word “Translator” means "Interpreter”. Comprehending and precisely understanding the demands of that period, the Holy Translators initiated the sacred work of creating the Armenian alphabet and literature. By the strength of their faith they dispersed the darkness and warmed the human souls. Thanks to the Holy Translators the Holy Bible was translated into Armenian and the Armenian peoples obtained the possibility to read the Holy Book in the native language. By means of their activity the Holy Translators contributed to the spiritual-cultural awakening of Armenia.

After the translation of the Holy Bible, many books of Church Father were translated into Armenian, and thanks to this fact many translations, the original copies of which haven’t been preserved, presently exist only in the translated variant and thus the translations have obtained the value of the original.

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PRAYER Guide us, O lord our God, and teach us to walk in thy paths of righteousness.

Keep our lives in peace, and our ways pleasing in thy sight.

Guide thy servants on their earthly and heavenly course along thy paths of purity unto thine eternal life through the grace of thine only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who became our prince of life and the hope of our salvation, with whom thou art blessed, O Father Almighty, together with thy lifegiving and liberating Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end.

Amen. -

WELCOME TO ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CHURCH If you are a newcomer to St. Vartan, it is a pleasure to welcome you to our Divine Liturgy this afternoon. Thank you for making time in your busy schedule to be with us. We believe that you will feel God’s Spirit and his renewing love among us as we worship together.

St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church of Mississauga, Canada P.O.Box 53010, 5100 Erin Mills Pkwy, Mississauga L5M 5A7

www.stvartan.ca The Parish Council needs your help to keep its mailing list up-to-date.

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St. Vartan Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. Myron Sarkissian (647) 970 77 99 7 hovhansar@hotmail.com

Prepared by: Rev. Fr. Myron Sarkissian, hovhansar@hotmail.com

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St. Vartan Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. Myron Sarkissian (647) 970 77 99 hovhansar@hotmail.com

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